So Russert Thought He Could Change The Constitution?

[Me.]

Watching Arnuld on MTP this morning, he told how Russert called him when he was running for gov. and said, if you win we'll get you in as president, change the Constitution and all that. You just win and leave the rest to me. Of course, as Arnuld said, it didn't happen, but what astounding ego! These people are unbelievable.

[Tommy_J]

1. That blew my mind

It says a lot about Tim.

[Me.]

4. Mine Also

Talk about someone having an over-inflated sense of themself!

[deminks]

2. Believable, but may be worse than we thought.

Might explain the week long national funeral we had for St. Timmeh. His son did say he as a force in America and the world. A legend in his own mind? or a force in deciding political outcomes? I think the latter is more true than not. Chimpy and Unka Dick I suspect gave up on Awwnuld quickly. Thus no action from their "best platform", St. Timmeh. He drank the koolaid by the tubful.

[Me.]

8. There Was A Thing In One Of The Mags

that named him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Just goes to show how nuts things have become. He was a news personality for Gawd's sake. Things are seriously out of whack when a questionnaire thinks he has that kind of influence. That whole funeral thing was so incestuous. I hope they all caught the real point of his death...he was mortal.

[eleny]

12. Russert is the one who served up the koolaid

[leftofthedial]

3. russert was one of the bad guys.

pure and simple.

[Vickers]

5. "You just win and leave the rest to me."

On the other hand, maybe he said that because he didn't think Ahnuld had a chance in hell of winning.

:rofl:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

6. RIH Tim

[undeterred]

7. I don't know what Maria sees in him.

To me he's just a big dumb guy. Somewhere in the interview he used the word "pump" and all I could think if was the SNL sketches with Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon.

[jimshoes]

9. A similar quote was accredited to

kkarl rove in the not too distant past when he was still wandering the White House grounds was it not? I'll try the Google and see what I can dig up.

Yep, Here's the quote...

Offstage, beforehand, Rove and Bush had had their library tours. According to two eyewitnesses, Rove had shown keen interest in everything he saw, and asked questions, including about costs, obviously thinking about a future George W Bush library and legacy. "You're not such a scary guy," joked his guide. "Yes, I am," Rove replied. Walking away, he muttered deliberately and loudly: "I change constitutions, I put churches in schools ..." Thus he identified himself as more than the ruthless campaign tactician; he was also the invisible hand of power, pervasive and expansive, designing to alter the fundamental American compact.

From this article by Sydney Blumenthal: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/nov/25/usa.comment

[KoKo]

36. and...we know Rove used Russert.... interesting..n/t

[jimshoes]

44. It certainly is

KoKo01. It certainly is.

[Lex]

10. Sounds like him.

I didn't understand the Russert worshippers 'round here anyway.

[Demit]

11. LOL! Ole Tim's not here to hit the 'I'm just a Catholic kid from Buffalo' note anymore, to

balance out what he really thought of himself and the power he wielded. A member of the ruling class. They all tipped their hands with the obscene homage to him two weeks ago, these puffed-up celebrities who make up the 'Village'. They can't stop congratulating themselves on one other's power.

[Retrograde]

54. who left as soon as he could

I just spent the last 2 weeks in Buffalo (yeah, I'm also a native, fwiw, and I also left as soon as I could and don't intend to return). The guy's practically been deified. I tried to ask the locals what's so important about him, and it seems he was a Bills fan. BFD.

There's talk of naming the Buffalo airport after him. Sheesh.

[skooooo]

13. And son Luke is following in his father's....

....egotistical, self-satisfied footsteps by spouting off as an expert on American youth on the news shows.

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. BREAKING! Russert is not only dead, he's buried!

Taking the Gropinator's word at ANYTHING is folly.

[niyad]

20. sorry but that comment was common knowledge amoung the people I know.

so it isn't the gropenator talking out of his ass. do you not remember all the talk when he was elected about him running for president after the constitution was changed? made me ill.

[cherokeeprogressive]

24. I do remember.

But the Constitution wasn't changed, and the gropenator will NEVER be president. And Russert's still dead. I don't see why people can't let go of it.

[niyad]

27. maybe because of the attempt to practically canonize him --the endless hours of coverage

of this newsreader, as though he were someone who made a difference. I wonder if people will have a cover of george carlin, who made a far more significant contribution to our society than russert.

[nuxvomica]

15. I heard that and figured Russert must have been kidding

Even then, it revealed a profound lack of journalistic integrity. He was doubtless more enamored of Schwarzenegger's celebrity than of the principles he was supposed to uphold. No real journalist would say such a thing just to curry favor with a movie star.

[Kahuna]

16. That raised my eyebrow. But then I said, nah. nt

[otohara]

17. Just Goes to Show You - MSM/Punditry Power

They shoved Bush down our throat's, helped steal elections, started a war of choice - and got away with it completely unscathed. Getting a Presidential candidate who was not born in the US in the race is nothing in comparison.

[Me.]

18. Yep

And then they take umbrage when accused of not doing a credible job.

[KG]

19. nonsense! russert was a fair and even handed journalist! i read it here!

