With David Gregory, is it hubris or idiocy?

by David Safier

David Gregory, who hosts NBC's Meet the Press, isn't stupid exactly. He's just not the sharpest pencil on the NBC/MSNBC desk. But the thing that makes Gregory's limited intelligence a dangerous thing is, he's not aware of his limits. He sits there with a bunch of "tough" questions in front of him (mostly written by his staff, I'm sure) and maybe a few follow-ups. He asks them with that "I'm putting you on the spot" voice of his, then gets pushed around by whoever he's interviewing.

This Sunday, he's going to have the NRA's Wayne LaPierre on.

Sunday, in his first interview since the shooting, we’ll talk exclusively with the head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, about gun control and what he thinks should be done to curb the threat of violence in America.

LaPierre has spent years honing his craft on the gun issue. Gregory has at best a limited grasp of the issue and a limited ability to think on his feet. Guaranteed, LaPierre will eat David Gregory for lunch, trotting out bogus facts, figures and ideas that will leave Gregory stuttering and sputtering before he moves on to the next "tough" question. Without a counter to LaPierre, someone on the sane side of the issue who is equally knowledgeable and verbally adept, it will be a priceless public relations opportunity for the NRA, with LaPierre cranking out perfectly formed sound bites that will be played on news shows for the rest of the week.