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December 2, 2008 7:50:19 AM CST

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Politics on TV

"I've never really warmed up to television and, in fairness to television, it's never warmed up to me" --Walter Mondale

From Nixon on Laugh-in to Janet Reno on SNL, the political class can't resist the lure of the tube.

Stories

Stories 1 - 20 of 71

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  • December 2008

    • David Gregory to Host Meet the Press

      Huffington Post  |  50 minutes ago

      David Gregory to Host Meet the Press

      (Newser) - David Gregory is about to get the nod as host of NBC’s Meet the Press, reports Huffington Post. The chief White House correspondent has been a top contender for the spot since Tim Russert’s death in June. An announcement is expected as soon as today, reports Politico, giving one of TV's most high-profile franchises to a 38-year-old with a "sharp edge leavened by a youthful style and versatility." More »

  • November 2008

    • Matthews Rounds Up Staff for Senate Run

      FiveThirtyEight.com  |  Nov 28, 08 5:42 PM CST

      Matthews Rounds Up Staff for Senate Run

      (Newser) - Chris Matthews is lining up a top-notch staff to manage his campaign for the Pennsylvania Senate seat held by Arlen Specter, FiveThirtyEight reports. Multiple sources say the MSNBC host has made deals with seasoned Obama aides to run the 2010 campaign. Polls already show that Matthews, running as a Democrat, would face an uphill battle if Specter runs for re-election. More »

    • Meet the Press May Get New Anchor(s) Soon

      Los Angeles Times  |  Nov 26, 08 1:20 PM CST

      Meet the Press May Get New Anchor(s) Soon

      (Newser) - NBC could name a new anchor, or anchors, for Meet the Press by Dec. 7, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sources at the network say that could be interim moderator Tom Brokaw’s last day on the show. Up for consideration are NBC’s David Gregory, Chuck Todd, and Andrea Mitchell. PBS anchor Gwen Ifill has also talked with NBC about the post. More »

    • Colmes Ditches Hannity, Will Remain at Fox News

      Broadcasting & Cable  |  Nov 24, 08 3:16 PM CST

      Colmes Ditches Hannity, Will Remain at Fox News

      (Newser) - After 12 years as co-host of Hannity & Colmes, the liberal half of the Fox News standby, Alan Colmes, will leave the show at the end of the year. He's working on a weekend show for the network, which will keep him on as a commentator, Broadcasting & Cable reports. "I’ll genuinely miss sparring with such a skillful debate partner," Sean Hannity said. More »

    • Sarah Palin, Come Back! SNL Needs You

      Gawker  |  Nov 23, 08 1:07 PM CST

      Sarah Palin, Come Back! SNL Needs You

      (Newser) - Without Sarah Palin and with a dull Barack Obama impression on its hands, Saturday Night Live is in election withdrawal, Alex Carnevale writes for Gawker. The show’s opening skit about congressional hearings on automaker bailouts was “less than hilarious,” and it “tried to squeeze jokes out of country singer and host Tim McGraw saying slightly unexpected things for an hour.” More »

    • With Election Gone, SNL Enters 'Rebuilding' Phase

      USA Today  |  Nov 21, 08 3:14 PM CST

      With Election Gone, SNL Enters 'Rebuilding' Phase

      (Newser) - The election may be over, but SNL  still has 14 episodes to fill. Lorne Michaels says the show will be in one of its periodic "rebuilding" periods, but he has much praise for three new faces. Here's the lowdown, from USA Today : Abby Elliott: The daughter of former cast member Chris Elliott is only 21, but  Michaels says "her sense of humor was clearly there." More »

    • Rosie: View 'Camaraderie' Fake

      Los Angeles Times  |  Nov 20, 08 10:32 AM CST

      Rosie: View 'Camaraderie' Fake

      (Newser) - The co-hosts of The View are not friends, Rosie O’Donnell says. “I'm not saying they loathe each other, but the fact of the matter is there was not a lot of camaraderie off camera,” the talkfest's onetime lightning rod says. During an appearance to promote her upcoming NBC variety special, O'Donnell did acknowledge that "arguing about politics is not the best use of my talent," the LA Times reports. More »

    • Obama Owes Her Big Time

      ABC News  |  Nov 6, 08 2:07 PM CST

      Obama Owes Her Big Time

      (Newser) - As an early backer of Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey may have made the difference in the close primary contest against Hillary Clinton, Jake Tapper writes for ABC’s Nightline . One statistician estimates Winfrey—whose choices for her book club, for example, have an astronomical impact on book sales—delivered between 400,000 and 1.6 million primary votes for Obama. She laid low for the rest of the campaign, but now that he's won, expect a more open role. More »

