NBC’s Williams Derides Blogosphere as ‘Comic Element of Our Society’

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Moments after President Obama’s remarks in the Rose Garden this morning, NBC anchor Brian Williams took a weird shot at the blogosphere as the “comic element of our society,” suggesting perhaps that Obama or the Nobel committee would face three days of mockery over what Williams in the same broadcast himself termed the “bizarre” selection of Obama as this year’s Peace Prize Winner.

In his typically overblown and convoluted fashion, Williams argued to White House reporter Chuck Todd that “the way our society and civilization is set up now,” the “comic element of our society -- the blogosphere, pundits, the opinion-based economy in the United States” would “just get a free shot and have at it for the next three days at least.” [MP3 audio available here]

For his part, Todd wanted no part of Williams premise, immediately pivoting to talk about the irony of Obama winning the peace prize on a day when he would meet with his “war council” about Afghanistan.

Here’s the exchange as it took place at about 11:23 ET during NBC’s live break-in to cover Obama’s award:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: And Chuck Todd remains at the White House. Chuck, the way our society and civilization is set up now, it's almost as if -- we're heading into a weekend now -- the comic element of our society -- the blogosphere, pundits, the opinion-based economy in the United States -- will now just get a free shot and have at it for the next three days at least.

CHUCK TODD: They will, but you know one other point that the President himself touched on that we ought to point out is the fact that the reality of his job really sets in today when he has yet another meeting of his war council to talk about Afghanistan....