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Monday, December 8, 2008

Give Shuster a Shot at MSNBC's 1600 Pennsylvania Ave

Politico.com reports that David Gregory, who will be taking the helm on Meet the Press, will be moving on from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, formerly Race to the White House, on MSNBC. David Shuster will be filling in for this week, or until a successor is announced.

First, I'll miss David Gregory on Pennsylvania Ave/Race - his show was one of the most crisp, informative on all of television, low in histrionics, high on the exposition and debate of useful opinions. In many ways, it's been my favorite on all of TV.

But David Gregory therefore certainly merits his promotion to Meet the Press, where his talent for cool, intelligent interview will well serve the classic show and the American people.

And what's to become of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? I'm watching David Shuster on the show right now, and he's doing a fine job. Indeed, though he had at least one misspeak in the two years we have just concluded of election coverage - regarding Chelsea Clinton's campaigning for Hillary - that wasn't the end of the world, and Shuster came back to do consistently excellent, top-notch reporting and hosting (of regular afternoon programs, and subbing for evening programs, like 1600). Shuster has shown himself tough, able to ask big politicians incisive questions, and do this with style and humor.

I don't know who else MSNBC is considering, but I say, give Shuster a shot at 1600 Pennsylvania MSNBC job.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree, Shuster would be a good replacement for Gregory on 1600.

What about Andrea Mitchell? She's been in that 1:00 p.m. time-slot for a while (one that Joe Scarborough consistently plugs every morning), and my guess is that she is itching for a more prime-time-ish slot.

Either way -- I agree that Shuster does a good job of asking tough questions and following up.

I could also see MSNBC tapping someone like Eugene Robinson from the WaPo as a moderator. Let's just hope that it is not Pat Buchanan...

PJ

Paul Levinson said...

I've actually been saying since the summer that Andrea Mitchell would be good on Meet the Press. Much as I think Gregory is good, Mitchell has a little more depth. She'd also be good on 1600 PA Ave, but not quite as crackling as Shuster, and it's a faster paced show than Meet the Press.

Eugene Robinson would be great, anywhere.

I agree about Buchanan. The best I can say about him is that, when I was on his show - or, when he was subbing for Joe Scaraborough, and I was a guest - he was a lot more lucid than Joe... :)

By the way, welcome to Infinite Regress!

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