NBC holding off on announcing Gregory as host of MTP - furious about leaks - Chuckles Todd to blame?

[jefferson_dem]

I know...this story is from the stupid rag NY POST. But it's pretty funny...I couldn't resist.

December 4, 2008 --

NBC is holding back from anointing David Gregory as the new host of "Meet the Press" because "they're furious about leaks" that tipped off the media, well-placed sources told Page Six. The infamous in-house squabbling over Tim Russert's replacement "is at a new peak" said one tipster, with some NBC suits and talent sore over the network's widely reported choice of Gregory - who had yet to be confirmed as of last night. An other source said the brass blame MSNBC host Chuck Todd for tipping off media blogs on Gregory's new gig - for which Todd was a top contender - and ruining the announcement that was planned to be made this Sunday by interim "Meet the Press" host Tom Brokaw.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12042008/gossip/pagesix/leaks_peeve_nbc_142568.htm

[bdamomma]

1. David Schuster would be a good replacement.

[jefferson_dem]

3. Probably the best of a bunch of shitty options at NBC.

My dream ... Jon Stewart at the MTP helm. :)

[annabanana]

7. I wouldn't hate that option.. . . n/t

[Clio the Leo]

27. No, Olbermann!!! I want ALL Olbermann ALL THE TIME!!! lol

[bunnies]

2. I cant fucking stand David Gregory.

What the hell is NBC thinking?! Why are they shoving that asshat down our throats so much?! :nuke:

[jefferson_dem]

5. He's a miserable choice...the absolute worst kind of media whore.

He's vapid and vacant. Without all his whoreness, Gregory would be nothing. There's no there there...

[bunnies]

8. Exactly!

I was SOOO looking forward to him going away when that damned "race for the whitehouse" show had to end. But Nooooooo. All they do is change the name. :banghead: I would have rather they kept Tucker than stick us with Gregory. Hell, I'd even take Pat Buchanan over Gregory - and thats pretty bad.

Send Gregory to Faux where he belongs. sheesh.

[Barack_America]

30. Amen.

If Gregory gets the job, it will be the end of MTP for me.

[annabanana]

6. "Dances With Rove" must have some nuts in vizes somewhere. . .n/t

[bunnies]

10. You're probably right.

He certainly isnt getting these gigs because of his talent!

[ShortnFiery]

19. Same here. It's one of the few times my opinion about a public person changed 180 degrees over

a matter of months. When Gregory was just part of the White House Press Corps, I enjoyed his constant needling of Bush. Now I discover that was "an act" and Gregory's part of the Big Business knows best clan. The Celebrity of Gregory during the trashy "Road to The White House" show seemingly put an arrogant ZAP on Gregory's head.

IMNSHO Gregory's a sniveling Corporate Welfare/Status Quo promoter. :puke:

[bunnies]

24. Yep. I was open to him at first...

then after a couple of weeks of that show, it was like... "this guy SUCKS". What a let-down he was/is. Spineless and brainless. yippee.

[ShortnFiery]

32. Too funny. Even his somewhat good looks don't make him fetching in anyway now.

It happens to me all the time. If a person is average looking to me, they appear handsome/prettier if they are also a kind soul ... and vice versa.

I used to think Gregory was handsome but not now ... he's vomit. :puke:

Dean Wormer to David Gregory: Son, being a spring-butt corporate sycophant and all around power elite ass-kisser is no way to go through life. :evilgrin:

[ErinBerin84]

33. yeah, I used to think he was semi-good looking

but now he just looks like a Muppet (and sounds like a puppet, heh)...in fact, his muppet like face is the only endearing thing about him anymore. What a disappointment.

[rvablue]

44. I 100% agree with this..........

in the WH he seemed to almost fill a gadfly role.

As soon as he was brought in to host/commentate he started showing his true colors. I don't find the man bland or boring......I'm find him subvertive....and he gives himself up with his facial expressions and demeanor.......on election night every time Rachel opened her mouth he looked like he wanted to muzzle her and it's not as if she was even close to dominating the conversation or interrupting.....it really struck me.

[Lugnut]

35. I won't be watching.

David Schuster would've been my choice but nobody asked for my vote on it. Even Chuck Todd would've been a better choice as far as I'm concerned. David Gregory doesn't impress me.

[annabanana]

4. I want Bill Moyers to get it. THAT I'd tune in for, . . TIVO . . , podcast

the whole 9 yards...

