(David) Gregory Repeats Claim That Pelosi Was ‘Sloppy,’ Gave Incorrect Message To The Syrians

[babylonsister]

As much as I like David Gregory, this is a major problem for Dems. A talking head speaks, and people take it as gospel.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/09/gregory-pelosi/

Gregory Repeats Claim That Pelosi Was ‘Sloppy,’ Gave Incorrect Message To The Syrians

Yesterday on Meet the Press, NBC White House reporter David Gregory presented what he claimed were the “facts” of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) delegation to Syria.

“On the facts here,” Gregory began, it “appears” that Pelosi’s meeting with the Syrians “was at least a little bit sloppy, critics will say, that the way she represented the Israeli point of view was not entirely complete, that she should have said, ‘Yes, they want peace talks, but you have to really crack down on Hamas and Hezbollah.’”

Gregory tempered his “facts” (i.e., the right-wing spin) by at least acknowledging that “Pelosi maintains she said those very things.” But his message had already made its mark. Moments later, NBC’s Chuck Todd said, “It was sloppy, as David said.”

Notwithstanding Gregory’s “he-said-she-said” treatment of the issue, the facts are clear. No one with knowledge of Pelosi’s meeting with Syrian officials — Pelosi, the members of her bipartisan delegation, and the State Department — has suggested that Pelosi communicated an incorrect message to the Syrians. That claim is a fabrication of conservatives, still being given life by members of the media like David Gregory.

Transcript:

GREGORY: On the facts here, it appears that it was at least a bit sloppy, critics will say, that the way she represented the Israeli point of view was not entirely complete, that she should have said, “Yes, they want peace talks, but you have to really crack down on Hamas and Hezbollah.” Pelosi maintains she said those very things, and she said them on camera during that same press conference that you played a portion of. The issue was, this was asserting herself in a bit of shuttle diplomacy during a trip when the White House already said, “You shouldn’t be on it.” You saw Dick Cheney come out and say, “This is the danger, Republicans, Nancy Pelosi running foreign policy.” In effect, it’s a way for conservatives, for Republicans to unite a little bit.

[Kagemusha]

1. Um, the TPM citation is a lot more complete and compelling btw.

See, the office of the PM of Israel did indeed issue a "clarification" slamming Pelosi (they claim "in gentle diplomatic language") that she totally flubbed the message. Tom Lantos - about as pro-Israel a congressman as there is in either party (though a Democrat) - was there and claims that Pelosi delivered the proper message she was given and that it's despicable what they're saying about it. So...

Let's not say this is an invention of conservatives as if it's only *American* conservatives. This was a collaborative effort with the conservatives and hardliners in Olmert's office, and while not conclusively proven, we can only assume that this was done with the consent of Olmert himself, deliberately stabbing Pelosi in the back to please the White House.

[orleans]

4. something to remember when we get the white house. n/t

[Kagemusha]

11. I highly doubt Olmert will be in office that long.

I just hope what follows isn't much worse. (I mean in the real world. Not in ideological terms.)

[montanacowboy]

2. Is this same fool dancing with Rove?

just one more WH press corpse; don't be fooled by David Gregory who plays the part of devil's advocate during WH pressers; he is one of the whores plain and simple; anyone who would make such a prostitutional exhibition of themselves dancing with the pig Rove can only be considered a pawn of the decider

[orleans]

5. (agree.) n/t

[marylanddem]

13. You're so right about that

I was appalled to see Gregory dancing more or less WITH Rove at that sickening event.
Great visual metaphor though.

[Dinger]

19. Yeah, What The Hell Ever Happened To Gregory Anyway? (nt)

[blm]

23. Same thing that happens to all former journalists working for NBCs - they get coopted by

the agenda set up in the 90s by Jack Welch.

[orleans]

3. why doesn't he just say it was "bad behavior" on her part and then

forget to attribute the quote to cheney?

maybe that little dance he did w/rove recently changed his perspective on life

:shrug:

[KoKo]

6. As much as Gregory "seems" to be likeable...remember him Rapping with "MC Rove" at the Gridiron

Club...and his true leanings become more apparent. Somewhere David sold his soul. It might be when he started appearing on Imus Show where Imus would play cutesy with Gregory..talking about his famous father and the impressions that David could do of famous people.

