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Tom Brokaw Cheers Obama Inauguration Like 'Velvet Revolution' By Geoffrey Dickens January 20, 2009 - 17:27 ET Reflecting on the mood of the crowd at Barack Obama's Inauguration, NBC's Tom Brokaw likened it to when he was present for the fall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. During NBC's live coverage of Obama's swearing-in on Tuesday, Brokaw declared, "It reminds me of the Velvet Revolution," and while Brokaw noted "a communist regime," was not being overthrown he pointed out, "an unpopular president is leaving and people have been waiting for this moment." [audio available here] The following Brokaw blurb was...

Here is video of Tom Brokaw on the Charlie Rose show, October 31, 2008, prior to the election of Barack Obama as President. In this clip, two things are revealed: 1. Brokaw would be willing to serve in an Obama administration 2. Brokaw's name was on the potential Vice-Presidential list for Barack Obama Brokaw's leanings politically are clear. Another example of the uphill battle faced by John McCain in the election - Brokaw moderated the most influential political interview show in Meet the Press, and he moderated one of the Presidential Debates. . . . (Watch Video)

Here is complete video of Sen. John McCain on NBC's Meet the Press today with Tom Brokaw. There is an extensive interview with McCain followed by analysis of the state of the Presidential race. . . . . (Watch Video)

Here is video of Sen. John McCain today on Meet the Press with Tom Brokaw. In this clip, McCain says the polls have consisently shown him further behind than he really is. McCain is confident he is closing the gap with Obama, and said we will "be up late" on election night. . . . . (Watch Video)

Here is video from Meet the Press today where Tom Brokaw really pressed John McCain on the subject of Sarah Palin. McCain told Brokaw that Palin "needs no defense," and that he is "incredibly proud of her." . . . . (Watch Video)

Tom Brokaw appeared on NBC’s Today and CNN’s American Morning on Monday to promote the pro-Obama effect of Colin Powell’s endorsement on Meet the Press. On both networks, Brokaw insisted "Colin Powell is one of the most admired and respected men, not just in this country, but around the world. And he has this gold plated military and national security resume." But he was more effusive on CNN, declaring that President Obama would be proof that America's made "giant steps" since Martin Luther King, but John McCain might still be an obstacle to historic transformation with his "guerrilla warfare" on...

The connection between Goldman Sachs and ACORN is admittedly weak but we thought we'd report it anyway because it's interesting. The current CEO of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, sits on the board of directors of the Robin Hood Foundation. As we reported, that foundation is funded by George Soros's Soros Fund Charitable Foundation and has given money to ACORN. The Robin Hood Foundation gave ACORN $821,000 consisting of a $456,000 grant in 2003 and a $365,000 grant in 2004. According to guidestar.org, Blankfein, unlike fellow board member Tom Brokaw, was in fact a Robin Hood board member in the years...

"Meet the Press" interim moderator Tom Brokaw sits on the board of a liberal foundation that has given radical left-wing group ACORN $821,000 and that in turn is funded by liberal uber-donor George Soros, research reveals. Conservatives have long considered Brokaw's political views to be somewhere on the left, but these revelations raise new questions about the former NBC News anchor's objectivity.

The media have decided the economic distress helps Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, Ill. Former ‘Nightly News’ and current “Meet the Press’ anchor Tom Brokaw reinforced this point on CNBC’s Oct. 13 “Power Lunch.” According to Brokaw, Obama is doing well in the midst of this financial crisis thanks to populist sentiment on “Main Street.” “Of course it does,” Brokaw said. “I mean you’re seeing that right now in the polls. Look, one of the reasons it helps him win is that this is Main Street versus Wall Street. Main Street’s furious because they think they’ve been hosed by...

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A presidential debate at its best gives voters a glimpse of a candidate's personality, quick-wittedness, likeability, sense of humor, judgment, basic honesty, knowledge, even character. If the debate is a success, voters get a sense of whether they'd be comfortable with the candidate in the White House for the next four years. Voters got none of that in last night's so-called town hall debate between John McCain and Barack Obama. What they saw instead were two presidential candidates mostly on autopilot, repeating whole paragraphs from their stump speeches in response to policy questions. Spontaneity was absent. So was lively discussion....

