Gregory Tells McConnell 'You Haven't Said Publicly Whether You're For Ryan's Plan' Four Days After He Voted For It
NBC's David Gregory on Sunday accused Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of not having said publicly if he's for Congressman Paul Ryan's (R-Wisc.) Medicare plan.
This oddly came four days after McConnell and 39 other Republicans voted for the proposal on the floor of the Senate (video follows with transcript and commentary):
DAVID GREGORY, HOST: But, leader, my question is if there's going to be a deal on the debt ceiling on Medicare reform...
SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KENTUCKY): Mm-hmm.
MR. GREGORY: ...would you concede it's got to look a lot different than the Ryan plan?
SEN. McCONNELL: No! I--it's on the table. We're going to discuss what ought to be done. Everybody agrees something ought to be done, except the Democrats in the Senate, who have no plan at all.
MR. GREGORY: But you're not even...
SEN. McCONNELL: We had four...
MR. GREGORY: ...you haven't even said publicly whether you're for the Ryan plan. So you're not behind that version of Medicare reform.
SEN. McCONNELL: I voted for the--I, I voted for the Ryan budget this week.
D'oh!
Did McConnell's answer stop Gregory from pursuing this foolish line of questioning? Hardly:
MR. GREGORY: You didn't whip up your colleagues, though. You didn't try to get additional support.
SEN. McCONNELL: Well, we, we had, we had competing versions in the Senate. Senator Toomey, a Republican senator in the Senate, had a plan. Senator Paul had a plan. The only people who didn't vote for any plan at all--we--by the way, we had a vote on the president's budget, didn't get a single solitary vote. Not a single Democratic senator voted for the president's budget.
MR. GREGORY: Fair--but do you support Ryan's reforms?
SEN. McCONNELL: And the guy, the guy that you're going to have on after me thinks that all we're doing right now is positioning for the 2012 election. What about the country? What about the next generation, not the next election?
MR. GREGORY: I'm just trying to understand where you are particularly on how to change Medicare so...
SEN. McCONNELL: Well, let me tell you.
MR. GREGORY: You're not--you don't believe that the Ryan plan is the basis of where you're going to get agreement.
SEN. McCONNELL: I, I voted for the Ryan budget this week.
So voting for a bill doesn't mean you're actually for it? That's some interesting logic.
Of course, it was obvious what Gregory was doing.
Since Newt Gingrich foolishly called the Ryan plan "right-wing social engineering" on "Meet the Press" a few weeks ago, the media have been trying to convince the public that all Republicans feel the same way.
As such, they've been characterizing Wednesday's vote in the Senate as a major defeat to Medicare reform all because five Republicans joined the Democrats in opposing it. However, four of those so-called Republicans are "in name only," and the fifth was Rand Paul (R-Ky.) who doesn't think Ryan's plan cuts spending far enough.
With this in mind, it seemed no matter how many times McConnell was going to say he voted for the plan, Gregory was going to spin it as though the Minority Leader really opposes it.
In effect, Gregory was just refusing to take "Yes" for an answer.
And that's the way things work on agenda-driven political talk shows these days when "Yes" isn't what the host is looking for.
- Noel Sheppard's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
Gregory has been asleep at
Submitted by look on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 1:41pm.
Gregory has been asleep at the wheel these past couple of weeks...
Gregory
Submitted by gAMEoVER on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 2:09pm.
should continue to sleep. for ever. never to wake again
Gregory knows.......
Submitted by GregE on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 1:43pm.
........most Americans don't pay attention to voting records. He knows soundbites, about voting records, are what's most important and what people will parrot. Nevermind the ACTUAL record, let's go only with a soundbite. Sounds like the Obama re-election strategy.
LIKE Obama's senate voting record:
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 1:45pm.
PRESENT.
Does he even listen to the answers?
Submitted by CobraMan on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 1:50pm.
"would you concede it's got to look a lot different than the Ryan plan?"
"No! --it's on the table. We're going to discuss what ought to be done."
"So you're not behind that version of Medicare reform."
Does Gregory even listen to the answers for the questions he asks? What part of "no" doesn't he understand?
"You didn't whip up your colleagues, though. You didn't try to get additional support."
So, those 40 other Republicans are, what, superfluous?
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
David Gregory...
Submitted by adamsmith on Mon, 05/30/2011 - 10:37am.
David Gregory should be made to wear a big button on his chest, "Shill for President George Soros".......After normalcy returns, he should be made to take a ride on a Guillotine, for being a Domestic Terrorist...............
Noel, I don't think he's interested in an answer.
Submitted by CobraMan on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 1:59pm.
"In effect, Gregory was just refusing to take "Yes" for an answer."
Noel, I don't think Gregory's even interested in an answer. Just take this exchange as an example:
SEN. McCONNELL: Well, let me tell you.
MR. GREGORY: You're not--you don't believe that the Ryan plan is the basis of where you're going to get agreement.
Gregory wouldn't even let the Senator even explain his position. Gregory was telling the Senator what he supposed to "believe." That's not an interview,. That's attempted indoctrination.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
The general purpose of
Submitted by stratman on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:35pm.
The general purpose of "interviewing" someone in this manner is several fold and includes:
David Gregory is not that talented, otherwise he would not resort to this technique so overwhelmingly. Unfortunately, McConnell, like many, is not able to cope with this brand of interview.
David Gregory
Submitted by Lord-come-soon-... on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 2:00pm.
Is a typical example of an air-headed reporter. If you've watched his career, when he was the NBC "White House" correspondent, he did little more than stand in front of the White House and read a teleprompter. That's what his limitations are. He cannot do anything more than spew the company line, and abuse Conservatives, because that's what he's TOLD to do. If he's ever had an original thought, I've not seen it. He's perfect for Meet the Press.
