David Gregory analyzes this morning's Meet The Press – the importance of character education in our nation's schools, Mayor Bloomberg's comments on the "Buffett Rule", and the larger questions for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
We took the program on the road this Sunday to New York to help kick off NBC's Education Nation. Despite the focus on education here at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the debate in Washington remains centered on taxes and the charge by Republicans that the President's proposed "Buffett Rule" amounts to class warfare.
Independent Mayor of New York City Mike Bloomberg disagrees with the "Buffet Rule," telling me the proposed tax increase is "just theatrics."
"If you’re going to raise taxes, you’re going to have to raise taxes on everybody," Bloomberg said. "I would suggest 2 or 3 percent on everybody – for the average person that’s a hundred fifty bucks. For the wealthy it’s a lot of money. That’s the only way you’re going to get something through congress."
On the other side of the globe, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said peace should come through negotiations between the two sides.
"The Palestinians want a state but they have to give peace in return. What they're trying to do in the United Nations is to get a state without giving Israel peace or giving Israel peace and security. And I think that's-- that's wrong. That should not succeed. That should-- that should fail. But what should succeed is for them to actually sit down and negotiate with us to get two states for two peoples-- a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state."
Watch my entire interviews with the Prime Minister and the Mayor on our website. Also, you can see our roundtable discussion on the state of education in America. I was joined by Former Secretary of Education, William Bennett; former Secretary of Health and Human Services and current president of the University of Miami, Donna Shalala; PBS’s Tavis Smiley; and the CEO of the Special Olympics, Tim Shriver.
We'll be back next week. If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press.
Leave a Comment:
I have beent watching/taping Meet the Press for decades and stopped the
tape in the middle of the interview with the Israel Prime Minister to send this. Why was David Gegory so agressively tring to get a negative comment from him about President Obama. Was he trying to MAKE news. I was very disapointed in David. I also watch/tape all the Sunday morning shows and even FOX (lately) has not been that negatively agressive.
Meet the Press is better than this.
I too, was completely EMBARRASSED by the disrespectful tactic that David was using against the Prime Minister. :( David is an intellegent, well-edjucated person who unscrupulously attempted to manipulate the structure of the question to force an answer, to which the Prime Minister politically, COULD NOT GIVE - even though he agrees! David's behavior was appauling and insulting!
I agree that David was rude and insulting. It was a terrible interview because he was just trying to be aggressive and not really learn what the Prime Minister had to say. His behavior toward this head-of-state was completely unprofessional and unproductive. He was trying so hard to show Israel and their prime minister in a negative light, but this backfired and the poor reflection was only on David Gregory.
David was going for a cheap shot ... something Tim Russert never would have done. Trying to get a sound bit from the Prime Minister sounded like a school boy on the school yard trying to find out if "Nancy likes Jimmy or Johnnie better." I guess he ran out of time before he could ask the Prime Minister if he was still beating his wife. When did NEWS get replaced with "Gotcha" sound bits?? Absolutely disgusting!
Since Michael Bloomberg seized control of NYC's public schools, more schools than ever have failed, there was a test score scandal, teachers have been targeted for dismissal on trumped-up charges for reasons of age and union activism, funding for salaries has been shifted to the individual schools, creating discrimination against more veteran teachers, and the size of contracts to outside consultants has risen to $900 million while staffing has been reduced and the stipend for teacher supplies eliminated entirely. Funding for public schools has been slashed while at the same time increased for charter schools which make profits and exclude the learning disabled, emotionally disturbed and English language learners, and expell students not performing well just before standardized tests are administered, forcing these kids to return to the public schools while they keep the funding for these children.
How can you justify asking this charlatan ANYTHING about fixing our schools when he is destroying them?
David Gregory's interview was a pathetic puff ball. He didn't do anything to inform the viewers of the complexity of the issues through asking thoughtful questions. I think it's time for MTP to get a new face. I've lost faith in this institution as long as DG is the talking head.
