Sunday Snapshot -- Meet The Pres-ident

NBC's Brokaw sat down with Pres.-elect Obama in Chicago 12/6. The interview aired on yesterday's "Meet the Press" for the full hour.

Obama, on the recession: "First of all, I think it's important for us to remember that as tough as times are right now, they're nothing compared to what my grandparents went through, what the 'greatest generation' went through. ... This is a big problem and it's going to get worse. And, and one of the things that I'm constantly mindful of are all the people I met during the campaign who were already struggling before things got worse. ... That's why my number one priority coming in is making sure that we've got an economic recovery plan that is equal to the task."

Brokaw: "On this program about a year ago, you said that being a president is 90 percent circumstances and about 10 percent agenda. The circumstances now are, as you say, very unpopular in terms of the decisions that have to be made. Which are the most unpopular ones that the country's going to have to deal with?"

Obama: "Well, fortunately, as tough as times are right now -- and things are going to get worse before they get better -- there is a convergence between circumstances and agenda. The key for us is making sure that we jump-start that economy in a way that doesn't just deal with the short term, doesn't just create jobs immediately, but also puts us on a glide path for long-term, sustainable economic growth."

After the jump, Rice talks about her successor, pols on the auto bailout and Brokaw bids farewell.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Obama, on the stimulus program: "We can get a lot of work done fast. When I met with the governors, all of them have projects that are shovel ready, that are going to require us to get the money out the door, but they've already lined up the projects and they can make them work. ... What we need to do is examine what are the projects where we're going to get the most bang for the buck, how are we going to make sure taxpayers are protected. You know, the days of just pork coming out of Congress as a strategy, those days are over. How much it's going to cost? My economic team is examining that right now. ... But it is going to be substantial."

More Obama: "One last point I want to make on this is that we are inheriting an enormous budget deficit. You know, some estimates over a trillion dollars. That's before we do anything. And so we understand that we've got to provide a blood infusion into the patient right now to make sure that the patient is stabilized, and that means that we can't worry short term about the deficit. We've got to make sure that the economic stimulus plan is large enough to get the economy moving."

Obama, asked if the Big Three deserve to survive: "The Big Three U.S. automakers have made repeated strategic mistakes. They have not managed that industry the way they should have, and I've been a strong critic of the auto industry's failure to adapt to changing times. ... But what I've also said is, is that the auto industry is the backbone of American manufacturing. ... I don't think it's an option to simply allow it to collapse. What we have to do is to provide them with assistance, but that assistance is conditioned on them making significant adjustments."

Obama, asked if he is looking at some kind of a gov't structure that runs that reorganization: "We don't want government to run companies. Generally, government historically hasn't done that very well.

Obama, asked if the current management should be allowed to stay in their jobs: "It may not be the same for all the companies, but what I think we have to put an end to is the head-in-the-sand approach to the auto industry that has been prevalent for decades now. I think, in fairness, you have seen some progress made incrementally in many of these companies. ... What we haven't seen is a sense of urgency and the willingness to make tough decisions. And what we still see are executive compensation packages for the auto industry that are out of line compared to their competitors, their Japanese competitors who are doing a lot better."

More Obama: "Now, it's not unique to the auto industry. We have seen that across the board. Certainly, we saw it on Wall Street. And part of what I'm hoping to introduce as the next president is a new ethic of responsibility where we say that, if you're laying off workers, the least you can do, when you're making $25 million a year, is give up some of your compensation and some of your bonuses. ... That kind of notion of shared benefits and burdens is something that I think has been lost for too long, and it's something that I'd like to see restored."

Brokaw, on lower gas prices: "Why not take this opportunity to put a tax on gasoline, bump it back up to $4 a gallon where people were prepared to pay for that, and use that revenue for alternative energy and as a signal to the consumers those days are gone?"

Obama: "Keep in mind what's happening to families all across America. Yes, gas prices have gone down. But, in the meantime, maybe somebody in the family's lost their job. ... Putting additional burdens on American families right now, I think, is a mistake. What we have to do long term is make sure that we have an energy strategy that focuses on fuel-efficient cars, that focuses on providing incentives for fuel-efficient cars."

Obama, on mortgages: "I'm disappointed that we haven't seen quicker movement on this issue by the administration. And we have said publicly and privately that we want to see a package that helps homeowners not just because it's good for that particular homeowner, it's good for the community. ... So I think a moratorium on foreclosures remains an important tool, an important option. I think we also should be working to figure out how we can get banks and homeowners to renegotiate the terms of their mortgages so that they are sustainable. ... This is going to be a top priority of my administration."