A real Jerk!
Submitted by pickersenior on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 2:00pm.
What qualifications does this idiot newsreader (not a very good one at that) have to try to steer a failed political agenda to the benefit of the socialistic media by trying to change the answer of a question answered in honesty. Gregory acts like a 6th grader trying to start a fight just for the violence. This whole agenda doesn't make any logical sense.
I'm afraid that our news is really an agenda pushed by these jerks. What happened to untarnished truthful journalism?
Sorely Missed
Submitted by northone on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:43pm.
God, how I miss Tim Russert. "Meet the Press"'s credibility died when Mr. Russert passed away.
Soon we'll have CGI Republican guests
Submitted by KC Mulville on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 2:11pm.
Rather than deal with those pesky, real-life Republicans, they'll just write a computer program to supply the appropriate GOP face to respond in exactly the way the host wants.
It's a toss-up...
Submitted by pbthinker on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 2:12pm.
Personally, I believe that Gregory is the worst of the Sunday hosts, although each has their own short-comings. Schieffer and Ammanpour are both liberals who have no understanding of the conservative mind and I'm not sure they'll ever figure it out, but they're just ignorant. Gregory, on the other hand, is not only ignorant, in the same manner, but he's also a partisan hack who believes the whole purpose of his television endeavor is to help the Democrats and President Obama every chance he gets.
Amazingly, CNN, at least on the Sunday shows, is improving and Fox News is, of course, far and away the best, which is why the Democrats avoid Fox like the plague.
So voting for a bill doesn't
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 2:32pm.
So voting for a bill doesn't mean you're actually for it?
No, it doesn't. Votes don't mean anything.
If your opinion hasn't been voiced on a talk show, to a "journalist," you don't have one.
His next question....
Submitted by kevinsmith5 on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 2:59pm.
"But sir, you haven't had 'I heart the Ryan plan' tattoed to your chest, so how do we know if you support it?"
More On Obama's Weiner!
Submitted by im41 on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:01pm.
These are government officials folks; this is Obama's change.
If Mark Levin is broadcasting
Submitted by stratman on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:20pm.
If Mark Levin is broadcasting Tuesday, every other sentence will be followed by that "BOING!" sound effect.
David Gregory Should Do Show Prep
Submitted by Avitar on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:13pm.
Either he does some show prep or the network should replace him with a rotation of interns. It would be better for network credibility and cheaper for the stockholders.
Watch them all and had the same answer!
Submitted by desert3030 on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:13pm.
The question across the board was; What is the Demorats Medicare plan to ryan's, to the person with the largest nads,....Debbie.....We know it is not the Ryan plan and 3 minutes of scare talk. Not one or once could they say the plan is....all they know and can think is .... Ryan's won't work. What are they telling us?
But then made me feel better..... they said Biden was working on work, NOW THAT IS SCARE care.
It depends on. . .
Submitted by rickbren on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:14pm.
what the meaning of is is.
Gregory is displaying some functional deficits!
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 3:37pm.
He seemed incapable of comprehending what McConnell had just said. Gregory's brain was at least two minutes behind in that exchange.
The sole reason David Gregory is on NBC...
Submitted by Phryj1 on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 4:10pm.
...is because he's a mindless left-wing shill. He does the journ-o-list proud.
The sooner broadcast 'news' dies, the happier I'll be. Tired of these hacks LYING and getting away with it.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
He Let
Submitted by bobbys on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 5:35pm.
Gregory let Chuck Schumer ramble on with his talking points and after a couple of Qs sat there in Silence till Schumer got them all out...
Schumer's Points?.
They are going to find waste and fraud and fix it.
I kept waiting for DG to ask how much they have found so far but no luck
GOP budget and Medicare
Submitted by Model850 on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 6:37pm.
As everyone knows the 2012 mantra from the dems is going to be the GOP budget and Medicare.
One lib site already has predicted it will be responsible for Republicans losing their House majority next November. This prediction was included in a piece about Eric Cantor and tornado relief assistance.
"Eric Cantor is threatening to block relief funds for victims of the recent tornados in the South and Mid-West. Two American cities have been flattened, but all Eric Cantor cares about are tax cuts for the hyper-wealthy.
Thankfully, Eric Cantor's days as majority leader are numbered. Cantor has endlessly championed the Ryan budget that destroys Medicare. That budget is a millstone around the necks of the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. When Republicans lose their majority next November, the shell-shocked survivors of Cantor's caucus are going to give him the boot for his failed leadership."
That quote is the entire piece. You can find it for yourself here if you want, but I'd advise not following the link unless you're prepared to quickly scroll about 1/8 down the page so you can stop the automatic playing of a video from Current (or just turn down the volume on your speakers before clicking).
For Pete's Sake, Speak Clearly!
Submitted by Chris Norman on Sun, 05/29/2011 - 11:00pm.
It's a good thing that voting for the Ryan plan implies that McConnell supports it - I guess. Otherwise, one would be hard pressed to understand what he thinks by his stammering answers. Geez, can't a Republican congressional leader just every so often speak clearly and unequivocally, without the "uh... well...you know...what I'm trying to say...what we were trying to do..." kind of answers?
The "Interviewee" needs to SPEAK OVER the "Interviewer"
Submitted by ROSIE RIGHT on Mon, 05/30/2011 - 10:50am.
for a refreshing and honest "Interview"! Fox News has learned this technique in reverse, LOL!
Hey gregory
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Mon, 05/30/2011 - 10:00pm.
You haven't yet set you've stopped beating your wife...
Hope for Change
Submitted by SaguaroJack on Mon, 05/30/2011 - 11:29pm.
One hopes for Gregory's change. Boy can't keep up.