NBC

65th Anniversary Of MEET THE PRESS!

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This past Sunday, David Gregory, the moderator of MEET THE PRESS on NBC, pointed out that it was the 65th Anniversary of the longest running show on network television.

Beginning a year before the Presidential Election of 1948, MEET THE PRESS would win Emmy Awards and many other awards for enlightening its viewers on public affairs.

Its moderators, panels and guests would educate all of us in the importance of politics and diplomacy, and strive to promote truth, rather than propaganda.

This is a time to salute and celebrate the fact that MEET THE PRESS is now eligible for Medicare as a senior citizen! LOL

Barack Obama’s Most Courageous Decision: One Year Ago, A Moment That Will Live In History!

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A year ago today, President Barack Obama followed through on a courageous decision, a moment which will live in history on a short list of decisive moments of America’s Presidents.

The decision to gamble on the killing of Osama Bin Laden was extremely risky, and had it failed, it is likely that Barack Obama would be facing defeat in 2012, rather than the strong likelihood of a great victory this coming November.

What else matches this courageous decision of Barack Obama?

The decision of Abraham Lincoln to resupply Fort Sumter, leading to possible confrontation with South Carolina in 1861, and the beginning of the Civil War.

The decision of Franklin D. Roosevelt to give aid to Great Britain in 1940 and 1941 to help them to survive Nazi Germany’s assault.

The decision of Franklin D. Roosevelt to open up the “Second Front’ on D Day in 1944.

The decision of Harry Truman to use the atomic bomb on Japan in 1945.

The decision of Harry Truman to overcome the Berlin Blockade of the Soviet Union, with the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949.

The decision of John F. Kennedy to overcome threats, and resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis peacefully in 1962.

The decision of George H. W. Bush to go to war with Iraq’s Saddam Hussein after the invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

We are very blessed that this nation had a man of courage and conviction to lead us into this effort to end the life and career of the greatest terrorist of modern times, Osama Bin Laden!

And when we watch ROCK CENTER with Brian Williams tonight on NBC, we also realize how fortunate we are that Obama had around him such talented and brilliant people as Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, along with others!

The Conservative Heritage Foundation, Newt Gingrich, And Mitt Romney: All Supportive Of “Individual Mandate” In The Past!

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The big argument against the Obama Health Care law is that it is unconstitutional to require an “individual mandate” of all citizens, that they be required to buy health insurance or be assessed a penalty on their income tax returns.

And yet, this is PRECISELY what the conservative Heritage Foundation advocated on the issue of health care as early as 1989!

This is what Newt Gingrich advocated when interviewed on NBC by Tim Russert in 1993!

This is what Mitt Romney advocated in Massachusetts, when they passed the model for the Obama Health Care plan in 2006, and still praised two years ago when the health care law was passed by Congress!

So therefore, the idea of the “individual mandate” is a CONSERVATIVE and REPUBLICAN idea, but now bitterly attacked when the Democrats and Barack Obama achieve it after decades of debate about the need for health care coverage for all Americans!

What does this make the Heritage Foundation, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, and many other conservative and Republican leaders?

It makes them total HYPOCRITES, not worthy of our respect and support!

Jon Huntsman: Winner Of The New Hampshire Republican Presidential Debates!

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Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman came across in this weekend’s Republican Presidential debates as the winner by far, among all six candidates, particularly in the Sunday NBC debate.

The fact that he was willing to ignore partisanship and serve his country as Ambassador to China under President Barack Obama, which should be seen as a positive, has been attacked by Mitt Romney and others, but Huntsman gave a strong defense of his decision to serve the President of the United States.

Huntsman has moved up in the New Hampshire polls, and has a shot at ending second behind Romney, and if one uses the reaction of the audience at today’s debate, extremely supportive, more than any other candidate, one might wonder if a surprise is in the offing.

The problem is that Jon Huntsman is, in comparison to all other candidates, too centrist and moderate by comparison, but that is what is needed to overcome extreme partisanship and division, as Huntsman himself pointed out.

The real problem, ultimately, is that Jon Huntsman is too smart, too intelligent, too principled, to be the Republican Presidential nominee. He is a person who is NOT a career politician, and has done better serving his country in trade negotiations and in ambassadorships to Singapore and China.

To reject a man who can speak Mandarin and other foreign languages, and is very skilled and talented in more ways than all of his opponents combined, is a sign of just how the Republican Party has declined, a sad chapter in the history of a political party going back to the time of Abraham Lincoln!

