Tim Russert: Stop the Inanity

[babylonsister]

Tim Russert: Stop the Inanity

Russert passes for a "tough" interviewer by adopting a confrontational pose rather than asking genuinely challenging questions. Which is why he's a terrible moderator for our presidential debates.


Paul Waldman | October 31, 2007 | web only



Tim Russert: Stop the Inanity


Last month, near the end of the Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire, moderator Tim Russert -- known as "Washington's toughest interviewer" and perhaps the most influential journalist in America -- had one last chance to pin the candidates down with his legendary common sense, persistence, and no-bull style. This is what he asked, first to Barack Obama:

"There's been a lot of discussion about the Democrats and the issue of faith and values. I want to ask you a simple question. Senator Obama, what is your favorite Bible verse?"

When Obama finished his answer, Russert said to the other candidates, "I want to give everyone a chance in this. You just take 10 seconds." Predictable banality ensued. A foreign visitor unfamiliar with our presidential campaigns might have scratched her head and said, "This is how you decide who will lead your country?"

Indeed it is, because the process is controlled by Tim Russert and people like him. Russert's Bible question encapsulates everything wrong with him, and with our political coverage more generally. It seeks to make candidates look bad rather than finding out something important about them (if you want to explore a candidate's religious beliefs, you don't do it in pop-quiz form and give them just ten seconds to answer). It substitutes the personal anecdote for the policy position, the sound-bite for the substantive answer. It distills the debate into a series of allegedly symbolic, supposedly meaningful moments that can be replayed.

This type of debate question is not about what the candidate believes and would actually do in office, but about how clever the moderator is for cornering the candidate. And above all, it takes a genuinely relevant matter (a candidate's view of the universe) and crams it through a channel by which the thoughtful candidate will be pilloried and the shallow, pandering, overly rehearsed candidate will garner praise.

I have a fantasy that at one of these moments, a candidate will say, "You know what, Tim, I'm not going to answer that question. This is serious business. And you, sir, are a disgrace. You have in front of you a group of accomplished, talented leaders, one of whom will in all likelihood be the next president of the United States. You can ask them whatever you want. And you choose to engage in this ridiculous gotcha game, thinking up inane questions you hope will trick us into saying something controversial or stupid. Your fondest hope is that the answer to your question will destroy someone's campaign. You're not a journalist, you're the worst kind of hack, someone whose efforts not only don't contribute to a better informed electorate, they make everyone dumber. So no, I'm not going to stand here and try to come up with the most politically safe Bible verse to cite. Is that the best you can do?"

more...

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=tim_russert_stop_the_inanity

[LakeSamish706]

1. I really like this part of your post.... One can only hope that the next time...

Timmy gets to moderate, he will ask something and someone will use a similar line...

"I have a fantasy that at one of these moments, a candidate will say, "You know what, Tim, I'm not going to answer that question. This is serious business. And you, sir, are a disgrace. You have in front of you a group of accomplished, talented leaders, one of whom will in all likelihood be the next president of the United States. You can ask them whatever you want. And you choose to engage in this ridiculous gotcha game, thinking up inane questions you hope will trick us into saying something controversial or stupid. Your fondest hope is that the answer to your question will destroy someone's campaign. You're not a journalist, you're the worst kind of hack, someone whose efforts not only don't contribute to a better informed electorate, they make everyone dumber. So no, I'm not going to stand here and try to come up with the most politically safe Bible verse to cite. Is that the best you can do?"

[babylonsister]

5. If only someone would call him out; it's so deserving. nt

[opihimoimoi]

2. Timmy and his staff seem to be controlled by a higher force..they have an agenda to destroy the DEMs

Timmy is a closet nazi

[porkrind]

13. Bingo, Opihimoimoi!

Russert is certainly not "Washington's toughest interviewer", nor is he "perhaps the most influential journalist in America". Russert is a well known right-wing attack dog who wants to destroy dems. He is obviously controlled. You think he would ask Repubs these questions? You think he would ask * these questions? He is all smiles on bended knee when he is with his Repub friends. It's time we call out Russert for what he is and refuse to have anything to do with him. He needs to retire and go away.

[underpants]

3. Rec'd this guy nails Russert

[asjr]

4. Solid gold slapdown!

[2 Much Tribulation]

6. The bold quotation would be wonderful, if actually said in a debate! nt

[penguin7]

7. Kucinich gave Ted Koppel a bit of that

And Dennis also handed a bit out at the last debate.

[burythehatchet]

8. Dennis has huge elfin balls. Go DK!

[babylonsister]

9. ...elfin balls...

:rofl: Too cute!

[depakid]

10. "a candidate will say, "You know what, Tim..."

That candidate will get a LOT of populist mileage out handing a media weasel like Russert their ass on a platter.

Most Americans are just waiting for a moment like that.

[Doc Martin]

11. Dennis challenged a Russert question in the Philly debate

I don't know Kucinich well but I was in awe of his courage and presence of mind when he counseled Russert to be careful about the kind of questions he asked. Russert was asking the kind of priming question that could be used to make war on Iran acceptable. Dennis reminded Russert of the press, and Russert's, complicity with the invasion of Iraq. Dennis did not do that in a way that demeaned or disrespected Russert but there was no mistaking the message being delivered.

[BridgeTheGap]

15. I'm glad DK did it...someone needs to put Russert in his place

It was a trick or loaded question.

[ms liberty]

12. K&R: Paul Waldman is great...

And that fantasy of his sounds strikingly like one I regularly enjoy!

[illinoisprogressive]

14. To be fair, Russert has always had those kind of questions at end of interviews

However, if there is still objection to Hillary's debate night, read this:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/11/02/the_clinton_gospel/