Ron Paul on Meet the Press (12/11/11)

[brendan.orourke]

What a total BS interview, horrible.

 

[Lord Xar]

Ron could easily have said ' can we talk about the issues.. that is most important isn't it'.

 

[McChronagle]

Get used to it. That Ron might split and go third party forces other GOP candidates to not open up full bore on him, because they don't want to risk being the one to force him to bolt. Believe me, that's a gigantic advantage right now.

But the price of it is being asked the question, and never quite closing the door on it.

i agree. doesnt make it any less painful to hear it tho

 

[Polskash]

Ron could easily have said ' can we talk about the issues.. that is most important isn't it'.

Ron has the clout to be much more dominant in these types of situations. He's not some nobody anymore. All he has to do is say, "We're spending a lot of time in this interview discussing the other candidates. Perhaps we can discuss some of my plans as president instead in light of my rising poll numbers."

 

[Student Of Paulism]

Ron has the clout to be much more dominant in these types of situations. He's not some nobody anymore. All he has to do is say, "We're spending a lot of time in this interview discussing the other candidates. Perhaps we can discuss some of my plans as president instead in light of my rising poll numbers."

I would like to see him do that too more, but the thing is, he just can't. Look what happened to Romney with FoX last week when he snapped on Bret Baier and basically bit the hand that feeds all his hype and propping. Romney is a hot head and has done that several times now and it does damage to your image. Ron just tries to be as diplomatic as he can, which is what he speaks on with his FP plan as well, so he tries to personify his own policy and practice what he preaches. If he comes off as arrogant, belligerent, pushy or bossy, it just won't look good.

However when asked here about who he thought was more/less conservative, i agree, he should have been like..'WELL, ME!' and say it in a semi-boastful tone without sounding too cocky. That is something i wish he would do more and be a little bit more argumentative and interject more often, especially in the debates. I really was impressed with Bachmann last night, she REALLY went after Mitt and Newt very aggressively, and she also butts in and interjects and steals the spotlight well, and most times, the mods will let you have your say when you do that. Ron did well last night bringing up the Freddie Mac thing though and you can clearly see that Newt didnt like that at all and was probably burning up inside lol.

But overall, he did great in this interview and handled it just fine, especially for being an NBC pundit for half of it

 

[kahless]

Am I imagining Ron's nose looking really big in that video?

I watched it live and out of all the times watching Ron over the years I have never noticed that until this video. Call me conspiracy theorist but my thoughts when watching it were wondering if they intentionally manipulated the lighting or video to make his nose look unusually large.

Looks are everything to the sheep and then add subliminally framing the interview in a way that makes it appear that he has no chance and will likely run third party. All works perfectly with the people that cannot think for themselves in watching the interview.

I still cannot believe they replaced Russert with that light weight Progressive ideologue. It took allot for me to watch that jack ass Gregory which I vowed never to watch again.

 

[Fredom101]

Toobez?

 

[Student Of Paulism]

Looks are everything to the sheep and then add subliminally framing the interview in a way that makes it appear that he has no chance and will likely run third party. All works perfectly with the people that cannot think for themselves in watching the interview.

Yep, its sickening. They are masters at using all the tricks in the book and the minor subtleties and hints and how to use word-play to their advantage. The thing that pissed me off the most, is they showed the FL/SC polls when we all know that IA/NH are the hot topic right now, not to mention the debate was IA last night as well. They showed FL/SC polls because he is in single digits there still and so, yea...the sheep see this and think:

'hmm he not look good in dat poll *scratches head*....me vote Newt he in first! ooga ooga *scratches nuts and drags knuckles as he/she walks off to gather more firewood*

That is your average American voter there, sadly.

 

[randomname]

Yep, its sickening. They are masters at using all the tricks in the book and the minor subtleties and hints and how to use word-play to their advantage. The thing that pissed me off the most, is they showed the FL/SC polls when we all know that IA/NH are the hot topic right now, not to mention the debate was IA last night as well. They showed FL/SC polls because he is in single digits there still and so, yea...the sheep see this and think:

'hmm he not look good in dat poll *scratches head*....me vote Newt he in first! ooga ooga *scratches nuts and drags knuckles as he/she walks off to gather more firewood*

That is your average American voter there, sadly.

I wonder whether the thing at 10:40 is also some subtle putdown... they ask him the will you endorse if you lose question, and as soon as Ron is about to answer, they zoom him out and play some random clip, as if to say, "who gives a fuck what the answer is anyway"



I am probably reading too much into it, but fuck them anyway for giving such a shitty interview.

 

[affa]

I don't we need to sweat the way he answers these questions as much as we do. Yes, the questions were all ridiculously biased and geared towards newt romney. Absolutely.

