Paging Joe the Plumber: Obama Still Wants To Spread The Wealth

Given the flap that ensued when he famously told Joe the Plumber that he wanted to "spread the wealth," I figured Barack Obama wouldn't be making such a suggestion again anytime soon.  I figured wrong.Pres.-elect Obama to Tom Brokaw on today's Meet The Press:I think the important principle, because sometimes when we start talking about taxes, and I say I want a more balanced tax code, people…

When You Say ‘Zoo,’ Elephants Hear ‘Guantanamo Bay

Sometimes you have to laugh at the overwrought emotion that Hollywood celebrities bring to their causes. In a story on Thursday’s Today (in the supposedly hard news 7am half hour), KNBC reporter Robert Kovasic reported on a debate in Los Angeles about whether to spend $40 million to renovate and enlarge the elephant compound at the Los Angeles Zoo, or instead create a 100-acre elephant preserve…

NBC’s Mitchell Lauds Obama’s ‘Effortless’ Creation of PC Cabin

When it comes to building a quota Cabinet that fulfills liberal demands for “diversity,” Barack Obama is far smoother than the “artless” and “calculating” Clintons were back in 1992, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell argued Wednesday afternoon on MSNBC. In contrast to the Clintons, Obama’s approach is “effortless. They’re creating a mosaic, but they’re not doing it by self-consciously creating that mosaic,”…

Cramer: Depression Comparisons are ‘Scare Tactics

Do as I say, not as I do.That appears to be Jim Cramer's philosophy. The CNBC "Mad Monday" host told NBC "Today" show viewers Dec. 2 that comparisons between the current economy and the Great Depression were inappropriate. "[T]hat's got to be taken off the table," Cramer told "Today" host Meredith Vieira. "There have been enough things done by this government to absolutely preclude that. I,…

David Gregory to Replace Russert as 'Meet the Press' Host

After months of mystery, as well as less than stellar performances from interim host Tom Brokaw, David Gregory appears to have emerged the winner in the "Meet the Press" sweepstakes.I guess anything would be better than Andrea Mitchell, right?Politico reported moments ago (file photo):

No Raining on Obama’s Parade, As Nets Fail to Remember Attacks on Hi

Less than nine months ago, the Obama campaign was slamming Hillary Clinton as utterly unqualified on foreign policy, having had no substantive experience during her husband’s administration and being dreadfully wrong in her judgment as a Senator when it came to “the most critical foreign policy judgment of our generation,” the war in Iraq.A March 11, 2008 memo by Obama ally (and now incoming…

NBC Exec: Obama's Skin Color Gives Him More Legitimacy Than Any Americ

The number two man at NBC News believes Barack Obama's skin color gives him more legitimacy around the world than possibly any American leader in history.For those unfamiliar, Mark Whitaker is the Senior Vice President that succeeded the late Tim Russert as NBC's Washington Bureau Chief, and currently oversees national and international reporting for all the network's news programs including the…

Gregory Interview of Chabad Rabbi: Faith, Optimism in Face of Tragedy

Of all the genres of interviews, those conducted by the media with family and friends of victims of tragedy are among the most difficult and often least successful.  A remarkable exception to that rule comes in the form of the interview David Gregory conducted on this morning's Today show with Rabbi Shalom Paltiel, who was a friend of the Chabad couple murdered in Mombai and is a fellow member of…

Rosie's Variety Show Flops...BIG Time

Here's something to be thankful for: Rosie O'Donnell's variety show flopped BIG TIME Wednesday night.All together now: Awwwwwww! As James Hibberd of The Hollywood Reporter wrote Thursday morning, "Rosie O'Donnell gave NBC a real turkey."According to the numbers, that's an understatement:

Rosie Breaks Pledge of No-Politics Show With Obama, Palin, O'Reilly Jo

The Anti-Krugman: Rogers Says Let Banks Fail

Paul Krugman has been making the rounds of the network morning shows, urging the government to "go big" in spending to revive the economy.  His only concern is that Obama might not be planning to spend enough.  Heck, even FDR wasn't a big enough spender in his book.  View Krugman's weekend GMA appearance in which he says that here, the episode in which, as discussed here, Krugman of all people…

Bartiromo Interview of Prince Alwaleed: SNL Skit Begging To Happen

Update 11-25 8:20 AM: Morning Joe Makes SNL References -- see discussion at foot.Call it "The Wild 'n Crazy Guy–Billionaire Style."  Maria Bartiromo's interview of Saudi Prince Alwaleed, the largest shareholder of Citigroup, is literally a Saturday Night Live skit waiting—begging—to happen.CNBC's Bartiromo conducted the interview by remote this afternoon. When the camera went to the prince in…

Brokaw Ignores Obama's FDR-Like Refusal to Work With Bush Economic Tea

Though given a perfect opportunity to do so, Tom Brokaw on Sunday chose not to discuss the similarities between Franklin D. Roosevelt's refusal to work with President Herbert Hoover on solving the Depression before he was inaugurated in March 1933 and president-elect Barack Obama doing the same thing today with George W. Bush. For those not familiar with the historical reference, the financial…

'Regret' Not Enough: Brokaw Calls Lieberman On Lack Of 'Apology