Meet The Depressed Is A Terrible Gig. Chuck Todd isn

[JoeB131]

Although I do agree. Tim Russert was great.

I think Tim Russert sucked. He gave the illusion of being tough but he was a total beltway insider who was never going to ask a difficult question that the interviewee didn't know was coming.

Like all the beltway reporters, he protected his access first and foremost, and never did anything to jeopardize that.

Now, as an political analyst, he was pretty good. As is Chuck Todd.

But here's the problem. A lot of this Washington press corps is more of a fixture in that town than the politicians themselves. I mean, crap the only reason why Helen Thomas didn't last until they wheeled her out in a body bag was because she had a senior moment and said something anti-Zionist.

And when you have people who are too much familiarity between the politicians and the people who are supposed to be covering them and holding them to account, I don't see how they can do their jobs effectively.

 

[Synthaholic]

Although I do agree. Tim Russert was great.

I think Tim Russert sucked. He gave the illusion of being tough but he was a total beltway insider who was never going to ask a difficult question that the interviewee didn't know was coming.

Like all the beltway reporters, he protected his access first and foremost, and never did anything to jeopardize that.

Now, as an political analyst, he was pretty good. As is Chuck Todd.

But here's the problem. A lot of this Washington press corps is more of a fixture in that town than the politicians themselves. I mean, crap the only reason why Helen Thomas didn't last until they wheeled her out in a body bag was because she had a senior moment and said something anti-Zionist.

And when you have people who are too much familiarity between the politicians and the people who are supposed to be covering them and holding them to account, I don't see how they can do their jobs effectively.

I watched Andrea Mitchell interviewing some recently retired Republican Senator, and she not only asked about his lovely wife, she also referred to him as "my friend", as in "Thank you, my friend".

That precludes asking a tough question.