[mod mom]

9. Let's hope they are having second doubts and will choose someone not so biased.

[City Lights]

11. Boo-hoo, GE-TV!

I've already sent my email of disgust over their choice of gregory...thanks to whomever leaked it!

[Kahuna]

55. A bunch of us on DU sent emails. I hope DG gets to read them so

what people outside of the beltway think about him. :evilgrin:

[a kennedy]

12. Don't care, don't watch and don't like DG

:puke:

[Joe Bacon]

13. Blaming this on Chuck You

:rofl:

[camera obscura]

14. Funny, because wasn't Gregory known for leaking to the press?

I remember there was an article about MSNBC's squabbles that took a very "poor Gregory, he's being held back by that angry Olbermann and silly Matthews" perspective. Seems people were suspicious he'd planted the quotes himself.

[ErinBerin84]

15. oooh, I remember that!

lol...maybe he was the one who leaked to the NYP "brass blame it on Chuck Todd." Hilarious.


I also remember reading that Brian Williams favors Chuck Todd over David Gregory.


Did you guys read the NYT article the other day that quoted a couple of the other MTP candidates (who wanted to remain nameless?) They said that Gregory had leverage because of the Today Show, and that supposedly Good Morning America has been eying him, so they didn't want to lose him at NBC. Ummmmm, I'm perfectly fine with Gregory sticking strictly to the Today show or moving to Good Morning America.

edit: and oh yeah, I would bet this isn't true just because it is NYP and they are full of it. But I love the idea of Gregory and Todd not liking each other.

[Alter Ego]

16. Serves them right for frantically humping those Obama transition team leaks

like a dog in heat.

[JNelson6563]

17. Like a slap fight on the short bus.

I love when talking heads go at each other. :rofl:

Julie

[Zen Democrat]

18. Ol' Stretch is about the WORST possible choice.

Rachel Maddow the best. The leak? Heck, I'd bet on Andrea Mitchell leaking before Chuck Todd. But I have a feeling MTP ratings will tank with Gregory and the show will ultimately go back to the original format with a panel and moderator questioning the guest. They should do that now with a permanent host and a revolving panel of regulars -- including Todd, Mitchell, Ifill, Maddow, Olbermann, Buchanan, Robinson, etc.

[uponit7771]

29. Yeap, gregory does NOT have the appeal Russert does & Gregory comes of as a lazy group thinker when

...it comes to the facts so he'll commonly have a right wing them to his interviews (cause facts have a liberal bias) and people should make sure to point this out continually.

[rufus dog]

49. Eugene Robinson is the one who should get it.

[me b zola]

20. I heard a while ago that it was supposed to be Mark Whitaker

Yesterday on morning joe, joe seemed to taunt Mark for not getting the job that seemed to have been promised to him.

[ErinBerin84]

21. I thought it was more of

a thing like Joe teasing Mark and pretending that he was going to announce the new host. He said "We have a big meet the press announcement......Barack Obama is going to be the guest this Sunday! Haha, scared ya, didn't I Mark?"

[me b zola]

25. But the new MTP host has been leaked out (DG)

I took it as a frat boy's way of mocking the guy who was supposed to get the job before the rug got pulled out by insiders.

[ErinBerin84]

26. yeah, I just read on Politico that it might have been leaked out of the Washington Bureau

but I never thought Mark Whitaker ever had a chance/was mentioned, so I assumed that it was just Joe being a frat boy dick as usual.

[ShortnFiery]

36. How can you stand to watch Mourning Ho-Jo without throwing something at your TV set?

I can't even channel surf to that horrid excuse for a morning NEWS show. :puke:

[TheZug]

22. Just say NO to Manchild Gregory.

[TwilightGardener]

23. I hate Gregory, the smarmy fuck. For all those who insulted Russert and danced on his grave, do you

like these results better? I miss Timmeh.

[ShortnFiery]

34. You got that right!

The late Tim Russert's demonstrated intellect put David Gregory's "tic-tac" reasoning to shame. However, sadly Russert's son, Luke, is even more of a dumb-ass than David Gregory. So much for genetics. :shrug:

[Kahuna]

54. Timmeh pissed me off royally during his bush love days... but I really do miss him..

I watched him religiously every single week that he was on. :cry:

[uponit7771]

28. Gregory, like broke jaw, does NOT do his homework. His guest can make sure this is pointed

...out CONTINUALLY.