The new American Research Group poll just out shows Huntsman with 17 percent, ahead of Ron Paul with 16 percent, with both behind Romney with 40 percent. If Huntsman continues to surge, it may be closer than that on Tuesday, and we know any poll could be wrong, so it will be exciting to watch what happens between now and Tuesday evening.

Two New Hampshire Republican Debates In 13 Hours!

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With the Iowa Caucuses results starting to sink in, and with the New Hampshire Primary now about two and a half days away, the six remaining GOP candidates for President square off tonight at 9 pm EST, televised on ABC, and at 9 AM EST tomorrow morning on NBC and MSNBC as part of MEET THE PRESS.

To have two debates over a period of 13 hours is in itself amazing, and a real test of ability to hold one’s composure, answer in an appropriate way without obvious mistakes, and make an impression on New Hampshire and national voters.

Mitt Romney is heavily favored, but needs to keep his wide lead over the field, or else it will be considered a defeat by many media sources. He also needs to keep his calm demeanor, and not overreact temperamentally to any attacks by his opponents, of which there are likely to be many, particularly by Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, his closest challengers in the long run.

Newt Gingrich needs to demonstrate that he can be strong, assertive, but not obnoxious or condescending against his opponents, never easy for him, and to stop being a “cry baby” about strong attacks by his opponents, since he was the master of such tactics in his years in the House of Representatives.

Rick Santorum needs to show that he is concerned about other issues than social conservatism, and that he has the ability to draw independent support, which seems unlikely.

Ron Paul is Ron Paul, and is not going to worry about any impressions he makes, as he goes by a different drummer, as the saying goes.

Rick Perry needs to prove he has any legitimacy left, and not stumble as he has so often done in earlier debates, and convince people that he is the better choice for social conservatives, than Gingrich or Santorum, not a likely scenario.

Finally, Jon Huntsman needs to win New Hampshire, or end up a competitive second, as he has built his campaign so much on New Hampshire, ignoring Iowa altogether. If he wins or end up a close second, he can move on to Florida and other states. Otherwise, he is done for 2012!

So that is the summary of what must be accomplished or perceived about each of the six finalists for the nomination, and there will be lots of analysis after the joint debates, with the primary just two days away by their end!

NBC, MSNBC, And Presidential Offspring And Near Presidential Offspring!

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NBC and MSNBC have mined Presidential offspring, and even near Presidential offspring effectively.

It has been announced that Chelsea Clinton, daughter of President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will be contributing to NBC Nightly News and Rock Center with Brian Williams.

At the same time, Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush, is a contributor to NBC’s Today Show.

Ron Reagan, son of former President Ronald Reagan, is an analyst on MSNBC.

And Meghan McCain, daughter of 2008 Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, is also often on MSNBC.

Changes Coming In Cable And Television News!

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As we enter the second half of 2011, and the Presidential race becomes ever more center stage, Fox News Channel is making every effort to legitimize itself as “mainstream”, just as Jon Stewart went after Fox News Channel on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace last week, as not being accurate or responsible in its coverage of politics and news!

Having “rescued” liberal commentator Juan Williams, after he was summarily fired by National Public Radio, with a reported $2 million a year five year contract, Fox News then went to hire CNN morning anchor John Roberts to be a national correspondent, and former Democratic Senator Evan Bayh to be a political commentator.

Now they have hired CNN White House correspondent Ed Henry to be their White House correspondent, and of course, for the past few years, they have had former CNN morning anchor Bill Hemmer on their station.

Will it work, to make Fox News Channel seem “mainstream”? With the leaving of Glenn Beck from his every weekday show through joint agreement, it might have some effect, although Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, John Stossel, Greta Van Susteren, Brit Hume, Bill Kristol, Liz Cheney, et al, make one wonder if that is possible!

Meanwhile, Keith Olbermann, who had a “divorce” from MSNBC, has now revived his “Countdown” show, following a similar format, on former Vice President Al Gore’s independent station, Current TV. For those who enjoyed his incisive coverage of politics, it is a welcome return, but the question is whether he can “steal’ the audience of MSNBC and Lawrence O’Donnell at the same hour, along with Eliot Spitzer on CNN. As it turns out, Current TV replays Olbermann’s show EIGHT times over the 24 hour cycle, so in theory, one can watch Spitzer, see O’Donnell in rerun at 11 pm, and then watch Olbermann at any three hour cycle up through dinner time the next day!

Additionally, Norah O’Donnell of MSNBC and NBC, who had been a chief Washington correspondent, is now moving to CBS as their White House correspondent. Always pleasant and appealing in her manner of reporting and commenting, CBS has staged a major coup by gaining her employment!

So cable news and TV news in general has become ever more personality driven, and adds interest to the coverage of major political events!