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David Gregory should not host Meet the Press |
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The Huffington Post reports that MSNBC has selected David Gregory to take over “Meet the Press” (NBC has denied this). As Media Matters has documented, Gregory has consistently legitimized right-wing falsehoods as “conventional wisdom.” Among countless other distortions, he’s implied that 9-11 made Guiliani a hero, voters prefer Republicans on taxes, and that Bush is “strong” on foreign policy.
Here’s why this is important: “Meet the Press” is the highest rated Sunday talk show and one of the standard-bearers for DC conventional wisdom. Gregory would be well-positioned to perpetuate these damaging falsehoods to a much more influential audience as the new host of the show.
Like many of his celebrity journalist colleagues, Gregory is a prime example of deferential “access” journalism, happily absorbing talking points and conventional wisdom in exchange for so-called “inside stories.” When he wasn’t busy serving as a translator for Ann Coulter, he danced with Karl Rove while Iraq burned. His focus on superficial rather than substantive issues, such as his egging on of the supposed Clinton/Obama soap opera drama does the public a terrible disservice (just browse through any of his recent show transcripts).
Worst of all, Gregory argued that the press was not complicit in the invasion of Iraq. The cable news networks, of course, refused to air liberal critics of the war and mindlessly repeated Bush administration talking points on everything from aluminum tubes to the Saddam Hussein/Al Qaeda connection. Public opinion surveys at the time show that the public was woefully uninformed of the realities of the situation. Gregory himself failed to ask tough questions in the run-up to the war. The level of self-delusion he employs to absolve his profession of responsibility for the mess is staggering.
David Gregory is the DC conventional wisdom. His repetition of right-wing talking points and defense of his profession regarding the Iraq war reflect a broader tendency of the televised pundit class to conform to a set of standards, defined by the political establishment, about what is “appropriate” and what “reasonable” people think. It’s why he’s utterly inappropriate for the job, and also why he will probably be picked.
Can you see how NBC, like the big 3 automakers, can’t help themselves when making standard moves that keep the status quo, reward hangers on, and lack any creative gusto. Gregory was next in line. His style is the status quo and again, the free press is truly the corporate press who dominates what we know and hear! This man will not get to the bottom of anything and not truly inform the public. He might as well be Larry King for all we care!