Congratulations DUers! Matt read your emails w/Kitty this am

[Francine Frensky]

I just caught probably the end of the interview, when Matt began to read emails. He said they had received a lot of them, and that he himself came out not looking so good. He read three or four, and they ranged from accusing NBC of being shills for the Bush Whitehouse to accusing Matt of being too hard on Kitty.

Kitty was gracious, overall, but it was obvious that Matt was uncomfortable with the reactions.

Oh, and they played video of the golf thing.

[Killarney]

1. Was he apologetic?

He admitted that he played golf with 41?

[Francine Frensky]

3. He used that to take a stab at Kelley, to say "Look, you

said I played golf with Bush sr., as if we were golfing buddies and I was biased, and that's why I said no... " and then they showed video of Matt and Sr. playing golf, and Matt points out that it's just a putting green at the Bush house and they are in suits under their jackets, and matt says "I wouldn't consider that playing a round of golf. Is this the kind of thing you do in your book with witnesses?"

And kelley answered smoothly that everything in her books was carefully vetted with lawyers, etc.

Overall, I wouldn't say Matt was apologetic, but he was calmer than the previous days, and more conciliatory, and he did mention that most of the mail before her appearance had been anti-Kelley, but now that she had been on, the tone had changed.

[Wickerman]

4. Looks like Matt failed and his smear campaign on Kelly failed

"he did mention that most of the mail before her appearance had been anti-Kelley, but now that she had been on, the tone had changed."

Way to mess it up, Matt

[calimary]

20. This is good news.

Anti-Kitty mail UNTIL Kitty goes on. Then it changes. VERY interesting. Maybe her "gossipy crap" will reach a few wavering voters - especially those who might otherwise tip over to bush.

VERY good news. Even better because it's the "Today" show. MORE Americans watch the "big three" than the cable networks. ONE shot on CBS or the "Today" show is worth about 20 appearances on CNN or MSNBC, or even Pox.

After all, people EAT UP the National Enquirer, and - unlike Kitty Kelley - they HAVE been successfully sued. Kelley's book is another bestseller, already. I'm gonna get my copy this week - as soon as I can get to a book store.

[Divernan]

6. So being a guest at Bush Sr.'s HOME is less indicative

that Matt is biased than playing golf at some club?!?!?!?!?
Duh-uh! Obviously, being "honored" with an invitation into the Bush inner sanctum is more likely to bias a journalist than, for example, playing in a foursome at some celebrity tournament.
I mean, to get invited to Bush's home, one would even have to have Barbara's approval, right?

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. I'm with you on this one.

Also, I have no reason to believe that was the only time they played golf.

[stopbush]

14. Lauer the loser. What doesn't he get about "playing golf?"

If Kelley had said that they played basketball, or baseball, or soccer, or ping-pong, or bocce ball or anything OTHER THAN golf, then he could have said "no." Next, they'll find records that they played 9 holes somewhere...at which point Lauer will aver "it was only 9 holes, which is why I said 'no.' Now, if it had been 18 holes..."

I guess it's a matter of what "playing" means.

Asshole.

[rocktivity]

21. Toro turd, Matt!

"(Kelly) said I played golf with Bush sr., as if we were golfing buddies and I was biased, and that's why I said no... "

CUT THE COMEDY, MATT! If all you did was once putt for quarters on Bush's private putting green, then why didn't you just just SAY to Kelly that all you did was once putt for quarters on Bush's private putting green???

:crazy:
rocknation

[Warpy]

11. He was crestfallen

It's obvious the bulk of the emails were not in his favor, that he'd come off as a bully picking on a GIRL. Kelley is so good at that sort of thing, remind me not to make her an enemy..

He didn't admit he played golf with 41, said that it was in 41's "back yard," meaning 41 has enough land to devote to a putting green along with all the other amenities, and grumbled about how the remark had contributed to the appearance of bias on his part.

Well, duh, Matt, that remark certainly wasn't the only thing contributing to that impression.

[mbali]

15. Kelley had not accused him of bias - he lied about that - she said

that he'd had the opportunity to see the positive side of the Bush family.

LAUER: Most people, no matter what their politics, would say that if a family has three generations of public service, the reality has to be that there are some nice things that need to be said about them, and why aren't they in this book?

Mr. KELLEY: Matt, you play golf with the former President Bush.

LAUER: I have never played golf with him.

Ms. KELLEY: You know that he's is a gregarious man. He's gracious. That's a very, very nice thing. That's in the book. The reason this looks so negative to people is that for years and years and years, we've had a very crafted public image. It looks like "The Donna Reed Show." Now we've got a little bit of "The Sopranos." Every family has got negatives and positives.

She did NOT say or even imply that he was biased - just that he has had opportunities to see the "softer" side of him.