Obama, asked if he has personally conveyed his disappointment to the admin.: "We have specifically said that, moving forward, we have to have a housing component to any actions that we take."

Obama, asked if he will let the Bush tax cuts play out until '11: "Well, understand what my original tax plan was. It was a net tax cut. Ninety-five percent of working families would get tax relief. To help pay for that, people ... who make more than a quarter million dollars a year, would pay slightly more. We'd essentially go back to the tax rates that existed back in the 1990s. My economic team right now is examining do we repeal that through legislation? Do we let it lapse so that when the Bush tax cuts expire they're not renewed when it comes to wealthiest Americans? And we don't yet know what the best approach is going to be."

Brokaw: "But right away or 2011?"

Obama: "Well, as I said, my economic team's taking a look at this right now."

Brokaw: "Your vice president, Joe Biden, said during the course of this campaign it would be patriotic for the wealthy to pay more in taxes. In this economy, does he still believe that?"

Obama: "I think what Joe meant is exactly what I described, which is that if our entire economic policy is premised on the notion that greed is good and 'What's in it for me,' it turns out that that's not good for anybody."

Brokaw, on Mumbai: "You have said that the United States reserves the right to go after terrorists in Pakistan if you have targets of opportunity. Does India now also have that right of hot pursuit?"

Obama: "Well, I'm not going to comment on that. What I'm going to restate is a basic principle. Number one, if a country is attacked, it has the right to defend itself. I think that's universally acknowledged. The second thing is that we need a strategic partnership with all the parties in the region -- Pakistan and India and the Afghan government -- to stamp out the kind of militant, violent, terrorist extremists that have set up base camps and that are operating in ways that threaten the security of everybody in the international community. And, as I've said before, we can't continue to look at Afghanistan in isolation. ... Part of the kind of foreign policy I want to shape is one in which we have tough, direct diplomacy combined with more effective military operations, focused on what is the number one threat against U.S. interests and U.S. lives. And that's al-Qaeda and their various affiliates, and we are going to go after them fiercely in the years to come."

Brokaw: "President Zardari of Pakistan has said that he expects you to re-examine the American policy of using unmanned missiles for attacks on terrorist camps in Pakistan; and there have been civilian casualties in those attacks as well. Are you re-examining that policy?"

Obama: "What I want to do is to create the kind of effective, strategic partnership with Pakistan that allows us, in concert, to assure that terrorists are not setting up safe havens in some of these border regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. So far President Zardari has sent the right signals. ... And I hope that in the coming months that we're going to be able to establish the kind of close, effective, working relationship that makes both countries safer."

Obama, asked if it's going to be necessary for him to appoint a special envoy to worry only about South Asia with presidential authority: "Well, my first job is to make sure that my core national security team ... that my intelligence folks, when they get appointed, that we come up with a comprehensive strategy. I have enormous confidence in Senator Clinton's ability to rebuild alliances and to send a strong signal that we're going to do business differently and place an emphasis on diplomacy."

Obama, asked when the drawdown of American troops begin and ends in Iraq: "One of my first acts as president ... will be to bring in the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to bring in my national security team, and design a plan for a responsible drawdown. You are seeing a convergence. When I began this campaign, there was a lot of controversy about the idea of starting to draw down troops. Now you've seen this administration sign an agreement with the Iraqi government, both creating a time frame for removing U.S. troops. And so what I want to do is tell our Joint Chiefs, let's do it as quickly as we can do to maintain stability in Iraq, maintain the safety of U.S. troops, to provide a mechanism so that Iraq can start taking more responsibility as a sovereign nation for it's own safety and security, ensuring that you don't see any resurgence of terrorism in Iraq that could threaten our interests. But recognizing that the central front on terror, as Bob Gates said, started in Afghanistan, in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's where it will end, and that has to be our priority."

Obama, asked under what circumstances he would open a dialogue with Iran: "Well, I've said before, I think we need to ratchet up tough but direct diplomacy with Iran. ... We are willing to talk to them directly and give them a clear choice and, and ultimately let them make a determination in terms of whether they want to do this the hard way or, or the easy way."

Obama, asked if it's a good idea for Caroline Kennedy to take Clinton's Senate seat: "Caroline Kennedy has become one of my dearest friends and is just a wonderful American, a wonderful person. But the last thing I want to do is get involved in New York politics. I've got enough trouble in terms of Illinois politics."

More Obama: "Just in terms of our appointments, I am very proud of the speed with which we have started to put together our core economic team, our national security team, but also the excellence of the candidates. And I think that it's an indication of part of the change I was talking about during the campaign, an emphasis on competence, an emphasis on people who are nonideological and pragmatic and just want to do business. You know, tomorrow ... is when we commemorate Pearl Harbor, and so I'm going to be making announcement tomorrow about the head of our Veterans Administration, General Eric Shinseki. ... I think that General Shinseki is exactly the right person who's going to be able to make sure that we honor our troops when they come home."

