Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert could save Meet The Press. Who else could do it?

[TeamPooka]

Not that Jon or Colbert are available but there has to be someone else with that skill set that could excite viewers and hold their own against our nation's politicians.
Who could NBC pick to get you to watch MTP?

[winter is coming]

1. If NBC got a host who asked tough, intelligent questions how would they persuade politicians

(especially Republicans) to show up?

[BainsBane]

2. Ted Koppel.

It's not a comedy show. They don't want a comedian. If the point is just to get viewers they could run Dancing with the Stars or something.

[6000eliot]

34. It isn't a comedy show? What is it, then?

It certainly isn't "news" or "public affairs."

[BainsBane]

42. It used to be.

Back when news tried to be news rather than entertainment.

[JVS]

57. Dancing to the Stars fans are way too hungover at that time slot.

[kentuck]

3. I have not seen George Stephanoupoulis in 2 or 3 weeks..

I wonder?

[KamaAina]

4. In a similar vein, John Oliver.

[TeamPooka]

12. good one. Forgot about Oliver.

[Logical]

5. Rachel Maddow! nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. woah! gmta. nt

[Cleita]

29. Rachel Maddow would be the logical choice if real

journalism was the issue here. How about Keith Olbermann? But a brilliant and tough show like that would never happen in our corrupt media culture today.

[Logical]

70. Good point! nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

6. rachel maddow. nt

[craigmatic]

8. Maddow, Tweety, Olberman could do it.

[TeamPooka]

24. I don't know if Tweety would bring viewers.

[winter is coming]

38. Tweety constantly talks over his guests.

[Uncle Joe]

9. Phil Donahue or Katrina Vanden Heuvel.

Thanks for the thread, TeamPooka.

[JustAnotherGen]

35. Both excellent suggestions

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. Melissa Harris Perry too

[cui bono]

11. Rachel Maddow.

[Luminous Animal]

13. Van Jones or Maddow.

[lordsummerisle]

14. Bill Maher

[raouldukelives]

15. Even though people will say "HE WERKZ FER PUTINZZ!!" Thom Hartmann. nt

[phylny]

17. I agree, Thom Hartmann is brilliant. n/t

[Half-Century Man]

16. Consider

Max Kaiser
Jessie Ventura
Cenk Unger
Phil Donahue
Mike Papantonio
Joe Biden
David Pakman

[TheKentuckian]

18. Short of God Almighty, no one it is. The show is about exactly what we see

Anyone who does it just the person fake moderating talking points, asking frame trap questions, and promoting lies unless they get real input on the other side of the camera.

The person is a part but way less than is made out, Gregory was hired because he was a willing hack and if they even consider someone that doesn't resemble that remark then I'll have my crow with a sweet and spicy glaze plain and plain with salt and pepper will do for a weekly helping and if they let them actually challenge the beltway "common wisdom" then on seasoning and if they actually call a spade a spade I'll eat it raw.

I think it is all propaganda and misinformation. It stinks more because it is blatantly partisan but even when it isn't on full on Meet the Republicans they just sprinkle in some mealy mouthed, "Centrist" weasels saying the same crap with a little less vigor and a few grace saving "yeah but"'s in there.

I feel like an idiot for wasting all those hours on it in the past.

[randome]

25. Live and learn, though.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]"The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it."
Tony Randall, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)[/center][/font][hr]

[TeamPooka]

60. Ditto on the "I feel like an idiot for wasting all those hours on it in the past." part.

[Cresent City Kid]

63. Yep, the BP, Boeing and Natural Gas industry ads let you know what it's about

The main reason I would like to see it saved is to have some show make it to 100 years on the air. Not a very compelling reason I admit, but it's a nice round number and I might even live to 2048. Then again, there might not be any TV as we know it by then.

[Samantha]

19. Ezra Klein

Extremely knowledgeable on the issues; never displays a partisan leaning.

Sam

[senseandsensibility]

20. I agree.

He would be good.

[TeamPooka]

21. Best choice so far.

[Contrary1]

22. Christiane Amanpour n/t

[TeamPooka]

23. She already had a shot with THIS WEEK, ABC's Sunday show, and didn't bring any viewers to the table.

[theHandpuppet]

32. She'd still be my pick

Phil Donahue a second.

[TeamPooka]

43. Phil Donohue is not the guy who can save the show. It's not 1982 anymore.

[underpants]

26. Fappy the anti-Masturbation Dolphin Mascot

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025227803

[6000eliot]

36. THAT is hysterical!

He gets my vote as well!

[underpants]

39. Enjoy

https://m.facebook.com/fappythedolphin?_rdr

[SummerSnow]

27. Most of the best journalist are now gone.:( too bad we can't bring them back.

[jeff47]

28. Nobody. Including Stewart or Colbert

There's people who could do good interviews and ask good questions.