[dkf]

31. David Gregory is worse than bad...he is boring.

He adds nothing to the program. Bad choice.

[political_Dem]

37. I think that someone read the outcry against Gregory on-line.

DU wasn't the only place up in arms.

[ErinBerin84]

38. me too.

I read a couple of message boards (with both Repubs and Dems), and everyone's reaction is pretty much "This is the best that they could come up with? Really?"

[rvablue]

46. And it's not as if MTP is a blockbuster, across-the-board ratings success

those guys KNOW it's people on DU, DKos, etc. etc. that are political fanatics and watch these shows every week.

If we aren't going to watch, who is....it's not as if they aren't going to pull in a whole other democgraphic with lame ass Gregory.

[ClarkUSA]

39. McCain enabler Brokaw chose another Republican-lite to replace him. Is anyone surprised?

I won't be watching, that's for sure.

[FrenchieCat]

40. Perhaps those letters worked......

cause I sure wrote! :)

[Roxy66]

41. Why would they choose Gregory anyway? His ratings have been horrible

I cant even imagine why he would get the job, considering his show gets very low ratings.

[SwampG8r]

42. they saw all the hoohaw

on DU about the SoS buildup and thought they could work it too?

[sohndrsmith]

43. Lawrence O'Donnell and Ron Reagan.

both take a half segment each week (since a 2 topic program seems to be the format, plus a round table with both hosts.

the thing about meet the press is that the host needs to be interesting, without being "the" topic (as Matthews and Olbermann often are - and I love KO, but I wouldn't pick him for this particular spot - he's great at what he does and it's different).

Gregory, Schuster, Todd, Mitchell, even Ifill (whom I greatly respect) are not interesting or engaging, which is needed for this position. They are all capable of providing information well and asking useful questions, but they're too bland (and I'm not talking about the fact that they're objective).

Ron Reagan and Lawrence O'Donnell (for me) are interesting and entertaining and have been critical and objective when called for.

I don't really get the criticism of Tim Russert, his joyousness alone made my enjoy his presence and look forward to it, even if he did have a bias which I may not have shared, I didn't really see that.

I think Gregory was a test bubble... now they know. I'm actually amazed that so many people have as negative view of him that I do... I thought it was just me! : ) I tried to be more objective with him yesterday, and he did, in fact, ask extremely good questions (on that one segment, for that one day, at least) but it didn't help. I really find him sort of robotic which may be an asset as a journalist, but it's a killer for a talk show host (MTP is a talk show, for all intents and purposes).

Gregory makes no connection with anything or anyone he discusses, questions or debates - and I think that's the main reason I find him so off-putting. Plus he seems sort of smarmy, and I don't know how anyone can do so and be robotic at the same time, but he manages to do it.

I don't believe for a millisecond that NBC is mad about the leak. I think they're mad at themselves, and about the reaction the leak has gotten. Had the feedback been enthusiastic, they'd be perfectly content. They're mad because they didn't realize how many viewers don't like him at ALL. That's my guess anyway...

[Sebastian Doyle]

45. And they had Massengill all lined up as a sponsor and everything

What better sponsor for the DOUCHEBAG Gregory?

[Berry Cool]

47. You guys really believe these Page Six lies?

Page Six and the Pest lie about MSNBC all the time. They told everyone that KO was bucking for the job, which was a flagrant lie--not only has he consistently maintained he's underqualified, he probably doesn't want to move to Washington.

I'm afraid we may be stuck with Dances With Rove, despite everything.

[ErinBerin84]

51. well, the OP put a disclaimer that it was the NY Post. I think this was just for fun.

And for us to complain a bit more about Gregory :)

In all seriousness, I'm sure we're stuck with Dances with Rove too...it's a crying shame.

[TheKentuckian]

48. I find Gregory to be beyond lame but this test balloon was interesting

as he gets about the same reaction across the spectrum, except I think the Freeps hate him even worse than we do. I find him to be a boring shill but our kooky cousins fucking despise him because they think he's a liberal and we hate I take it for reasons I do.

Maybe everyone just hates a corporatist nowadays.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2141207/posts

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

50. F both of them.

[Dinger]

52. I Agree (nt)

[sniffa]

53. CHUCK TOD SI A RITE WIN TOOOL

TIHS JUS T PROOVES IIT