But if Ron Paul always did the 'Me!' sort of answer, avoiding the actual question, he might also start to come off insincere, like every other self-aggrandizing politician. Ron Paul's tactic, instead, is to let the bias of the interview become clear to the viewer, while answering each question politely, only occasionally putting in the truth shiv (or in some cases, truth bomb). He made it quite clear that Newt Romney is neither conservative nor consistent to anyone paying attention to the interview, without ever needing to take an aggressive tone or 'redirect' the question.

Now... if only we got some fair questions... but I think more people will notice that. People remotely interested in Ron Paul want to hear him speak on the issues, and when they tune in and get obvious propaganda questions like that, with no substance, they'll notice. Some of them will, at least.

 

[WD-NY]

I think bad interviews (from a reporter ethics/duty standpoint) at this point do us more good than harm. Much like after the Bob Shaffer interview, thousands of politically savvy/focused Americans on all sides of the ideological spectrum are voicing their displeasure over a very poor performance by David Gregory.

Negative feedback via twitter and facebook does get through to the producers of these shows... and often leads to some push back by those who still remember what 'substance' sounds like. Now, Gregory obviously didn't stir up as much of a hornets nest as Shaffer did, but he's definitely drawing some ire/heat so expect NBC to give Paul an opportunity or 2 this week to 'balance out' today's shitty interview.

Case in point, Jason Linkins at the Huffington Post pretty much lampoons everyone in his Sunday Morning show live blog, and yet when Paul makes an appearance, his coverage is always respectful. Anywho, I though he made a couple good points against Greggory (bold/underlined below)

That said, like many others here, I was expecting Gregory to go on the attack (especially since his first interview did land any solid punches). Instead, he basically hit Ron with a bunch of soft, leading questions. Ron did well enough, but I think that at this point, playing it soft on Newt in interviews may be undermining the potential effectiveness of his Hypocrisy ad. He's sending out a mixed message about Newt and voters don't like that (bc it confuses them).

IMO, Ron needs to go into stern/grave voice mode and simply call Newt out for what he is. This wishy-washy "well... well..." in a high, non-stern voice is for the birds! These are serious charges that voters need to take very seriously.

As for Mitt, I think playing it soft at this point in time in best. Tying him together with Newt just dilutes the stiffness of the point being made...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/11/tv-soundoff-sunday-talkin_n_1141709.html

First question to Ron Paul is about...Newt Gingrich. Did he do anything to diminish his chances. This is just the sort of question that Ron Paul LOVES to get I'm sure, like he's a bystander and no a competitor. There are times where I think I'd like to see Paul win the Iowa Caucus because it would be easy on the following Sunday to liveblog these shows. "
Everyone stammered for hours and sniffed their dirty underwear for clues, the end, see you next week."

Paul says that it remains to be seen how it affected Gingrich, and won't you guys just take a bunch of polls? He adds that there has been a lot of different frontrunners this year and concedes that it will be "interesting to see what happens."

David Gregory helpfully reminds Paul of something he said a few hours ago, to Gingrich. He says he's not satisfied with the way Newt responded to his charges of him being a lobbyist/influence peddler, and says that the audience didn't appreciate his answer either. He says that in terms of the money Newt took from Freddie Mac, it "annoyed" Paul because it was a "subject he worked on for so long," discussing the agency's role in bubble-creation and distortions.

Should Newt give the money back and apoligize? "Legally he doesn't have to," Paul says, but "morally," he should.

Gregory asks, "Who is the consistent conservative?" And then he plays highlights from Michele Bachmann's debate night? Don't understand what's happening here. I think Meet The Press just picked a bunch of debate highlights and were like, "Oh, Ron Paul can just comment on this stuff, as opposed to his campaign." Anyway, Paul agrees with Bachmann that Newt and Mitt are "cut from the same mold," adding, "I even said that last night, asking why should we even have a nominee that is always explaining themselves as to what position they were taking and when...I think when you're consistent, it speaks for itself. Nobody really challenges me on it, but I don't have to brag about it either." Well, you may not have to brag, but you might want to gently remind David Gregory that you actuall said things at the debate last night.

Gregory is really, really trying my paitence. "I just want to be clear on this point: you think that Romney and Gingrich are not acceptable as consistent conservatives?" What, that last monologue wasn't clear enough? Paul repeats what he's already said, that they are not consistent, and the FACT THAT THEY ADMIT TO CHANGING POSITIONS ALL THE TIME IS EVIDENCE OF THAT."

