A thought I had about Tim Russert

[Hailtothechimp]

First of all, I realize there are a number of people way ahead of me on this subject, so my apologies if this is a rehash of something that has already been said.

It's quite telling for me that when Scooter Libby was casting about for some way to wiggle out of leaking Valerie Wilson's name, he chose to try to pin it on Russert. I mean, why not pick some other journalist like Bill Cristol or Krauthammer or somebody at FOX?

I think it's because Libby (and Cheney and any other WHIGs were in on this)thought Russert would go along with it. Libby calls Russert to complain about Matthews, and Russert goes along with it. Cheney goes on Meet the Press (something like 10 times, even), but not on Stephanopoulas' show once. Are you seeing the same pattern I'm seeing?

SO does Russert get some kind of props for not going along with it? I don't think so. Russert gave (and continues to give) a virtually free ride to Cheney, and Rumsfeld, and Condi, and Colin, and any assorted General who is being trotted out, and Chalabi, and those crazy panelists he brings in, week in and week out. And that hasn't changed, and won't ever change if he wants to keep his job at NBC.

Russert was their in at NBC news. And he still is. It's just easier to see right now.

[EC]

1. Russert is one of those nerdy guys that hung around the

cool kids, and was allowed to because he did anything they told him to do.


Since George Bush himself absolutely will not give an interview to anyone he doesn't control (remember the interview with the Irish woman reporter?), you can bet even money that anyone that has interviewed him - part of the problem - that would be, Timmy, Diane Sawyer, Dr. Phil, FOX, (I'm missing someone - who?) anyway you get the point...

[autorank]

2. Good stuff to think about...

Russert was faced with perjury. He's a lawyer and he knows what that means. He's also clever enough to figure out that he was dealing with the frigging legal equivalent of Kung Fu. "This guy Fitzgerald is just too damn smart and way to tough. He's got me scared and he's going to clean house." Then he gave it up, just in this particular case.

Timmy Spudster is a whore of the first order.

I did notice one interesting thing. On Meet the Press Sunday, which I mistakenly watched in hopes of someone real showing up, Timmy looked almost pained as he listened to Saphire and that plastic surgery junkie Woodruff. He also seemed embarrassed to talk about a story he created.

I'm sure when Timmy goes straight to Hell, his former boss Daniel Patrick Monyhan will come down from political Heaven and give him a good talking to as only a former Manhattan long shore man could.