The problem is the guests do not want that.

So you put a Maddow, Stewart or Colbert on the show, and suddenly the Republicans stop going on. No guests, no show.

[Initech]

51. Plus it's on at 6:00 AM on a Sunday.

I can guarantee that no one in the 35 and under crowd is up at 6:00 AM on a Sunday. If they really cared about saving "Meet The Press" they'd move to a time slot when people are actually awake. Just saying!

[Buns_of_Fire]

64. Perhaps the repubs would boycott it initially, but I think they'd be back.

A few weeks of not having a national platform to spew their Luntz-approved talking points unopposed, and they'd be begging to be booked, just to be able to get their two cents in. As it sits right now, they might as well hire Limbaugh or Hannity to host it.

[jeff47]

65. They have other national platforms that won't ask hard questions.

Especially if MTP is getting rejected because it's too hard.

[Buns_of_Fire]

66. But do those other platforms have the potential reach of MTP?

I say "potential" because it still has some prestige left from the Lawrence Spivak days.

But it's all academic, really, since it would require some intestinal fortitude from the oak-paneled-office crowd. And we know that ain't gonna happen.

[jeff47]

67. Yes. Just as many people can get ABC and CBS. (nt)

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

30. Mike Malloy.....

[gordianot]

31. Really with the current low state of Journalism who would really want to meet the press?

Insults, distortion, lies, ignorance, bias, who would want to meet the press other than something like McCain or Graham? Who can stand to listen to an hour of drivel? NBC who fills a niche of slightly better fact based news (compared to Fox and CNN) deserves what they will get (another failure) if they choose Chuck Todd. It remains to be seen if there is a silver lining and NBC drops failed Meet the Press hosts.

[hifiguy]

33. Rachel Maddow and Cenk Uygur

would be my first choices.

[oldandhappy]

37. Change the show entirely.

Show clips of the week -- both the press and the public (public meaning the congressional types usually invited to the show) and intermix the clips to show sanity and insanity. Scarcely need a moderator but I suppose you would have someone to introduce and conclude. Meet the Press does not have to mean live folk. Meet the Press can mean meet/see/acknowledge the people in the news. It could be great!

[TeamPooka]

45. They call that idea THE DAILY SHOW

[oldandhappy]

48. ha ha yea, you nailed it.

sorry. Was having fun noodling on this. sigh

[TeamPooka]

50. :) Yeah it's tricky thought exercise huh?

[conservaphobe]

40. Hayes, Maddow or Lawrence O'Donnell. nt

[TeamPooka]

46. The liberal choices are not the ones that will save the show. They are just the ones you want

leading the conversation.
There's a difference.
To be viable the moderator has to be somewhere in the middle or perceived as fair and objective by both sides.
Hayes, Maddow or Lawrence O'Donnell will never be seen that way.

[MADem]

41. Someone skilled in interviewing, like Gwen Ifill, serving as the moderator.

And a rotating panel of the actual "press," from electronic/print/television outlets, liberals, conservatives, moderates, a good mix, every week, and changed up regularly.

The moderator does a short interview, then the "press" tears into the guest.

That's how ya do it.

[TeamPooka]

47. good one

[MerryBlooms]

44. I think Ann Curry would be a good choice.

[TeamPooka]

49. also a very good choice. Seen as fair and objective. NBC likes her. Someone is thinking like a TV...

executive now.

[IggleDoer]

52. How bout 5 crashes, Lindsey and Newt

They're on just about every week. Why not make it official?

The problem with MTP is not just the host. Their bookers have a really small Rolodex.

[TeamPooka]

61. Apparently they only have John McCain's phone number. Then McCain brings his friends.

[mwrguy]

53. Michael Moore!

[Lint Head]

54. Rachel Maddow would give it new and "real" life.

[First Speaker]

55. Andrew Sullivan, though I doubt he'd want the job...

...he is a sane conservative, an excellent interviewer and speaker, would treat his guests of both parties with respect and always keep the discussion at a high level. He'd also be a hit ratings-wise, I suspect, because he does have charisma...and just maybe, the country would be ready for a Sunday talk show that doesn't insult its viewers intelligence.

[TeamPooka]

62. Very good pick!

[JVS]

56. Those are terrible choices.

I like both of them, but they're absolutely wrong for that show. I'd much rather see Charlie Rose

[tavernier]

58. Brian Williams.

He is likeable, has a sense of humor, and a sense of fair play.

[TeamPooka]

59. He could host SNL and MTP tye same weekend.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

68. At this point the only thing that would get me to watch that brainturd of a show would be something

bold. Like Triumph The Insult Comic Dog. (BTW I feel the same the same way about the rest of the Sunday Morning mental masturbation sessions.)

?w=650

[Calista241]

69. No way Stewart goes to MTP.

Why would he downgrade his career like that? He's got a daily show now and makes zillions.