From the ROMENESKO site:
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24537-2004Feb8.html And they will, predicts Tom Shales. During his session with President Bush, Tim Russert "proved a tough questioner without becoming a showoff during the interview." Not much new came out of the White House chat, says the critic, but with television, "style can easily be content, and Bush, from the outset of the session, came across as defensive and slightly, subtly agitated, with that 'I'd rather be anywhere else right now' demeanor hiding behind his careful smile."
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/bal-to.bushtv09feb09,0,300361.story?coll=bal-artslife-tvThe interview was taped Saturday as though it were live. Russert handled the rare opportunity with dexterity, pressing the president on questions that had been skirted. Russert was prepared with props that are now familiar to regular viewers - selections of quotes and detailed charts to set up key questions.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110004665PEGGY NOONAN
Philosophy, Not Policy
Why Bush isn't good at interviews.
Sunday, February 8, 2004 4:30 p.m. EST
President Bush's interview on "Meet the Press" seems to me so much a big-story-in-the-making that I wanted to weigh in with some thoughts. I am one of those who feel his performance was not impressive.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/09/politics/campaign/09RUSS.htmlThat Mr. Russert, 53, has such a tough-guy reputation irritates his competitors. Executives at rival networks have long grumbled that their star interviewers can give just as good as he can.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=208668410 Questions Russert Didn't Ask
The missed opportunities for follow-ups.
By Greg Mitchell
http://thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=1245I take it back. In my last column I referred to Meet the Press host Tim Russert as the Grand Inquisitor of the Sunday morning talk shows. Not this Sunday. Not when George W. Bush was in his clutches.
http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-na-russert7feb07.story"Half of Washington is going to be mad at Russert," said Chuck Todd, editor of the Hotline, an online daily political briefing. "Either he's not going to be able to satisfy the critics of the president … or he's going to make the administration mad by being too tough on Bush. Then again, he's the best in the business; if anybody can handle this, it's got to be him."
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