Brokaw: "Let me ask you ... about whether you and Michelle have had any discussions about the impact that you're going to have on this country in other ways besides international and domestic policies. You're going to have a huge impact, culturally, in terms of the tone of the country. ... Who are the kinds of artists that you would like to bring to the White House?"

Obama: "We have thought about this because part of what we want to do is to open up the White House and remind people this is the people's house. There is an incredible bully pulpit to be used when it comes to, for example, education. ... We want to talk about parents reading to their kids. We want to invite kids from local schools into the White House. When it comes to science, elevating science once again, and having lectures in the White House. ... Thinking about the diversity of our culture and inviting jazz musicians and classical musicians and poetry readings in the White House so that, once again, we appreciate this incredible tapestry that's America. ... I think that our art and our culture, our science, you know, that's the essence of what makes America special, and we want to project that as much as possible in the White House."

Brokaw: "The White House is a no-smoking zone, and when you were asked about this recently by Barbara Walters, I read it very carefully, you ducked. Have you stopped smoking?"

Obama: "You know, I have, but what I said was that, you know, there are times where I've fallen off the wagon."

Brokaw: "Then that means you haven't stopped."

Obama: "Fair enough. What I would say is, is that I have done a terrific job under the circumstances of making myself much healthier, and I think that you will not see any violations of these rules in the White House" (NBC, 12/7).

GOOD, GREAT, WONDERFUL

Sec/State Condoleezza Rice made the Sunday rounds to talk about the situation in Mumbai, but she was also asked about Obama's nat'l security team.

ABC's Stephanopoulos, on Obama saying one of the dangers in a WH is that you get wrapped up in groupthink: "Is that a fair criticism of the Bush White House, particularly in the run-up to the war on Iraq? And could you have done a better job in airing dissenting views on the WMD?"

Rice: "Oh, we talked a lot about dissenting views. The idea that, somehow, within the Bush White House, there weren't dissenting views during this period of time is simply not true. But the intelligence didn't permit, frankly, much in the way of alternatives for the weapons of mass destruction."

Rice, asked if she's had the chance to talk to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY): "I have. ... I've known her for a long time, ever since she brought her freshman daughter to Stanford, when I was provost at Stanford. I think she's going to be terrific."

Stephanopoulos: "What about this model? Bring back really an old model for secretary of state. A politician at the top of her game. You know, we saw back in the 19th century, Clay, Webster, Calhoun -- all these secretaries of state. At this time, is that political background a plus or a minus?"

Rice: "President-elect Obama has made his choice, and he's made a terrific choice. Hillary Clinton is somebody of intelligence, and she'll do a great job. She also has what's most important to being secretary of state, and that is that you love this country, and you represent it from a basis of faith in its values. And I know that she will do that. ... I watched her do it at the conference in Beijing on women. I know that she was someone who felt strongly about the Balkans and the need to stop that terrible killing there. So, from that point of view, she's going to be great" ("This Week," ABC, 12/7).

Fox's Wallace: "What would you tell Hillary Clinton is the biggest difference between her experience so far and the challenges of being the secretary of state?"

Rice: "Well, as secretary of state, you get to represent this great country. That's the good news. It's also a huge institution with more than 50,000 people worldwide. And the big challenge is to mobilize that great strength of the foreign service and the civil service in one direction. And these days, the challenge is that diplomacy is changed so much. It's not done so much in the halls of governments. It's really done in the field with military offices in places like Kabul and Baghdad, with aid workers in places like Mozambique. It's a great challenge. But it's tough" ("Fox News Sunday," 12/7).

Rice, asked if Clinton will make a good sec/state: "I do."

Rice, asked if she has confidence in Obama's nat'l security team: "They're all people I know and they are all people of substance. And the most important thing is that they are all people who are going to have the fundamental interests and values of the United States at the core of what they do"

Rice, asked if she would help Obama if asked: "Well, he is not going to need my help. He has got plenty of help. But of course, he is someone that I admire. He was on my committee, the Foreign Relations Committee. We have talked a number of times. He is going to do very well for the country. But eight years is a long time. The American people are wise in wanting change. Two terms is plenty. And I'm going to go back to California and on to other things" ("Late Edition," CNN, 12/7).

GET OUTTA MY DREAMS, GET INTO MY CAR

The auto industry bailout continued to be a hot topic. Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) made a joint appearance on "Face the Nation."

