One of the most insightful things I heard at YearlyKos was EmptyWheel's exposition (while on the Plame panel) of the different functions of journalists and blogs. EmptyWheel explained that what blogs can do that journalists can't is take a set of disparate facts reported by journalists and put together a narrative or a story connecting those facts. The bloggers' tools in putting together these stories are (1) logic; (2) knowledge of human nature; and (3) observations of the characters involved in these dramas.
This sort of speculation is inappropriate for a reporter because of the reporter's role in sticking to the facts. But it is entirely appropriate for a blogger who provides analysis on subject matters of interest to readers. EmptyWheel, of course, has skillfully performed this function in analyzing just what in the heck Judy Miller may have been up to in the Spring and Summer of 2003, and many of her speculations have turned out to be correct.
So I would like to perform this function here. The subject matter is Tim Russert and his tough but respectful interview of Congressman John Murtha this morning on Meet the Press. First, the facts upon which the analysis will be based.
1. Tim Russert has consistently invited a large preponderance of Republican guests on his show, and has very rarely invited Democrats.
2. When Russert has invited Democrats, such as when he recently invited Nancy Pelosi to be on his program, he berates them in an unusually harsh fashion, and is unwilling to even let them finish a sentence. (Although, to be fair, Pelosi's performance was less than stellar).
3. The progressive blogs, including Daily Kos, Atrios, the Huffington Post, and Firedoglake, have consistently bashed Tim Russert and Meet the Press for this slanted selection and treatment of guests.
4. Two weeks ago, Kos sits down for a lengthy interview with Russert on his CNBC show. He comes across extremely well and the two definitely have "chemistry."
5. Last week, there was an extremely high-profile impossible-to-ignore YearlyKos convention. In connection with that convention, Russert invites Kos to appear on Meet the Press, and Kos performs like a pro.
6. This week, on a week where Bush is attempting to push the "everything in Iraq is great, Democrats are cowards" media narrative, Russert invites John Murtha, the leading and perhaps most effective anti-Iraq-war critic on his show. The interview is appropriately tough, with many hard questions. But Russert is respectful, and lets Murtha finish his sentences.
Ok, now my blog-only-appropriate speculation. The progressive blogs, with a great assist from Media Matters, have been hammering Russert and Meet the Press for unfairly favoring Republicans for years. Russert is vaguely aware of this criticism, but doesn't take it seriously because it comes from the unwashed masses who he's never met on the cocktail party circuit. Nevertheless, the criticism is in his mind, even if it is only in his mind as something he should reject. But then he meets Kos, who those us who have met him know is charming and engaging in person, and realizes that the public face of this point of view is reasonable and respectable. (And, of course, he can't avoid the huge spectacle and energy of the YearlyKos convention). Perhaps, off the record, to either Russert or one of his producers, Kos in a charming and friendly manner made the case that the Meet the Press guest selection should be more balanced. This nice face to the criticism had an effect on Russert, and he made the decision to respond, and immediately invited Murtha.
If this is what transpired, and as I note, it is speculation, it is a classic "good cop/bad cop" persuasion technique. The "bad cops," are Kossacks, Media Matters, and the progressive blogosphere. They hammered the point over and over again that MTP is biased towards Republicans. The point is rejected by MTP because of the harsh tone of the critics, but the substance of the criticism, since it has validity, sinks in over time. Then the charming, friendly "good cop" (Markos), comes in and makes the same point. The person who needs to be persuaded changes his mind, at least a little -- since he had wanted to do so previously, but didn't feel right changing his mind in response to what he perceived as bullying techniques.
Anyway, regardless of the reason that it happened, and whether this speculation is right or wrong, I am pleased that Russert invited Murtha to be his guest on MTP this week, and that he conducted a tough but fair and respectful interview.
Thus endeth the blog speculation.