I think I will ETERNALLY be against NBC News from here on out in ANY FORM. They are the most controlled message boards in the entire world, REGARDLESS of the input. Don't EVER expect any significant comments from the general public regarding any issue of any importance, since NBC News is TOTALLY opposed to any form of threat against the established order, however corrupt. Goodbye NBC News forevermore. I hate you forever !!! EVIL !!!!!!!!!!!!! - Rick Carter
EVIL, EVIL, EVIL EVIL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go to hades, NBC News !!!!!!! You selectively eliminate ANYTHING of any real importance. It took me a while to catch on to what you all selectively do, but I have finally comprehended what you all are up to. - RC
NBC is trying to covertly guide this world to the precipice of complete destruction. Don't expect these postings to last very long. Just some LAST words to the wise !!! I don't think I have EVER been more angry at any news organization. - RC
(((Control education, and you control the mind (and destiny) of our entire world. My last hint to ALL OF YOU !!!! I HATE you NBC News !!!))) - RC
((((No insult to those on the front lines of NBC, who are legitimately trying to do their best for mankind. It is only those behind the scenes who are manipulating the ultimate results.)))) - RC
(((((I am furious, I am FURIOUS, I am ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS !!! I have NEVER been more FURIOUS in my entire life, now that I have FINALLY caught on. I can only hope you all (EVENTUALLY) catch on, too, BEFORE it is TOO LATE !!! Our entire world is being COVERTLY guided to the very PRECIPICE OF DESTRUCTION !!!))))) - RC
((((((Surreptitious SEDUCTION is a very BIG PART of all of this. MY VERY LAST HINT to all of you !!!)))))) - RC
David Gregory.. shame on you!! Up until today I would watch your show. You had some HUGE shoes to fill and you proved today, hands down, that you do not deserve the helm of this show. You are entitled to your personal opinions, but you went too far in your interview in revealing your true agenda. I was almost waiting for you to apologize on behalf of the US for our actions just as our cherished (not) president has done to the world.
The US media for the most part has no idea what the majority of Americans want, feel, desire or think. And I'm so incredibly fed up w/the likes of you in an influential position trying to push your agenda down our thoats. I must admit though, it was quite fulfilling and entertaining to watch you get your hat handed to you today. It was so nice to see The Prime Minister show that he was more intune w/the average American than you. And he did it in the most effective way. He used intelligence, class and respect. Something you lacked. The least you could offer was respect for a man who diplomatically even shows the utmost respect to his country's enemies.
Something else you could learn is that despite your personal opinions is that your predecessor always aimed his interviews so that they were inclusive to the thoughts of the everyday person. He perfected the interview so views could be shared and expeanded upon for understanding - not dividing. A Tim Russert you will never be. But you sure have alot to learn. Oh how I miss him.. MTP I will opt to watch an infomercial before I watch your show again~~
why dont we ask Israel to give peace to the Palestinians, after they took most of there land!!!
David Gregory,
You missed the forest for the trees because you have a MSM prejudice toward Israel. You think ISrael is isolated because you are focused on a Turkish meglomaniac and on Egyptian turmoil where threats by the Muslim Brotherhood are made to abrogate the Egypt/ISrael Treaty. Did you consider that land for peace (land transferred and then reneging on peace) from Egypt might cause all Israelis to think again about surendering land to the Palestinians, whose 2 leaders Abbas, a Holocaust denier who represents the West Bank and Haniyeh of Hamas who is sworn to destroy ISrael? You treated the Prime Minister rudely because as you say, the Palestinians won't give Israel peace and there is no peace process! So why is he to blame?
There is so much more to this story and you squandered the opportunity. He tried to explain to you but you wanted the headline story on an Obama comment. An amateurish interview by David Gregory who didn't want to learn the truth nor to enlighten his audience. Rather, you wanted your own prejuduces vindicated. All in all a petty act that further shrinks the MEet The Press heritage.
Finally a note to Anwar above: the Israelis did not steal Palestinian land. From 1949 to 1967 it belonged to Jordan. When the 1967 war was imminent, it is historical fact (on both sides there is proof) that Israel pleaded with King Hussein of Jordan to stay out of the war. He refused. He lost. The land that was mandated by the UN for Arabs to be called Palestine was refused by Arabs because they did not want to live next to JEws. Instead those Arabs have been imprisoned in UN Refugee camps since ..in Arab countries (except those of course who now live freely under Hamas control). ORIGINALLY, in 1920, all of the west bank, and Israel proper was, promised to a Jewish homeland, approved by the League of Nations and the US Congress. The British took back 75% to appease the Syrians and Jordanians. Israel never stole any land from Palestinians.
