Tim Russert Meows at the Times
The shoe being on the other foot, Tim Russert of NBC took the opportunity of being interviewed by Brian Lamb on Washington Journal this morning to complain about an interview of him that the Times Magazine ran on Mother's Day. Russert said that reporter Deborah Solomon merged answers to different questions so as to make it appear that they were answers to one question. He said that the Times embarrassed him by titling it an interview about his father, when it was about his mother. He said that he had written a long letter to the Times, after complaining to Solomon, and that the Times hadn't run it yet. "What else are you going to do?" Brian Lamb said. "I don't know what else I can do," Russert lamented (beside bitch about it on national television).
In the mandala of press abuses, this one doesn't rate. Most authors—the Times interview coincided with a new book by Russert—would happily accept Russert's treatment. A lot of what Solomon evidently did goes with the territory of magazine writing, making things easier for people to read. Russert never said that Solomon misquoted him or misrepresented his words or ideas. Oh, he doesn't like the headline. Russert needs to absorb the lesson of Big Russ, his father, and take it like a man.
Oh, Tim has taught me he can take it like a man so rootin' tootin' well!
Initially I confess that I was a mite confused by the "personalized" dvd Jack Welch slipped in my hand at that press conference when he announced I was his successor. Watching it didn't help -- why would Mister Jack Welch give me a dvd of Meet The Press in which the stirring (and quite expensive) John Williams theme for it was replaced by Tina Turner singing "Private Dancer"?
Well, I soon found out.
And mmmmmmmm... am I glad I did.
IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR I QUIT WATCHING TIM RUSSERT. I'M 68 YEARS OLD AND HAVE WATCHED HIM FOR MANY YEARS. I THOUGHT HE WAS A PRETTY GOOD JOURNALIST. BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED EARLY THIS YEAR AND IT WAS APPARENT TO ME THAT RUSSERT NOW WAS NOT THE RUSSERT OF OLD. THIS MORNING I HAPPENED TO WATCH FOX AND FRIENDS AND THEY SAID KEITH OLBERMAN WAS NOW OVER BRIAN WILLIAMS AND TIM RUSSERT AT NBC. THEY SAID THAT TIM RUSSERT HAS NOW BECOME OLBERMAN'S POODLE. SO, MY FEELINGS EARLIER THIS YEAR WERE CORRECT. SOMETHING HAS CHANGED. BUT I THINK FOX AND FRIENDS ARE WRONG; RUSSERT HAS NOT BECOME OLBERMAN'S POODLE. IN REALITY WILLIAMS AND RUSSERT HAVE BECOMES OLBERMAN'S POODLES. POODLES, AS IN PLURAL. I DON'T THINK WILLIAMS HAS THE COURAGE TO LEAVE NBC, BUT I THINK RUSSERT DOES. IF HE DOES, I'LL WATCH HIM AGAIN.
I have been an independent voter for years, prefering to analyse all political candidates and their positions before determining who is the best for the post. While I do not totally disagree with the idea that Russert and Olberman lean towards Obama, to suggest that this is unique to the left is frankly absurd. Limbaugh, Coulter and others on the political right act towards those they support on the right in a way which makes Russert and Olberman seem positively restrained. Hate in American politics is all too prevalent today from both sides but the right do lately seem to have cornered the market on virulent lies and hate-mongering. I would suggest, as a middle-of-the-road voter, that you look to your own house before demanding that others clean theirs.
I find it interesting that your posts didn't make it on the internet until after Mr. Russert was laid to rest. As for Mr. Russert's Political affiliation? He openly admitted on air that he is an Independant. He was a man excited about the entire political process and about this entire election because it is the first time in 80 years that an incumbant VP is not in the running for the presidential position. How dare you assume he was vying for Obama? Other than being excited that as RFK stated over 40 years ago on Meet the Press that he would not be surprised that an African American would run for President in his lifetime. Where do you get your information?
As for Keith Olberman - He is good friends with the Clintons and openly stated that in a New Yorker interview with Peter J. Boyer but did not reveal his political affiliation. If Olberman sees or hears inconsistencies or blatent misrepresentation of truth from any public official who is suppose to be representing the tax payers, he is going to be speaking out loud about it as a true jouralist should! How do you define "Liberal" anyway? Open to all sides of the equation? Open to all comments? Do you know what the root word is for Libearal? It is Liberty.
Can you figure this out or does it have to be spelled out for you?
The rest of you are just whiners hiding behind the skirts of your editors who don't know how to be truthful and go after the facts. "THE FACTS - UNBIASED REPORTING - NOT CONSERVATIVE - NOT PARTISAN - FACTUAL REPORTING. NEOCONS ARE NOT WITHOUT BIAS OR TWISTING THE TRUTH - LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO OUR CONSTITUTION AND OUR CONGRESS!
The Facts are, NBC allows their journalists to tell the truth and the President Mr. Zucker has the last say over the final cut of the program but Olberman is allowed to speak the truth and the truth is he is a brilliantly educated man who majored in history in college in fact his parents had to place him in a private school because he was smart he was two grades ahead of the rest of children his age.
The only Newscast that is blatent in its political bias is FOX News. Karl Rove made arrangements to buy time from FOX EXCLUSIVELY for THEIR NEOCON CAUSE AND TO BROADCAST ONLY ON THEIR NETWORK. CLINTON DID IT WITH CNN. Sean Hannity never allows his parter Mr. Colmes to get a word in edgewise and completely dominates every subject that comes up for debate. Bill O'Reilly isn't even a Jounalist nor does he behave like one. He admitted to Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes that he is a registered Democrat. However, his behavior is nothing like that of a Journalist and cannot even be compared to the likes of Tim Russert, Tom Brokaw, or Brian Williams.
No One Journalist is over the other @ NBC and I suppose that makes you look rather silly. Each program has its contribution to make and is an entity unto itself and adds to the nuance that is MSNBC. It is a well run Organization.
Tim Russert belongs in the same class as Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. He was a man of Integrity, generosity, humanity, truth and great love. We will not see the likes of him again. He was an original man of character, clarity, honesty and believed in the betterment of mankind which you are attempting to make dirty and you will never be able to do that because he would try to help you see more clearly and give you a hand up. He was a man of Honor.
SIncerely, Truthfully
Denise A. Varner, RN,BSN,PHN,CCM.CLCP
Taso;
That's your problem - FOX news doesn't know the NBC Organizational chart and it is their business to tear down their competition because NBC is ahead in the ratings game! Tim Russert shows no Bias as he is admittedly an Independent. He was just excited about the coming political season. He was tough but fair basing his questions upon FACTUAL STATEMENTS OF HIS INTERVIEWEES! If you can't handle that, you can't handle the truth. He was unbiased as a Lawyer could be. He asked the tough questions so the audience could come to their own conclusions. He was a true Advocate for the people.