Of course the answer, in the short term at least, is no one. But there will be a next host of Meet the Press. Who's your pick?
I would LOVE for it to be Rachel Maddow, but I expect she'd be viewed as too young/new and too partisan. I do think she's the smartest person in political punditry today though. I would also love Gwen Ifill. Chuck Todd is fantastically smart, but he's not an interviewer. David Gregory would be horrible. David Shuster would be dull. Keith Olbermann would be great from where I'm sitting but I expect he would also be viewed as too partisan. Chris Matthews would be fun but he's become a bit of a parody of himself. And the recent NYT profile was just damning as hell. I'd be happy enough with Andrea Mitchell, I guess. She's very smart but seems to lack the fire in the belly for it. Ted Koppel would be rad. He's the only non-NBC candidate I listed here but given that he was pushed out by ABC, it makes some sense. He's also got gravitas like nobody else on this list with the possible exception of Brokaw, whom I expect is not looking to come out of retirement in such a major way. My top picks are Maddow, Koppel, Olbermann, Ifill. In that order.
I really wish there were more than 10 poll options. Joe Scarborough's been mentioned as well, though I don't think he's a likely pick. And once you go outside the NBC family, all sorts of options open up.
Also, I intended this more as a preference poll than a prediction one. I saw adoo voted for David Gregory and I think he's probably the front runner if there is one, but his show on MSNBC has been a disaster. After all his years of covering the White House, he really seems to lack the smarts and chops for the job.
he is too old; he is 10 years older thant Russert. David Gregory would make a good choice---an accomplished reporter, once of Russert's pupils at NBC news. he is not partisan like Maddow / KO / Mathews. A dark horse would be Joe Scarborough
I disagree that Koppel's too old. He's younger than Schieffer (I think), well younger than Brinkley was when he retired and younger than John McCain. I really don't think there's an age test for this job. And Koppel wasn't looking to retire; he was pushed. It's funny to me that you find Maddow, Matthews and Olbermann too partisan and then suggest that Scarborough (the only candidate on this list that's held elected office, and who gained his seat in the extremely partisan Republican freshman class of 1994) as a reasonable option. Maddow and Olbermann are clearly partisan but neither has ever been or worked for a politician. And Matthews' poltical resume is pretty similar to Russert's before landing MTP. I do agree that Scarborough will be considered but he's at least as partisan as the people you mentioned as being too much so. On Gregory, have you seen his show? He really looks like a lightweight up there.
Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews are no longer taken seriously by the objective mainstream after the way they've behaved during the primaries. Olbermann once insinuated that he wanted Hillary 'to go into a room with another person and only have the other person come out'... and Matthews gets a 'tingly feeling in his leg' when Obama speaks. Meet the Press is supposed to be non partisan. These two guys epitomize partisanship.
but the veiws he has expressed makes him very much a moderate. while Russert exudes infestious enthusiasm, Matthew's is too "professorial" p.s. Add Norah O'Donnell to the list. she would make a good replacment.
I agree that Scarborough appears much more a moderate than he did in office. But then Matthews has seemed considerably more moderate in recent years too. I don't get the professorial thing from him at all. In fact, where enthusiasm is concerned I think he's far and away the closest thing to Russert going. Totally agree about Norah O'Donnell. Excellent pick and I don't know why she hasn't been mentioned more often for it. She was clearly a Russert protege and I think she'd be fantastic. Hey George: It's always great to hear from you who's too partisan. Who do you think would be good for the job? Rove? Buchanan?
Keith Olbermann gets too caught up in personal grudge matches, and has a tendency to try and show off. That said he has the mind and is serious neough to do it, but because of what I mentioned previously I don't think he would be my first choice. David Gregory has what it takes to grow into the job I think. He knows washington politics, and would be serious enough to do the job.
keith could do it, he has the gumption to bite his tongue in favor of personal feelings. But the question is, will he get the chance? Or rather, would he want to?
He's my choice. I can't think of anyone, save, perhaps, Brokaw, who could step into that job and bring instant credibility, gravitas and, most important to NBC, ratings. Needless to say, he has enormous experience. LOL! I just read Batman's earlier post and he said pretty much the same thing I did. Trim Bush.
just like Koppel, too old too inarticulate, a perfect token "liberal" for fixed noise to much of a mouth-piece for Fixed Noise; was exposed (by Slick Willie) for what he is, an overpaid amateur. he may work out, that is if he wants to leave CNN that just wouldn't be MTP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meet_The_Press#History "The show was originally presented as a 30-minute press conference with a single guest and a panel of questioners."
Olbermann would drive away conservative viewers and conservative subjects (or Presidents) just as an O'Reilly would.