I think that's pretty clearly understood," Paul says. And now Gregory is pointing out that Paul has made ads about Gingrich stating this. He brings it up with Paul as if there was an argument. This is literally what it's like to be interviewed by David Gregory:

GREGORY: So, is it true that you prefer apple pie to all other pies?YOU: Well, yes. Apple pie is my favorite pie. That doesn't mean that I won't eat other pies. Other pies are great. But apple is the pie I like the most.
GREGORY: LET ME BE CLEAR?! You are saying that YOU LIKE APPLE PIE?
YOU: [pause] Yes. That's right.
GREGORY: WELL! Let me point out that you have REPEATEDLY MADE THIS POINT IN PUBLIC, SIR.
YOU: I don't understand what we're arguing about.
GREGORY: Here are several clips of you eating apple pie!
[There is a montage of you eating apple pie.]
GREGORY: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT.
YOU: [to Betsy Fischer] I don't understand -- is he broken or something?
FISCHER: OMG ISN'T THIS GREAT! BOOP BOOP BOOP LA DEE DEEEEE...TEEVEE!!​

Anyway, Ron Paul again points out that he does not think Newt and Mitt are particularly consistent. Gregory asks if he's more comfortable with Mitt as the "standardbearer" of the party than he is with Newt. I think he's asking that because Ron Paul's recent ad mentioned Gingrich, and Gregory is still sort of mastering object permanence.Paul says that Romney is a little more diplomatic and basically comports himself better as far as his tone goes.

Now Gregory is asking Ron Paul "who represents change." Paul is very confused to be asked this. HE IS A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, ACTUALLY. One who is probably entitled to expect to be asked, "What change will YOU bring?" But Paul figures that Gregory just wants him to talk about Newt and Mitt. "I don't think either one of them represents change, I more or less think all of my fellow candidates support the status quo...none of them are offering real cuts. I'm the one offering real cuts."

Paul says that the field's general suckitude is why people are "hopping around looking for somebody" and "quite frankly, it may be the reason we're going up in the polls."Now, Gregory wants Paul's opinion on Gingrich's criticism of the Palestinians -- which Paul rendered last night. Paul says Newt demonstrates the point Paul has been making -- that the U.S. should remain neutral in the face of the "irrational" politics of that region. "

I don't think we have the wisdom...or the authority to sort out" the Israel-Palestinian dispute.

Gregory asks about the strength of Paul's following...and will he endorse someone else if he loses. " We'll wait and see," he says.

Is he ruling out a third party run?"

I have no plans to do that."

But is he ruling it out?!"

I'm not going to rule anything out or anything in, I don't talk in absolutes, and I have a wonderful campaign going on right now."

BUT ARE YOU OPEN TO A THIRD PARTY RUN."

I am not even thinking about it."

BUHHHHHREEEEEEEETHIIIRDPARRRRRTEEEEEERUNNNNN?"

Is he broken?"

And that's the last question. So, Ron Paul gets about 12 minutes of questions, and all of them are about what he thinks about other candidates, opinions which he's already made perfectly clear on numerous times, or whether he'll end up being comfortable endorsing Newt or Mitt. The only GENUINE inquiry into Paul, his campaign, or his policy positions -- not saying he wasn't able to assert these at times during the interview, just that he did so over Gregory's questioning -- came at the end, when he was asked a bunch of times if he was going to make a third party run.

How was that segment anything other than a journalistic failure? It didn't even ATTEMPT to gather news! I imagine that at this very moment, NBC News is two servers deep in hate mail from Paul supporters, who will complain that he was never asked a legit question about his campaign or how well he's doing, and they'll be 100% right, frankly.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

All for the Hypnotizing Cyclops Machine spewing the Propaganda for the American Zombies.

I think we are all doing a good job on Social Media about Gregory and NBC conjured-up 15 minute orchestrated Corporate Media nonsense.

More people and media are picking up on the David Gregory/NBC "Meet The Mess Kabuki Theater"

We'll give it legs as long as it benefits us and exploits the 'Sunday Morning Propaganda Media'

 

[kill the banks]

I feel we are the only chance republicans have to actually winning ... If , we do not support the newt mitt ticket , they lose election ... the hell with what a third party does ... anyway , Ron did quite well here even if the press is manipulated by their ownership bias and corruption

 

[Brian4Liberty]

GREGORY: So, is it true that you prefer apple pie to all other pies?

YOU: Well, yes. Apple pie is my favorite pie. That doesn't mean that I won't eat other pies. Other pies are great. But apple is the pie I like the most.

GREGORY: LET ME BE CLEAR?! You are saying that YOU LIKE APPLE PIE?

YOU: [pause] Yes. That's right.

GREGORY: WELL! Let me point out that you have REPEATEDLY MADE THIS POINT IN PUBLIC, SIR.

YOU: I don't understand what we're arguing about.

GREGORY: Here are several clips of you eating apple pie!
[There is a montage of you eating apple pie.]

GREGORY: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT.

YOU: [to Betsy Fischer] I don't understand -- is he broken or something?

FISCHER: OMG ISN'T THIS GREAT! BOOP BOOP BOOP LA DEE DEEEEE...TEEVEE!!

 

[Athan]

If he isn't with the campaign any more, what makes his threads "official?"

Let him dream. Let him dream.