When Chris Met Georgie: 'GMA' Interview or DNC Coffee Klatsch?

There was a feeling of surreality this morning in watching the segment on Good Morning America. There was Chris Cuomo [son of Dem ex-NYS Gov. Mario, brother of Andrew, current Dem candidate for NYS Attorney General] chatting with former Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos.

Was this an ABC 'news' interview between two of its employees - or had I mistakenly tuned to a CSPAN broadcast of a DNC coffee klatsch?

Cuomo had a fine line to walk. With brother Andy running for office in New York, being too critical of Israel could be impolitic. Chris focused on what came naturally: accusing the Bush administration of 'failure.'

Cuomo's opening question for Stephanopoulos: "The Secretary [of State Condi Rice] is in the air and she's heading to the U.N. Was this situation a failure for her and what needs to change when she hits the ground?"

George chose to characterize events in Qana as "a crushing blow" for Rice.

For Cuomo, what's important is not stopping Hezbollah terrorism. It's getting the UN involved: "Now the big question is when? We have the Secretary saying she believes she can get a resolution to the U.N. By this week. But is this overly optimistic?"

Chris wanted it on the record that even if the UN does act, the US will still pay a price: "Of course, the UN Resolution will come with the US losing a little leverage because of this tragedy."

The segment ended in unusual fashion. Cuomo noted that Qana - where this weekend's bombing occurred - "is also cited in the New Testament as the location where Jesus turned water into wine. According to the Gospels of John, this was Jesus' first miracle."

Call me a cranky conservative columnist, but MSM solicitude for the Gospels just happens to crop up in the context of making the Israelis look that much worse?

Update [hat tip to Rich Noyes of MRC]: Notice the mug? No, not the one on Chris' face. The ceramic number on the table. Want to get in on GMA's coffee klatsch fun? Order your GMA coffee mug here!