Speaking to reporters earlier today, Obama campaign manager suggested that Obama could raise doubts about NBC's Tom Brokaw, who is also set to moderate a debate, just as McCain's campaign has suggested PBS's Gwen Ifill shouldn't moderate tonight's. Plouffe noted that Tom Brokow has been in the paper recently talking about “his communication with the McCain campaign and their friendship." "I assume they’ll apply the same standard to Tom Brokaw," he said. The New York Times reported that Brokaw had conducted "shuttle diplomacy" between the McCain campaign and NBC, about which the campaign had complained. MoveOn.org has also attacked Brokaw...

How distasteful was Donna Brazile's line about Jesus being a community organizer and Pontius Pilate a governor for purposes of making an invidious comparison between Barack Obama and Sarah Palin? Enough that even ardent Obama-phile Chris Matthews rapped Dem congressman Steve Cohen's knuckles for repeating it on the House floor. But, incredibly, when Rudolph Giuliani appeared on Meet the Press today, Tom Brokaw used the same line to confront Rudy over comments in his GOP convention speech about Obama's community organizing. Brokaw went so far as to display a button [screencap after jump] bearing the phrase. Brokaw might just as...

The drama began on Sunday, Aug. 24, at a panel discussion in Denver among Sunday political talk show hosts. There Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell asserted that throughout the primaries MSNBC had favored Barack Obama over his preferred candidate Senator Hillary Clinton. Afterward, Tom Brokaw defended NBC News reporters but acknowledged feeling that certain anchor-pundits had crossed a line. “I think Keith has gone too far,” said Mr. Brokaw. “I think Chris has gone too far.”

WASHINGTON – Tom Brokaw today asked of Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden a question that two weeks ago turned much of the Roman Catholic establishment against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – "When does life begin?" Biden, who plans to attend Mass tomorrow for the installation ceremony of his new bishop, Fran Malooly, said, "Look, I know when it begins for me." The exchange on "Meet the Press" is sure to set off a controversy equal to the one that ensued for Pelosi, whose answer to Brokaw was denounced by more than two dozen Roman Catholic bishops. In the exchange,...

Look At The Bags Under His Eyes, And The Makeup Makes Him Look Worse

Here is video of CNBC's Maria Bartoromo today on Meet the Press talking with Tom Brokaw about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin being chosen to serve as John McCain's Vice-Presidential running mate. Bartiromo recently interviewed Palin, and said she is a "savvy pick" because of her great knowledge on the Energy Issue. . . . (see video at link)

ANIMOSITY among MSNBC anchors has reached a mile-high peak at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, with on-air squabbling between such big egos as Joe Scarborough, Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews and David Shuster. Scarborough, who served in Congress as a Republican representative from Florida, seems to be particularly touchy being the only host who isn't openly pro-Democratic. Yesterday, after Shuster referred to "your party, the Republican Party," Scarborough went off, sparking a seven-minute exchange. "I will let you know that 'my party,' my party loathes me much more than your party, the Democratic Party, loathes me," Scarborough seethed. "What about...

It appears that Keith Olbermann might be vying for the title of Most Annoying Anchor On Television. First we had Olbermann dissing Joe Scarborough during a live broadcast on Monday from the Democrat convention. Then a day later, Olbermann managed to enrage Chris Matthews during another broadcast. And now it looks like Olbermann is going for broke in the insult department by pushing to have Tom Brokaw banned from appearing on MSNBC as reported in Page Six of today's New York Post: At a forum on Sunday, when Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell called MSNBC "the official network of the Obama...

The Commission on Presidential Debates has announced the moderators for the four presidential/vice presidential debates -- one of whom is NBC's own Tom Brokaw. First presidential debate Friday, September 26 The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss. Jim Lehrer Executive Editor and Anchor, The NewsHour, PBS Vice presidential debate Thursday, October 2 Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. Gwen Ifill Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour, and Moderator and Managing Editor, Washington Week, PBS Second presidential debate (town meeting) Tuesday, October 7 Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn. Tom Brokaw Special Correspondent, NBC News Third presidential debate Wednesday, October 15 Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. Bob...