"Meet the Press" host David Gregory said Friday there are "prominent views within Israel" that support President Obama's controversial Mideast peace ideas expressed the day before.
When asked by MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, "What major Israeli public figures have come out supporting the President's speech," Gregory couldn't name one (video follows with transcript and commentary):
DAVID GREGORY, “MEET THE PRESS” HOST: I just want to make a point here. Joe, I disagree with you. This is not just the view of the White House in terms of what they think Israel ought to accept. This also reflects prominent views within Israel that this speech was actually good news for the Israeli government for some of the points that have already been laid out here.
After Gregory detailed those points, Scarborough pressed:
JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: Obviously, we talked about earlier, on the minds of a lot of people inside the White House and the state department is the U.N. vote coming up this fall, David, and this is seen as leverage obviously for that. We’ve talked about that. But you said this is also seen as good news for some in Israel. What major Israeli public figures have come out supporting the President's speech?
Ah, so people inside the Israeli government aren't supporting this, but some unknown commentators are. That of course is far more important than what policymakers think. After all, it's the press's opinion that matters not the view of those actually responsible for governing.
And, as Gregory wants what's best for the American president he supports - irrespective of what the Israelis actually think! - he believes it's his job to convey to viewers the completely unsubstantiated allegation that people on the other side of the world feel the same way as the current White House resident.
Whether that's true is totally irrelevant.
Unfortunately for the "Meet the Press" host, Scarborough exposed the charade with a simple question.
Readers are reminded that Gregory has been celebrated by his comrades in the media all week for his gotcha interview with Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich last Sunday.
Unlike those clips, it's a metaphysical certitude the Obama-loving press aren't going to be replaying this exchange with Scarborough non-stop for the next 72 hours.
"Journalism" today is about exposing the misstatements and misdeeds of Republicans not those of folks on the left and the shills that support them.
(H/T NB reader Tim Gargana)
