Luke Russert? Fire The Dude!

Luke Russert says he made a "dumb statement" when he suggested that smart people support Barack Obama for POTUS. I certainly won't argue with Luke Russert about the way in which he categorizes his quote, but it seems to me the larger dumbness issue lies with NBC for giving Luke a job in the first place.

Supposedly, NBC hired Russert to offer commentary on the youth vote. How is it that Luke Russert became so knowledgeable about what the youth of America, the ones of voting age that is, have on their minds? That's a mystery. It appears that the only reason Luke Russert is qualified to offer such insight is because... well, er... he's youthful? What Luke Russert is NOT is good at this job. Just because his daddy, Tim Russert, worked on Meet The Press as commentator for a number of years does not mean his son is qualified to do anything more than WATCH television, never mind do political commentary on it. Now I know that the on air journalists at every network darn near tripped over themselves talking about how wonderful Tim Russert was at what he did, and they are certainly entitled to their opinion. But how this makes Luke Russert able to fill the shoes of his daddy is pretty murky territory.

The first and last report I saw Luke Russert do was at one of the Political Conventions (I'm pretty sure it was the Cratz Convention, but don't quote me). Luke was supposed to explain to us the difference in generations of Americans and how they feel about having a Black candidate running for President. Russert explained that older generations of Americas notice racial differences far more than the younger people in our country do. Younger people have grown up having a larger racial mix in their schools. They've held jobs where women have been their supervisors, and they've thought nothing of that. Older Americans have had a far different experience, and it shows in how they vote. For a while there Russert was doing okay, but then he said something that darn near knocked my socks off. He said that because younger people have had more diversity in their educational and vocational lives, they are better able "to stomach" viewing people of other ethnicities in positions of power. So THAT'S what it takes? Being able "to stomach" Obama's being Black and possibly ending up as President?

I waited for someone, anyone, in the media to point out what an atrocious statement this was. No one said a word. I mentioned having heard Russert's comment to Gov, my Person for ranting to about all things political, and he said, yes, I didn't imagine it; he heard it too. As far as I was concerned, this earned Luke Russert the nickname Blunderbussert. I paid no attention to anything he had to say after that. I figured he'd be allowed to get away with anything if he got away with that stomach remark, so why listen.

Well, apparently he's not getting a free pass on his statement about smart people supporting Obama. I don't know that I even believe that's what Russert really believes, although it certainly could be the case. After all, Olbermann is at NBC, and he leaves no doubt where his political sympathies lie, and he gets away with it night after night. I think Russert, though, simply needs more experience before someone entrusts him with a microphone in his hand and a political thought on his mind. Just because his daddy was a big time political analyst doesn't mean sonny boy has an ounce of talent in that direction. I say let Luke get a little dryer behind the ears, a little more knowledgeable about his subject, and more self-assured before he goes tripping over his tongue on live tv. But that would be common sense, wouldn't it? And the media is never about that.