:rofl:

[Myrina]

32. I second that emoticon !

:rofl:

[Occam Bandage]

21. There is such a thing as a friendly joke.

[TheWatcher]

31. Yes, you're right.

I'm glad you are always here to provide us with the safest, most comfortable explanations and reasons for everything.

[Occam Bandage]

34. Were the Standard DU Explanations reliable,

we would have gone to war with Iran at least eight times, the '04 and '06 elections would have been cancelled, martial law would have been instituted seven times, there would have been six drafts, every major Democratic politician would have been assassinated, Osama bin Laden would have been caught/killed at a politically opportune time every other month, Diebold would have stolen '06, there would have been additional terror attacks at politically opportune times, and we'd be living under a totalitarian government where political dissenters were sent to concentration camps by now.

Some people are addicted to crisis.

[tabasco]

22. The republicans need a half-assed actor like Reagan!! Desperately!!

They need someone who can read their lines, take orders from the corporate masters, and convince the average American that republicans care about them.

They are so desperate to find a good liar that the Constitution cannot stand in the way!!

[kwenu]

23. I have a feeling this is being taken far too seriously. I'm sure Russert was saying it in jest.

And I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Me.]

25. Not Me

He let them hump their fake war on that show time and again, most notably the famous NYT loop. he derided Kerry while giving * a pass, he could've spoken out on the Plame matter just as Tweety did, if not during, surely after. And on and on. He was a leader in the media not doing its job, it's true one, which is to report the truth and operate as a watchdog in the best interests of the American people.I didn't wish his death, but as a so-called journalist he gets no pass from me.

[kwenu]

52. If you believe the media is supposed to report the truth and be a

watchdog in the best interests of the American people you're not only a fool but a damned fool. The media should be watched with heaping suspicion. They're purpose is to SELL news that either you will buy or people who want to sell you things will buy. I'm not trying to be offensive I'm just giving you some blunt truth.

[jimshoes]

26. I dunno,

I'm not that sure he was just kidding to tell you the truth. I mean compare our constitutional rights today compared to 8 years ago. These folks mean business and if you ask me, Timmeh was one of them. JMHO

[BigDaddy44]

30. So you honestly thought Tim Russert thought he could change the constitution...

[jimshoes]

33. Lets just say

talk of such things, even cavalierly, is disconcerting. Couple that with the quote I referenced upthread and it gives me pause that (and here we get what some like to call conspiracy theory) perhaps there is some deliberate effort afoot to do just that.

[treestar]

47. He thought he could influence people to want to do it

That is a possible explanation.

However, it couldn't be done after Ahnuld "won." It takes a long time to get a constitutional amendment through. Even in Timmeh shilled for it every night, he'd have to do it for many nights and sustain it to get the approval from 2/3 of the state legislatures.

So he had to be kidding in terms of the timing of it. But it does show he had an opinion that his influence led to results. His contempt for his audience shows - he believed he could influence their opinions, that they'd just adopt what he told them to.

[kwenu]

53. Wow! This thread could easily be on a a right wing conservative site.

The language and the speculation is almost identical just at different sides of the spectrum.

[ColbertWatcher]

28. Take it with a grain of salt...

...whenever Arrrnult opens his mouth, people should automatically laugh.

Not because of his accent, but because he believes people should listen to him when he speaks.

He's an ass.

[BigDaddy44]

29. You have that much problem with a private joke?

Lighten up. Sheesh. I think Tim Russert would be the first to acknowledge that he couldn't change the constitution. You never joked around with a friend?

[Me.]

41. Think So?

Remember him putting the idea on air when he interviewed Arnuld? Just putting it out there, haha. I guarantee that if the idea had any legs at all, he would've given a platform to the husband of one of his best friends and used his pull, behind the scenes, for all it was worth. One lesson from the last eight years is never overlook anything.

[BigDaddy44]

49. Pull? Behind the scenes?

With who? FIFTY state legislatures? Do you have any clue what it takes to amend the constitution?

[Me.]

51. Wish I Had A Dime

For every time someone on DU said someone else was taking something too seriously only to find out later there was substance there. As to knowing what it takes, of course. That said, it doesn't mean it couldn't happen. After all, who ever thought our government would be as undermined as it has been. I also thought it was interesting that Arnuld brought it up in the conversation in the first place.

[Swamp Rat]

35. That's called 'joking on the square' ... "nudge nudge, know what I mean?"

"Say no more." ;)

[KoKo]

37. Thanks for the repeat of "Full Moon Russert."

:D As he departed the night of his funeral and the full moon....for those who might not know how cool that is that you captured it.

[Swamp Rat]

39. Russert Has Risen

:hi:

[EFerrari]

38. I'll never look at a Tollhouse cookie the same way again.

:rofl:

/oops

[Swamp Rat]

40. Stick to Keeblers

:hi:

[Pithy Cherub]

43. That one is award worthy.

:rofl:

[KoKo]

46. okay....I see the "Toll House"..it will make me barf now........ugh n/t

[Me.]

42. You've Outdone Yourself

once again, this is right up there, for me, with your lemon one, one of my all time faves.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[KoKo]

48. I missed "lemon one" ....can we have a "re-post?" Please? nt

[Me.]

50. He Maybe Can't

We're unified now

[JI7]

45. i think this is being taken too seriously