Luke (Tim's son)Russert becomes a reporter for NBC! Whoo-hoo!

[joeybee12]

Another right-wing tool in the making. Whoo-hoo!

[bluestateguy]

1. I'm going to be open-minded and give him a chance

nt

[UTUSN]

2. Well, if his pa could do it, why not?!1 Same as with legacy Shrub!1 n/t

[Captain Hilts]

3. If we trash him for getting help from family connections then we have to trash Katrina Vandenheuval

also.

That's how a lot of folks get jobs. I don't like it, but there it is.

[EV_Ares]

5. She has the credentials and has already proven herself, here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katrina_vanden_Heuvel

[Captain Hilts]

13. Yes, and Russert might too. She's got 30 + years on him.

But her father had GREAT connections.

[EV_Ares]

16. So, you are wrong about having to trash her and as far as her jobs, read,

she already had the credentials and there are a lot of teachers whose fathers were teachers, policemen whose fathers were policemen and she had the education and even worked as an intern where she is now. A huge, huge difference.

No comparison and anyone who reads her history can see that.

Have you even seen her on a panel, in an interview. If you have you would never have made that statement about trashing her.

[Captain Hilts]

20. I'm talking about how she got her start. Do you believe her family connections didn't help?

You seem to think this society is a meritocracy. It isn't. Russert, jr.'s appt. shows that.

MANY folks get opportunities through family connections. Some make good on them, as vandenHeuval has, we don't know how Russert will turn out.

I'm not advocating vandenHeuval's creds at all, just acknowledging that connections helped her get her start.

[EV_Ares]

21. You said if you read your post we have to trash Katrina Vandenheuval. Also

she worked her way up, not like he is doing. What part of reading comprehension do you have trouble with. Look at the positions she held on the way up not counting her degrees and I already posted where she started as an intern at The Nation which is where everyone starts.

Also, her father never had anything to do with The Nation so she never worked anywhere that her father did nor what he did unlike this guy working in the same capacity as his father and where his father worked with no qualifications to support the job other than who he is. Big difference.

I don't think many here will agree with you wanting to trash her.

[Captain Hilts]

22. You are incapable of stepping outside yourself.

If you criticize Russert with having an advantage - which he does - then you head down a road that includes Kennedys, Roosevelts, all sorts of folks etc.

The world is not a pure meritocracy. It's that simple. A lot of people have advantages from their families. I'm saying that by those standards there are a lot of liberals that can be trashed.

Do you think JFK's being prez had NOTHING to do with Ted Kennedy's being elected senator?

I have NOTHING against KvH, I'm just saying people in the press often get there by connections or get that first interview through connections.

[EV_Ares]

25. And you ignore the facts and those have been presented to you.

Evidently you cannot read or you cannot comprehend or you don't want to understand.

First of all who her father was may or may not had anything to do with her job at The Nation.

Also, and this is the last I am going to bother with you on this, look at her education, look at her first job as an intern. (just like everyone else, she worked her way up).

Your analogy about Senator Kennedy I am not even going there. For christ's sake, everyone knows the job he has done all these years and he won his first and his last election on his own. You can look at all the good work the Kennedy's have done.

That analogy does not even deserve a response actually.

I am not sure what your agenda is but you are on a different track.

[AZ Criminal JD]

28. He won his first election on his own??

You can't be serious. :rofl:

[EV_Ares]

31. Yes., Ted Kennedy won his own election on his own. Laugh at that all the hell you want for all

I care and he has certainly done great things ever since that day.

[Canuckistanian]

4. Ain't America grand?

A place where you can rise from obscurity to be on the top rung of society by hard work an.......

Bwahahahaha, I knew I couldn't say that with a straight face...:rofl:

[LostInAnomie]

6. Thank God we live in a meritocracy.

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[Captain Hilts]

23. Amazing how many folks here think it is and seem shocked, SHOCKED by this appointment. nt

[stray cat]

7. I miss Russert's Meet the Press.

[Tallison]

24. So do I

:hide:

[Breeze54]

8. Has he said whom he supports in the elections?

I've never heard him during the conventions or his sports talk radio show on Sirius or the other one.

He did graduate with a degree in journalism and communications though.

Most people in the USA get employment through connections or networking.

I'm willing to give the kid a chance.

[tularetom]

9. He's been on already. He isn't very talented

But he's just a kid.

But he isn't very talented.

[EV_Ares]

11. You are absolutely correct on that based on his performance so far. Granted, more

time maybe, but who, who would be able to just go out like this as a reporter. Hell, he could be the republican VP nominee with his qualifications.

[quiller4]

26. Have you read his blog?

He isn't polished in front of the camera yet but he is a good writer and I've been impressed with the interviews I've read online.

[daleo]

10. The king is dead

Long live the king!

[VP505]

12. I don't have too much problem with

family ties opening doors to allow someone to work their way up. If after the door is open those individuals are held to a different standard like being allowed to start at or near the top of the profession or if they are proven to be incompetent and its ignored then I do have a problem with it.

[Breeze54]

17. That's what they did in the auto industry, steel mills, etc.

Grandpa & ma, son's, daughters, wives and grandkids all working at the same plant!

[Bluebear]

14. Good luck to him. Some good news after a shitty year for him.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. Feh .... sperm lottery winner

How many of them turn out to be worth a damn?

Here's two for consideration:

[Diane R]

18. Sorry. My son and his friends graduated from one of the top 10 public universities in June, and ...

...no one handed any of them a job. And they're all brilliant and qualified. These are tough time. Luke would be just fine if he'd had to climb that ladder like everyone else.

I hate nepotism.

[EV_Ares]

19. There you are, correct, they are going to hand him a mike and stick him

in front of a tv news program where we have to listen to him or change the channel.

Its bs, tired of the nepotism as well. That sort of thing that creates bad managers and bosses we have all had to put up with at some time in our life. the unqualified ones.

[trackfan]

27. Amen n/t

[Neshanic]

30. The only ladder he climbed was into a sorority house window.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

29. The right-wing tool bullshit is overplayed and stupid.....

.....however, he has no business on major network TV. He needs serious work on his delivery and style. I've seen high school kids who are more polished in front of a camera. He needs to go work in Peoria or Portland or Fresno before he gets to this level.