# Whom do you like as Tim Russert's replacement? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839 "2008-06-22T22:00:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/1 "2008-06-22T22:00:42Z")
According to the Hutch Report at [http://www.nbc.com/app/search/?searchString=Meet+the+Press](http://www.nbc.com/app/search/?searchString=Meet+the+Press) NBC has chosen Tom Brokaw to host Meet the Press throughout 2008. The website doesn’t speculate if Brokaw’s appointment will be permanent. Meanwhile, the kos [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/14/155230/694/977/535993](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/14/155230/694/977/535993) is running a poll of its short list of Russert’s successors: David Gregory Chris Matthews Andrea Mitchell Chuck Todd(of anyone Tom Brokaw Bill Moyers Joe Scarborough My preference, Jon Stewart, is not on that list (or anyone else’s, I suppose). IMHO, he’s quick, witty, political, smart as hell, and has handled interviews of all sorts of pols rather skillfully. Stewart would be great as the new host of MtP. Whom do you think is most qualified to fill Tim Russert’s shoes? You needn’t select from the above people. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/2 "2008-06-22T22:56:34Z")
Hey! I mentioned Jon Stewart in the [original](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=471749) ‘Who will replace Russert’ thread! ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/3 "2008-06-22T23:20:27Z")
That’s a toughie. Gregory’s too full of himself, Matthews like the sound of his own voice too much, Scarborough could never be objective, and Mitchell isn’t assertive enough. I like Todd a lot–I think he could come in with lots of hard numbers and has a deferential style that could bring really killer questions under the radar. I just don’t know if he’d be a good enough facilitator when it came to round table discussions or when two opposing camps are being interviewed together. It’ll be interesting to watch how Brokaw does. He (and Moyers) may be a bit out-of-practice for this sort of thing (being an anchor-type removes you from close-quarter confrontations), but if anything might light a fire under them, this election cycle should do it. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/4 "2008-06-22T23:31:38Z")
If they aren’t from Buffalo, they won’t be a true replacement. That means Wolf Blitzer, and … uhh … ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/5 "2008-06-23T00:18:50Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/6 "2008-06-23T00:19:04Z")
Apparently it’s going to be [Brokaw.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080622/us_nm/usa_media_brokaw_dc_1) ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/7 "2008-06-23T00:20:11Z")
[QUOTE=USCDiver] Hey! I mentioned Jon Stewart in the [original](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=471749) ‘Who will replace Russert’ thread! [/QUOTE] Sorry to have missed that thread. I searched GD and IMHO. Never considered Cafe Society. Mods, feel free to kill this one. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/8 "2008-06-23T00:49:10Z")
Cookie Monster. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/9 "2008-06-23T00:53:30Z")
I rarely get to, being married and therefore always wrong, so let me [gloat!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9903604&postcount=20) ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/10 "2008-06-23T01:01:12Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] I rarely get to, being married and therefore always wrong, so let me [gloat!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9903604&postcount=20) [/QUOTE] I’ve seen at least one other post where you were impressively on the money, but not so prescient as you were with the Brokaw prediction. Forget teaching. Open a Seer Shop. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/11 "2008-06-23T03:29:23Z")
Nobody else can do one-on-one interviews as well as Russert, so NBC should go back to the panel approach, rather than looking for a single moderator. Not that they’re going to listen to me… ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/12 "2008-06-23T12:06:55Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] Nobody else can do one-on-one interviews as well as Russert, so NBC should go back to the panel approach, rather than looking for a single moderator. Not that they’re going to listen to me… [/QUOTE] The problem with the panel approach is (as I see it) that each reporter has his own agenda, and good questions get little to no follow-up. Like in a Senate hearing, they flit off in different directions like butterflies on speed. When I tuned into Tim after a long absence from Meet the Press, I didn’t like the new format. But he won me over with his relentlessness. Mr. Russert didn’t let anyone off the hook. IMHO, Brokaw’s too nice a guy for the job. It needs someone with a little meanness - like Jon Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/13 "2008-06-23T22:31:36Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] I rarely get to, being married and therefore always wrong, so let me [gloat!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9903604&postcount=20) [/QUOTE] Not so fast: I’ll see your [Pre-Election Brokaw](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9904626&postcount=31) and raise you a Post-Election David Gregory. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/14 "2008-06-24T00:41:17Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] IMHO, Brokaw’s too nice a guy for the job. It needs someone with a little meanness - like Jon Stewart. [/QUOTE] Tim Russert was as liberal as Stewart, but even-handed enough to command respect from newsmakers on both sides of the aisle. Jon Stewart couldn’t do that. He’d be seen as a hatchet man with an unabashedly liberal agenda, and could never get Republicans to appear on his show. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/15 "2008-06-24T00:52:42Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] Tim Russert was as liberal as Stewart, but even-handed enough to command respect from newsmakers on both sides of the aisle. Jon Stewart couldn’t do that. He’d be seen as a hatchet man with an unabashedly liberal agenda, and could never get Republicans to appear on his show. [/QUOTE] They show up on his show now. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/16 "2008-06-24T02:43:27Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] Tim Russert was as liberal as Stewart, but even-handed enough to command respect from newsmakers on both sides of the aisle. Jon Stewart couldn’t do that. He’d be seen as a hatchet man with an unabashedly liberal agenda, and could never get Republicans to appear on his show. [/QUOTE] Are you saying Russert was a liberal Democrat like Stewart? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/17 "2008-12-02T02:33:43Z")
Just thought I’d revive this thread to share that the [Huffington Post is reporting](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/01/david-gregory-to-moderate_n_147540.html) that \*\*David Gregory \*\*will be the new MTP host and that this Sunday’s show will be Brokaw’s last. I like this choice, though I’d secretly hoped that Chuck Todd would get the nod. Todd isn’t very accustomed to hosting though which was apparent when he’d anchor MSNBC’s midday coverage leading up to the election from time to time. I’d also heard rumblings of Gwen Ifill or Katie Couric getting brought in, but I’m glad they’re giving it to one of their own. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/18 "2008-12-02T03:02:17Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > Just thought I’d revive this thread to share that the [Huffington Post is reporting](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/01/david-gregory-to-moderate_n_147540.html) that \*\*David Gregory \*\*will be the new MTP host and that this Sunday’s show will be Brokaw’s last. > > I like this choice, though I’d secretly hoped that Chuck Todd would get the nod. Todd isn’t very accustomed to hosting though which was apparent when he’d anchor MSNBC’s midday coverage leading up to the election from time to time. I’d also heard rumblings of Gwen Ifill or Katie Couric getting brought in, but I’m glad they’re giving it to one of their own. Yes, that is fitting. Glad to learn just before this, that Tim was a liberal. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/19 "2008-12-02T11:24:45Z")
Jay Leno. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839/20 "2008-12-02T12:01:14Z")
David Gregory — Talks like a high school debater. Shallow and right-leaning. Chris Matthews — Talks like a high school football coach. Shallow and left-leaning. Andrea Mitchell — Probably a good candidate. Chuck Todd — A suck-up. Doesn’t have the balls. Tom Brokaw — A spokesmodel too full of himself to be effective. Bill Moyers — Too boring and predictable. Joe Scarborough — You gotta be kidding. An idiot and right-wing nut. > [@](#): > > Whom do you think is most qualified to fill Tim Russert’s shoes? No one. Absolutely no one. Maybe eventually, his son. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whom-do-you-like-as-tim-russerts-replacement/453839.md?page=2)