Sessions, on a bridge loan: "I think it's a lot better than they were talking about earlier, when the automobile makers wanted $34 billion. Now we're talking about $15 billion, and it's coming out of the money that's already been appropriated, so I think the chances of passage are better. But I do believe that we haven't had the kind of integrity in this request that's necessary, the specificity that's necessary. And I truly believe these companies would be better off if they sought reorganization, under Chapter 11, of the bankruptcy code, like so many corporations have done."

Dodd, asked if the votes are there to pass the short-term auto industry loan package: "I think they will be. Even people who don't like this idea -- none of us want to wake up on January 1 and discover we don't have an industry to save."

Sessions: "I think Congress is tired of being stampeded. They're tired of being threatened that we've got to pass something in just a few days of voting or consideration. We haven't even seen a bill yet. So I think there's still a lot of skepticism out there, and I have my doubts that it would pass until we have an opportunity to really see what this is about. ... But it's a lot closer than it was with them waltzing in and going from $25 billion to $34 billion, pretending to be humble. "

Sessions, on a car czar: "I'm not comfortable with that. It's another Paulson, czar-type person. Now, he hasn't been able to perform that well. I am uneasy about the federal government telling these companies what they've got to do to be successful. They're the experts at it, not the federal government."

Dodd: "Well, I'd like to see us try that."

Sessions, asked if the auto companies should have new management: "Well, if they get this kind of bailout, they're subject to governmental restrictions, there's just no doubt about it, including salaries and that kind of thing. I'm a little reluctant to tell private companies who they have to choose as their officers, but in any private company, the board of directors needs to be, I think, quite unhappy with how things have gone over the years. And they should certainly be considering new leadership."

Dodd: "I think you have got to consider new leadership. If you're going to really restructure this, you have got to bring in a new team to do this, in my view."

Dodd, asked if that should be part of the condition of any bailout: "I think it is going to have to be part of it. And there are different positions. I think it's clear GM is in the worst shape. Chrysler is I think basically gone, probably ought to be merged. Ford is fairly healthy. So we don't want to brand all of these companies exactly the same way."

CBS' Schieffer: "So what you're saying about GM is that Rick Wagoner, the chairman, has to go?"

Dodd: "I think he has to move on" (CBS, 12/7).

Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Carl Levin (D-MI) appeared together on "Fox New Sunday."

Levin: "I think they're very close to a deal. I'm very confident there will be a deal, and that that'll happen within 24 hours. And the reason that that's true is that it will be bipartisan. ... And the reason I'm so confident of that is that there is, number one, the plans have been produced as requested by the Congress. Secondly, there's a common understanding that this is a global problem that has created the loss of sales by auto industries around the world. ... Obviously, that's a much more complicated question as to whether the votes are there."

Levin, asked if a car czar will be appointed: "There will be an administrator who's selected during the next 60 to 90 days, I believe, who will make sure that the promises that are made in these plans are kept, that the conditions of the money are met, that there will be real oversight going on, that there will be a leaner and a greener industry that comes out of this."

Shelby: "I think this is a bridge loan to nowhere. This is a down payment on many billions to come. This is not something that happened overnight. This is 30 years in the making. ... We would like to save them. But they've got to save themselves. And I don't believe they're willing to save themselves, because they could be restructured the right way. And they don't want to do that."

Shelby, asked if GOPers are prepared to filibuster this bill: "I think we need to debate it. And that's what filibuster is about. And this week would be a good time to do it. I hope that we will be able to have an extended debate on it" (12/7).

Meanwhile, PA Gov. Ed Rendell (D) and MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) were on "Late Edition."

Rendell, on some Dems suggesting Obama could be doing more: "What he did yesterday was the type of leadership we need. He outlined a very bold and I think an absolutely terrific plan to quickly create a couple million jobs in this country. And the beauty of it is every one of those things would perform a very important public need. ... What the president-elect has outlined would vitalize, would recharge those two sectors of our economy very, very quickly and they're crucial sectors."

Pawlenty: "I think the big three automakers are in three different conditions. ... Chrysler is owned by some of the wealthiest people in the world and they just bought a little over a year ago with their eyes opened. Ford said right now they don't even need the money, they may need a line of credit next year. And General Motors is a basket case. And so I don't know why for them, Chapter 11 or at least some sort of pre-structured Chapter 11 wouldn't be a viable alternative rather than the taxpayers bailing them out."