Israel withdrew from Gaza expecting peace on that border. Hamas won the election (neither Gaza nor West Bank have had elections since they hate each other ) but now Abbas is not even legimately in office as his term expired years ago. Hamas has sent thousands of rockets. So much for land for peace. And the blockade of Gaza did not commence until Hamas came to power, rocketed Israel and kidnapped gilead Shalit from inside Israel (killing the others with him). The Un recently held the blockade legal under Int'l law, another issue David din't want to touch as it puts Israel in a positive light,
Israel will always be with or without friends. Israel has no allies in the Middle East exactly like the U.S. . Therefore, we shall always remain the best of friends. I mean, I am thinking like do we really need ???? .
The reality of this situation is, Israel already knows that they are one step away from beating somebody down to the ground again. The handwriting is on the wall.
why we have to get read of people already was living there and take over !!! why dont we learn how to live to gather and teach the world how we can do it!!!
What an astonishing interview. My respect for the Prime Minister rose once again. It is wonderful to see such a statesman, along with having such obvious leadership skill. By comparison how David Gregory treated him was embarrassing, along with his obvious politics. I'd quit watching Meet the Press and just tuned in when I saw on FB that Netanyahu would be on. I watched the entire show. The education piece reminded me not to tune in next week. If you want to be considered as a serious news program again I'd suggest you make some changes. Our country is very divided and there is an opportunity to practice real journalism...if anyone remembers what that is anymore.
I was so insulted by the interview with Netanyahu this morning. I felt Bibi's advisors had giving the questions. And to let him go ON AND ON. Is this a news program???. I very much enjoy watching Fareed Zakaria on CNN--much better questioning. David, you're losing me!
The Prime Minister is trying to re make history. You would think by the Prime Ministers offer to negotiate with the Palestinians that negotiations are just starting. The truth is that these negotiations have been on going for over 40 years and have produced nothing, nada, nil, so who is this reactionary imperialist trying to kid. If Abbas re enters negotiations they will go on for another 40 years. The United States is not a fair broker of peace and only runs interference for the Israeli policy of expansion into Arab states and also serves as an Israeli hit man at the expense of the American people.
actually the negotiations have not been going on for 40 years. The Oslo Accords and Camp David Treaty were much later. Negotiations have been going on intermittently for about 19 years. But Palestinian terror campaigns Intifadas 1 and 2 that killed more than 1000 Israeli civilians (proportionately 50,000 Americans) didnt exactly encourage negotiations. And everyone Arab and Israeli acknowledges Arafat chose war over peace when he refused the agreement Bill Clinton had worked out and ISrael had agreed to. Abbas walked away from Prime Minister Olmert's agreement a couple of years ago, a proposal that was very reckless for Israel. Land for peace? Egypt threatens to violate its treaty with Israel and Gaza didn't work so well either when Israel left there. If Israel leaves the elevated hills (almost mountains) of the West Bank it would expose the coastal plains of Tel Aviv, the only commercial airport, suicide is just not an option. The 40 years : the Arabs bear some responsibility. Anyway, they continue to keep prisoner in UN refugee camps many Palestinians. If you are frustrated why don't you first ask the Arab countries, Lebanon,and even the West Bank under Arab control!! to let those prisoners out?
I think there was nothing so 'insulting' by David Gregory in his interview to Israel's prime minister.The only thing I'd like to note is what the prime minister said about his friend countries in Europe.Many European countries (especially common people)are for a free Palestine and don't like the way the Israeli government treats the Palestinians in Gaza and in the occupied territories, often violating human rights.As regards President Obama I wonder why he changed his mind after his speech in Cairo.Is he pushed by the big Israeli lobbies in USA?