    • Oprah on Obama Win: 'We Did This'

      Time  |  Nov 5, 08 9:40 AM CST

      Oprah on Obama Win: 'We Did This'

      (Newser) - Oprah Winfrey began to open up about the election last night in Chicago, and today on her show, she’ll “unleash” her views on Barack Obama’s victory, her website says. “This happened because we did this,” she told Mark Halperin at Obama’s rally. "We did this." The talk-show host kept quiet about the election after some viewers were less than thrilled with her endorsement of the now president-elect. More »

    • TV's Gimmickry Diminishes Election

      Sacramento Bee  |  Nov 3, 08 1:27 PM CST

      TV's Gimmickry Diminishes Election

      (Newser) - Tomorrow night will be a high-water mark for TV news gadget gimmickry as the networks try to hook some of the millions of viewers who will tune in for election coverage, Rick Kushman writes in the Sacramento Bee . Some, like the technology that will allow TV networks to have instant results, are genuinely important. But most borders on the ridiculous. More »

    • Maddow's Success Defies TV's Formula

      New York  |  Nov 3, 08 12:57 PM CST

      Maddow's Success Defies TV's Formula

      (Newser) - Rachel Maddow is an unlikely cable-news pundit: butch lesbian, holder of a doctorate from Oxford, erstwhile drive-time radio sidekick. But her MSNBC show, launched in September, has been wildly successful, not least because of her good humor and outsider credentials. She plays well with Pat Buchanan, and still snags a critical young demographic, Jessica Pressler writes in a New York feature. More »

    • Election's Media Winners, Losers

      Los Angeles Times  |  Nov 3, 08 11:23 AM CST

      Election's Media Winners, Losers

      (Newser) - This election has been all about image—not just for the candidates, but for media personalities who have jumped into the fray. Scott Collins chooses its biggest success stories and failures in the Los Angeles Times : Rachel Maddow, MSNBC's new commentator, is brainy, funny, and capable. John King, CNN’s "Magic Map" guy, is a demographics whiz. Charlie Gibson of ABC took a beating over a “featherweight” Democratic debate. More »

  • October 2008

    • Real McCain Set for SNL

      Associated Press  |  Oct 31, 08 11:29 AM CDT

      Real McCain Set for SNL

      (Newser) - John McCain will take a page from Sarah Palin's book and appear on Saturday Night Live tomorrow, aides tell the AP. It will be his first appearance on the show since May. Meanwhile, rumors continue to fly that Barack Obama will stop, too, but SNL reps aren't confirming or denying anything, the Los Angeles Times reports. More »

    • Obama Spot Snags 22% of Viewers

      Chicago Tribune  |  Oct 30, 08 2:20 PM CDT

      Obama Spot Snags 22% of Viewers

      (Newser) - Just about a fifth of watchers in big US media markets tuned in to last night’s Barack Obama infomercial, even though the spot aired on four of five major networks, the Chicago Tribune reports. The highest ratings were in Baltimore, where a little less than a third of families caught the 30-minute spot. More »

    • West Wing Writers Get Election Déjà Vu

      New York Times  |  Oct 30, 08 6:14 AM CDT

      West Wing Writers Get Election Déjà Vu

      (Newser) - A minority Democratic candidate battling an older Republican maverick in an election overshadowed by national crisis sounds pretty familiar to the makers of The West Wing— who wrote that script 4 years ago. As the 2008 race enters the home stretch, the parallels between it and The West Wing's final two seasons have left the writers amazed, they tell the New York Times . More »

    • Hannity, Olbermann: On Different Planets

      Washington Post  |  Oct 27, 08 12:29 PM CDT

      Hannity, Olbermann: On Different Planets

      (Newser) - Barack Obama has suggested voters are “seeing two different realities, a Sean Hannity reality and a Keith Olbermann reality”—and he’s right, Howard Kurtz writes in the Washington Post . "Adored by fans and derided by critics," Fox's Hannity is an unapologetic John McCain booster, while Olbermann uses his MSNBC pulpit to promote Obama. More »

    • New Palin Had to Dress Like Old Palin on SNL

      Women's Wear Daily  |  Oct 24, 08 3:35 PM CDT

      New Palin Had to Dress Like Old Palin on SNL

      (Newser) - The life of a stylist is all about communication. When Sarah Palin appeared on Saturday Night Live , the sho