A Compendium of Reviews for G.E.RUSSERT/Shrub Interview

[UTUSN]

From the ROMENESKO site: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45

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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-tv

The 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=110004665

PEGGY 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.html

That 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=2086684

10 Questions Russert Didn't Ask
The missed opportunities for follow-ups.

By Greg Mitchell


http://thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=1245

I 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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[underpants]

1. The Post and the Sun went light on him Noonan did not

The NYT articel is more about Russert than the actual interview, I guess if you have nothing nice to say......

:kick:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. But even on a Saturday Bush would rather have been anywhere else

that's not too hard to imagine. It sounds like most critics were underwhelmed.

[UTUSN]

3. The WSJ Editorial Page Dude (Wingnut) Gave Shrub a "B"

on MSRNC this morning. He hedged throughout about how Shrub did, until the host finally pinned him down on giving a grade. I expected the WSJ to whitewash more with an A-, so "B" is really bad, actually means "F" in wingnut parlance. You KNOW that if Shrub had done even mildly O.K., the wingnuts would be RAVING over him.

[Doctor_J]

4. NYT one is interesting

Sounds like the networks would all like to take a shot at *. Who's next? I'd love to see * give Rather a swing.

Overall, this can't be a bad thing. OT1H, if someone tries to buttonhole any of our candidates, our guy will handle it with intelligence, grace, and statesmanship. OTOH, * flopped in a pre-recorded, medium-intensity discussion with a supporter. I like this trend.