David Gregory is a dull blade.

[kentuck]

In other words, he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

He asks Mitch McConnell if the "repeal" of the Bush taxuts will increase the deficits. Fair question.

But then, McConnell goes off on a tangent about how Obama is going to raise taxes during a recession.

Gregory never pursued it even one step. He let it stand.

Should he have not informed people that McConnell voted for the Bush taxcuts in 2001 and agreed to let the taxcuts expire in 2011. And why? Because they added to the deficit. So it is not Obama that is raising taxes, it is McConnel himself that is raising taxes by his vote in 2001. Obama does not have to lift a finger and the Bush taxcuts will expire, thanks to McConnell and the Republicans.

Is that so hard to point out to the American people?

I would bet that a true journalist like Rachel Maddow would not let McConnell get off so easily?

(edited to clarify dates}

[BlueIdaho]

1. Gregory is a willing corporate co-conspirator. nt.

[Billy Burnett]

4. He was probably scolded for asking Boener that question several times.

Boener did the same thing as MM.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

2. he is a tool

[bluethruandthru]

3. Send this to NBC.

Everyone should. Gregory's bosses may or may not do anything about it...but they don't like it when their hosts look stupid (which they do a lot!). The problem is that they never get called out on it.
I think by keeping quiet for so long about their stupidity and lack of credibility that we allowed the networks to continue to stock their newsrooms with college kid, stop fact-checking, hire beauty queens to read news and voice their opinions, etc.
No matter how futile it seems, we need to let them know that we are disgusted by the stupidity of Gregory and others like him who allow politicians to get away with not answering questions and not answering truthfully.

[spanone]

5. mcconnel didn't answer one question and gregory let him off the hook

[SpiralHawk]

6. Gregory is a republicon sycophant

As he proves weak after week after weak week.

[11 Bravo]

7. To be fair, Gregory pushed McConnell repeatedly over whether or not he had a plan ...

to pay for the extension of the Bush tax cuts. McConnell repeatedly refused to answer, and Gregory flatly told him that he was being unresponsive.

on edit: typo

[tridim]

11. Yes, but he knew he wasn't going to get an answer

Just like last week with Boner.

I think the point is that a real journalist wouldn't let McConnell's non-answer to stand.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

8. From what I've seen, Gregory is a fellow traveller with the likes of McConell......

Pence, Boehner and their ilk. He represents the GE arm of that network (among many others).

[dsc]

9. that is a pretty dishonest way or portraying what Gregory did

He asked him not once, not twice, not three times, but five seperate times including using a quote from Greenspan for him to explain how it is paid for. I am no fan of Gregory but for once he actually did try to pin someone down.

[Kurovski]

18. I've seen him do that before. he most recently did it with Boehner.

A journalist who can't get the answer is a poor journalist, I'm guessing.

[AnArmyVeteran]

19. I wouldn't have stop questioning until he answered the question. Period.

I would have asked why are you avoiding my question.

[dsc]

20. at some point you have to move the interview along when it is apparent that the question won't be

answered. I think five attempts is enough. I will say he was horrible in the roundtable and that he is dead wrong on the issue of fact checking. I would love to see a professional fact checking of Armey's comments during that roundtable.

[kentuck]

22. Perhaps he could have asked??

Senator, did you vote for the Bush taxcuts in 2001?
Answer: yes

Did you know they would expire in 2011?
Answer: Yes

Did you know why they would expire in 2011?
Answer: Because they would increase the deficit.

So, did you not vote for the "tax increase" in 2001??
Answer: But I didn't know we would be in a recession in 2011.

So, the President does not have to do anything and the taxcuts will expire because that is what your voted for, right?
Answer: Yes.

[OHdem10]

10. To be fair, I cannot think of any MSM type who will seriously

challenge a Republican.

Long ago the Republicans showed them they would publicly
embarass them--. The MSM do not like to be confronted
themselves so they permit the Republicans to walk all over
them. Also they cannot push too much. The Corporate Party
can push the button to rid them of their job.

[Kurovski]

12. Taxuts are a neighboring tribe of the Wampanoag.

Or is it a breed of miniature dachshund? I forget.

But really, David is indeed a tool, if not an implement.

[malaise]

13. Gregory is a hack

He holds no RETHUG accountable.

[RKP5637]

14. Have never watched since Gregory started doing the show... can't stand his style and politics. n/t

[4lbs]

15. Now that Christianne Amanpour is on ABC's 'This Week' Sundays, I watch her instead.

[AnArmyVeteran]

16. Gregory isn't a journalist. He's not very intelligent either.

[Gold Metal Flake]

17. How Russertonian of him.

[Radical Activist]

21. Yes. You beat me to it. n/t

[jillan]

23. Of all the people working at msnbc/nbc - WHY Gregory?

Even Brian Williams would've been a better choice.

[Steely_Dan]

24. That's Strange...

I was about to post how proud of Gregory that he pressed so hard on the issue of Tax Cuts. Sorry...There is only so much a journalist can do. If the person being interviewed refuses to address the question after you have asked it at least five times, you can probably bet your not going to get an answer.

-P

[kentuck]

25. Or maybe he's asking the wrong questions??

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.
Perhaps he could have tried a different approach? Is it enough to say, "I tried"? Perhaps he could ahve asked:

Senator, did you vote for the Bush taxcuts in 2001?
Answer: yes

Did you know they would expire in 2011?
Answer: Yes

Did you know "why" they would expire in 2011?
Answer: Because they would increase the deficit.

So, did you not vote for the "tax increase" in 2001??
Answer: But I didn't know we would be in a recession in 2011.

So, the President does not have to do anything and the taxcuts will expire because that is what your voted for, right?
Answer: Yes.

[Steely_Dan]

26. Yeah...I read that part of the thread...

...and I don't disagree. Maybe it is the question.

-P

[kentuck]

27. The thing is, he keeps asking that same question.

He asked the same thing of Boehner. The Repubs have their programmed response. It is not responsible journalism, in my opinion.

[Steely_Dan]

28. Okay...That may be true...

...However, keep in mind that every time he asked the question and every time he didn't answer it, it made him look pretty bad.

[kentuck]

29. I think it made Gregory look bad.

for not being able to get him to answer the question.