[spooky3]

16. did they say the bully the girl thing? IMHO (and I only saw one of the

segments) it wasn't that, it was his shilling tendency and need to discredit anyone that may damage people whose politics he likes that made him behave so unprofessionally toward her. If gender had anything to do with it, it was plain ol' sexism, with him being condescending and nasty to a woman, when he NEVER has been that way to the same extent, on any Today show interview with a MAN that I have seen. I admit I watch Today a lot because I like it, but I did NOT like his political bias in the Kelley interviews and his politics are apparent in other interviews.

[Gman]

2. Thanks for the info

Lauer was a complete jerk to Kittie.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. Oh, MAN!!!! I'm in the central time zone....did I miss it yet?

It's 7:30 here. Was she the 1st half of the show???

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. She's on and Matt asked her if her books was part of the "political

problem" in this country. "I" say NO, MATT! YOU are part of the problem!

My, my, my...he was very defensive about his golfing with Bush. Maybe he'll try to be a little more "unbiased" in his interviews from now on.

I wonder why he didn't mention his golfing trip to Ireland with Rush Limpballs? :evilgrin:

[Meshuga]

9. Great job everyone!

For sending the emails in! Great work! :toast:

[Shopaholic]

10. Matt seemed to be singing a different tune this morning, didn't he?

I noticed Matt's tone really seemed to have changed this morning. Gee, I wonder why? There was one great letter where someone said that because of his very tough questioning they'd although they'd always considered Kitty Kelley to be a gossipy writer they had realized she was a real journalist who had really researched her stories and was able to fight back with every allegations against her, etc., and that they'd gone and pre-ordered the book. Hee-hee.

[spooky3]

17. I hope the irony of that was not lost on him.

[johnnie]

12. I'm lost on the golf thing

Does Kitty Kelley say something about Matt in her book?

[Julien Sorel]

13. She benefitted from his hardass interviewing.

That's the way it usually happens, especially if the interviewee handles the hardball questions well, which she did.

Instead of conspiracy theories, people should consider some possibilities.

1) Lauer was influenced by the anti-Kitty e-mails he received prior to day one, just as he was influenced by the pro-Kitty e-mails he received after the first interview. They are whores, especially on a softball program like Today, just not the kind of whores people here accuse them of being. They blow with the wind of public sentiment: ratings.

2) Kelley is a pro. Of course he can be tougher with her than with Sharon Bush, a woman who didn't project, shall we say, emotional toughness.


3) I have no idea what Lauer's journalism background is, nor do I care enough to look it up. But he has to be aware that hardballing a competent guest is the best way possible to give them publicity and sympathy.

[spooky3]

18. Do you watch the Today show regularly? It would provide more

evidence to sort out your alternative possibilities.

I do watch it a lot (sorry to admit that) and I do NOT believe that he has a pattern that supports #2. He interviews "tough pros" all the time, but I have never seen him use the UNPROFESSIONAL (note I do not give him credit for "toughness") approach with any Republican leaning guest. If I'm right about this, that also undermines #3. I'm not advocating a conspiracy of any kind. I think it's really simple. I think Matt is a Republican leaning person (based not only on this interview but more subtle ones), and that it never occurred to him that what Kitty Kelley reported and said during his interview (e.g., people are scared of the Bushes and THAT's why she said she didn't have more identified sources) really was true. He thought he was doing the right thing to be "tough", not realizing he does not use that same approach to the same extent of nastiness, with other guests, particularly those with whom he is sympathetic. He also thought controversy might boost ratings (often true, and ratings are legitimate considerations), but if you will do anything for a boost in ratings, you become Jerry Springer. That's what makes it unprofessional.

But we'll never have access to the info as to why, so I don't claim to be able to disprove what you're saying, just agreeing to disagree.

[Julien Sorel]

22. The only time I watch

any TV show is when it's online. I'm a TV phobe. Fortunately, Today puts a lot of their stuff online. I also get to check out Katie Couric's (spell?) marvelous legs that way ;-)

I did not think his interview on Monday was unprofessional. From what Kelley said, none of the other morning shows would even have her on. So if he had softballed her, it would look terrible for Today and NBC, as if they were the sleaze show. We have to step back sometimes and take off the political filters we view everything through. The people who run those shows have a lot to consider when it comes to whom they book and how they interview them.

[buycitgo]

19. ha ha ha.....and ha.......Lauer's Coke dealer tells all

gotta sign up, unfortunately

the source is as reliable as any, right?

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmtne/is_200310/ai_kepm292684

A drug dealer's account of Matt Lauer 's secret drug past has been exposed by The ENQUIRER. In a blockbuster interview, a former close friend of the respected "Today" show star says he was Lauer's dealer and that the newsman "bought cocaine from me five to six times." The dealer -- who passed a polygraph exam required by The ENQUIRER -- says he also ...

[grasswire]

23. we DU-ers need to agree on a code word...

...that we can use in letters and calls so other DU-ers will know one of us is the communicator. Such as...My name is DU-Wayne, or maybe I'm from DU-Page. Or maybe something less subtle, like we could always use the word "kakistocracy" (government by the worst).

What could be our catch word?