shame on you david gregory! you are not worthy of taking tim russert's place. the way you attacked and treated benjamin netanyahu was rude and disgraceful. you were looking to put him down. he is a gentleman and someone you should show respect for. i will never watch you again. many other's told me the same thing today after they too felt the same way after seeing your low class performance yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!!!i understand you are part jewish and now at the new year your actions are even more despicable
shame on you for the way you treated benjamin netanyahu! you were rude and disrespectful. you were just trying to make him say things to hurt the jews and cause problems for israel. you are no tim russert and you do not deserve his job. he was a gentleman and you are not and never will be. i spoke to many people yesterday and today who were shocked by your unprofessional actions. many of us who have watched meet the press for so many years will no longer watch the show because of what you did yesterday. i think nbc made a big mistake by picking you to replace the great tim russert who always showed class and respect to his guests. even savanna guthrie was much better than you when she filled in for you last month. now i hear you are part jewish which makes your actions even worse. especially at the new year. shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not going to disagree that David Gregory was disrespectful of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in that he seemed to be trying to get him to say he hates President Obama to make news. However, Gregory was MORE disrespectful of the intelligence of the average Meet the Press viewer. I agree with Tad's comment that the interview was a "pathetic puff ball." Gregory never questioned Netanyahu's assertion that Israel is the victim of the warlike Palestinians and in danger of having its land gobbled up by the Arabs. What a laugh. Israel holds all of the military cards in this equation and has been expanding its settlements relentlessly on occupied Palestinian land. Gregory also allowed Netanyahu to repeatedly demand that the Palestinians and the world agree to accept Israel as a Jewish state without noting that this undermines Israel's claim that it is a democracy. If Israel is a Jewish state then it is by definition an apartheid state. Israel is hated by nearly all the world for good reason. It is in violation of more UN resolutions than any other country, even Saddam-era Iraq. We should all boycott Israel until it complies with all UN resolutions, ends its occupation and quits attacking its neighbors. Maybe, as in South Africa, a strong boycott will force it to join the community of civilized nations instead of claiming victimhood although io is the clear aggressor.
Excellent responses to what I agree was a total PUFF ball interview and DG really showed what he is made of. I specifically am interested in comments Rick Carter made about how furious he is now since he finally GETS IT. Rick, very interested in hearing when and how you finally "GOT IT". Your answer might be an eye opener,
I too thought you were insulting and demeaning to Prime Minister Netanyahu. This man is the Prime Minister, the head of state of a foreign nation you were talking to, not some political hack Congressman Senator or journalist.
At certain points you were trying to pressure the Prime Minister into making statements that would hurt Israel or the Prime Minister personally in his relations with the United States or with President Obama.
Your demand to know whether Israel would give up the West back and pressuring the Prime minister to give an answer was especially demeaning and dangerous to Israel. If Netanyahu said no to a give back he isolates Israel from the United States and the World f he says yes he agrees to preconditions with nothing given to Israel in return.
Your politically charged questions using a statement Netanyahu made several years ago concerning President Bush being the best friend Israel ever had to try to get Netanyahu say that President Obama was now the best friend Israel ever had was an obvious ploy to build up President Obama's position with the American Jewish community where the President has lost standing making the President fearful of losing Jewish votes and much more importantly Jewish money to finance his campaign.
You need a history lesson Mr. Gregory.
Look back to 1947 and the Partition of the British Mandate. You will find that not only was the state of Israel created in one part of the mandate but a Palestinian state was created in the other half. What happened? The Arabs and Palestinians rejected this and attacked Israel in order to destroy it and create one large "Jew Free" Palestinian state. As a result of 3 wars all started and lost by the Arabs and Palestinians the geography has changed and Israel controls the West Bank.
The Oslo accords, all agreed to by the Palestinians and the Israelis preclude the Palestinians from making a move to define a new state of Palestine until a peace accord is agreed to. The borders of the state of Palestine must be settled last not first.
Finally, as whether or not President Obama is the best friend Israel ever had, you should remember how for the last 3 years President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have been trying to force Israel into making concessions before negotiations even start. You should remember how the President treated Prime Minister Netanyahu disrespectfully when he kept him waiting instead of having dinner with him and he had the Prime Minister enter the White House through the servants entrance. I guess you assumed you had the right to treat the Prime Minister with disrespect because Pesident Obama gave you permission through his own actions.
You should understand, that the President's pro Palestinian policies have failed to bring the Palestinians to the bargaining table because they know if they hold out the President will attempt to pressure Israel into giving them a better deal then they otherwise would get.
The promise to Veto the Palestinian Statehood request at the U.N. is politically motivated to put the President in a good light with the American Jewish community. You should understand that the President had no choice to veto it and side with Israel because allowing this resolution to pass would violate all previous U.N. resolutions.
Without guarantees of security for Israel from all parties, Arab, Palestinian, and the world, Israel would be crazy to make another territorial concession. Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, and now potentially Egypt all seek Israel's destruction.
You should remeber that the next time you seek to pressure the Prime Minister into stating he will give up the West Bank.
Sincerely and respectfully submitted,
Stephen Schechter