Seems most of those who appear on Imus are found to be lacking some inner integrity and when one sees what Imus is actually all about with his latest racist/female hating remark...then track back to all those he shines his favor on in his endless promotions of their books or their reporting or what they've done for his various so-called "charities."

[PDittie]

7. You can't dance in MC Rove's backup band and

not toe the line offstage as well.

David, you sold out way too cheap.

[Wickerman]

8. Pelosi is called sloppy after we witness this train wreck of an administration?

That is like saying Felix Ungar was a slob after giving Oscar Madison a pass on housekeeping. :shrug:

[babylonsister]

10. Very valid point there! The train wreck still hasn't slid to a halt either. nt

[bdamomma]

9. total assault being done on Pelosi, disgusting absolutely disgusting

what the RW media is doing, they are nothing but accompliances of this regime.

[mtnsnake]

12. I think it sucks when a single thing like this is used to make a good guy like Gregory look evil

For anyone who watched the entire show, they know that Gregory is on our side, not theirs.

Notice how the question posed to Gregory that took place just before he made his remark isn't pasted. Yeah, let's crucify David Gregory of all people now. He is in Nancy Pelosi's corner just like we are for crying out loud.

[babylonsister]

16. I don't really know whether he's proved himself to be a 'good guy'.

I remember hoping to see that on Real Time w/Bill Maher, and he went out of his way not to lean either way. So, while I like him, I'm not sure which side he's on. That could be the sign of a good journalist, but doesn't excuse statements like this one on MTP. If he's so even-handed, this didn't show it.

[mtnsnake]

18. There's a reason Tony Snow and Bush don't like Gregory.

David Gregory is one of the few who are brave enough to stand up to them with the truth. He's a good guy. I'm positive of that. I watched the entire MTP show, btw, and I don't think Gregory meant the slightest bit of harm to Pelosi's image. I thought he was more than nudged to say she was a bit sloppy...as in "okay, okay, so maybe she was a little sloppy, Tim" or something to that effect. I don't really remember the exact sequence but he was more on Pelosi's side, our side, than theirs. Way more.

[babylonsister]

20. His quote about Pelosi being 'sloppy' is in the OP, and repeated/confirmed

by Chuck Todd on MTP. There you have it; whether he meant to or not, the conservative meme gained life from his/their message.

[mtnsnake]

21. Yeah, out of context and wasn't it a "little" sloppy or a "bit" sloppy and not just "sloppy"?

And when you're pasting something Gregory said, at least give him the courtesy of pasting the comments just previous to what he said, too.

[babylonsister]

22. Aye aye, cap, I'll remember that in future.

:eyes: I'm glad he has retained one fan.

[mtnsnake]

24. Everyone would appreciate it.

Now swab those decks! :evilgrin:

[madrchsod]

14. blah,blah ,blah the asshats speak

no one listens and no one cares.

[WhiteTara]

15. my letter to NBC

David Gregory's performance on MTP Sunday reminded me of his other recent performance as Karl Rove's back up dancer. When David called Speaker Pelosi's trip to Syria "sloppy", I could only see his embarrassed smile as he danced away behind Rove; we all now know he is Karl's poodle. His comments on MTP were a continuation of that lapdace.

David's credibility as a news journalist is now gone. I know he is only a mouthpiece for the administration.

For the record, Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the epitome of grace and diplomacy on her trip to Syria. The administration is "having a tantrum" becuase every where she went she was treated with the same respect she showed them.

[DURHAM D]

17. Somewhere I read David described as a "self-satisfied man".

I think that is a very good description. He is not now (if he ever was) a hungry and aggressive journalist. He likes his status and gives little real thought to his reporting. He is unable to make judgments.

I see him as very much a David Broder type journalist. As the years pass he will be accepted (self accepted) as the grand ole man of beltway info and he won't know that he has become nothing but a chattering fool and other journalists and pundits will just feel a little sorry for him and they will just let him babble - while pretending he has just said something important.

[ripple]

26. That's a bit harsh

He's still one of only a couple of journalists in the WH Press Corp who doesn't give the administration a free pass.

So, he criticized Pelosi in a roundtable discussion. Big deal. If he didn't criticize a democrat every now and then, I would question his objectivity. I disagree with him in this instance, but he's still better than 90% of the rest of the press corp.

[DURHAM D]

27. Piffle Ripple.

The only time he appears aggressive is in the press gaggle.

[Supersedeas]

25. on the facts here -- critics will say!?!