Howard Kurtz: David Gregory Was Far Tougher on NRA's LaPierre Than Obama

CNN media analyst Howard Kurtz was impressed last Sunday with how Meet the Press host David Gregory hammered the National Rifle Association's Wayne LaPierre during their interview.

One week later, Kurtz wondered why Gregory "didn’t brandish any weapons or show much firepower" during this Sunday's interview with President Obama.

"[T]his was not the armed-and-dangerous Gregory we saw last week when he faced down NRA chief Wayne LaPierre," Kurtz wrote. "Obama was measured and low key, which gave the NBC program the air of a press conference."

"And when Obama mentioned Lincoln," he continued, "Gregory twinkled as he said: 'Is this your Lincoln moment?' He was no Stephen Douglas."

Yes, that certainly was one of the more embarrassing moments Sunday.

"The interview didn’t pop," concluded Kurtz. "It didn’t make any news. That was mainly Obama’s fault, thanks to his long monologues that were allowed to proceed uninterrupted. But Gregory could have showed a little more of the passion he displayed last Sunday."

Indeed.

This felt more like a press conference than a high-powered interview with America's top executive.

When you contrast it with last week's interrogation of LaPierre, it's quite clear Gregory is far tougher with his conservative guests than his liberal ones.