Rendell: "Well I think Tim has got a good point, but if you put a car company into Chapter 11, you're basically closing it down because no one is going to buy one of their cars, not knowing whether there's going to be any company around to service it or replace it with parts. It's a disaster to put them in Chapter 11. So I think we have got to bite our lip and do something to give them a temporary infusion of cash. ... But I think what the American taxpayer wants in any of these bailouts is conditions. We should never have given the banks money without requiring them to get it out into the market in credible loans in a certain period of time. We shouldn't make that mistake again with the auto companies" (CNN, 12/7).

GM CEO Richard Wagoner also appeared on "Late Edition."

Wagoner, on UAW pres. Ron Gettelfinger saying GM will have to file for bankruptcy if the bridge loan doesn't come through by the end of this month: "Well, that's what Ron said. I would say what we said in our filing, that we could need up to $4 billion by the end of this month. That's what we're requesting it be funded. But I'm not going to speculate what happens if we don't get it. We're focused on trying to really convince the Congress that it's a good investment."

Wagoner, asked if he has a plan b: "Sure. ... There's several options. I mean, we've been focused on the legislative process. We hope that works. But Senator Dodd pointed out today that, in his view, there are actions that the administration can take under the TARP or the Fed."

Wagoner, asked if he's staying put: "Sure, that's my plan, I mean, as long as the board wants me to stay put. If they tell me no, then I'll go" (CNN, 12/7).

And UAW pres. Ron Gettelfinger appeared on "This Week" to discuss the state of a bailout and what the consequences would be if a compromise can't be reached.

Gettelfinger, asked if he's confident that Congress is going to pass him a lifeline this week: "We're very hopeful that Congress and the administration will be able to pass legislation that will help us out of this economic downturn that we're in. Obviously, we would not have been in Washington if we didn't need assistance in the industry. And I fear a collapse of General Motors and possibly Chrysler. And it could have a very negative impact on Ford."

Gettelfinger, asked what auto workers are prepared to give: "I agree with President-elect Obama that all the stakeholders do need to come to the table. If you look ... from the standpoint of the UAW, in '05, mid-contract, we went to first base; '07, we went to second base. Just this past week, we went to third base. Nobody else is even in the ballpark yet. So what we need to do is need to get all of the stakeholders together and talk about what it is that must be accomplished here. And we're willing to do that. We've made that clear more than once, and we have repeated that, over and over."

Gettelfinger, asked if he agrees with some members of Congress that Obama has not been assertive enough in dealing with automotive bailout: "Well, look, I respect the leadership in the Congress, and I know they're working very hard with the administration. President-elect Obama has made it clear that we can only have one president in power at a time. I'm sure he's keeping his hand on the pulse of what's going on here. And I'm sure that he is, behind the scenes, having some input. So we're satisfied with the process" (ABC, 12/7).

MY SO-CALLED LIFE

During his appearance on "Late Edition," Rendell was asked about his comments regarding DHS Sec.-designate/AZ Gov. Janet Napolitano (D).

Rendell: "That's a 24/7 job more than any in the nation. The director of Homeland Security has to be on duty all of the time. And what I said about Janet is true. I think she's the gold standard for governors. She works hard, she's dedicated, she's focused. She's like all of us. I don't think Tim [Pawlenty] would contend that he has much of a life as governor because we're doing that pretty much the same in our states. And [CNN's] Campbell Brown, who I love, as a person and respect as a newsperson, couldn't have been more wrong. She said that it was somehow sexist or a comment on single women. Let me tell you. If Janet Napolitano was Jim Napolitano and had no family, I would have said the exact same thing. She's just what we need in that job and she's going to do a great job because she's dedicated, because she's focused and because she can give all of her energy to it."

CNN's Blitzer: "So no apology coming from Ed Rendell. You're not going to send her a dozen roses?"

Rendell: "I actually wrote a hand-written note and apologized if I caused her any discomfort. But gosh, Wolf, we've gotten really far off field in the way we cover news if that statement which is absolutely 100 percent true is construed as something. I would have said it about man or woman in similar position. It was meant to comment on how tough the job is and how great a choice Janet is" (CNN, 12/7).

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

In a long-awaited announcement, Brokaw introduced David Gregory as the new moderator of "Meet the Press."

Brokaw: "This is my last Sunday as the temporary moderator of 'Meet the Press,' an assignment that I reluctantly took on last June when we lost my pal and our dear colleague Tim Russert. But it has been a privilege to be in this chair during this exciting and challenging time. I first made an appearance on 'Meet the Press' at the height of Watergate back in 1973, and so it has a long, rich tradition that will always be a part of me. And what will also be a part of me are all of you. I'm extremely grateful that you have shared your Sunday mornings with 'Meet the Press.'"

More Brokaw: "But now it's time for me to move on and to introduce the new moderator of 'Meet the Press,' another great friend and a cherished colleague, David Gregory, who is here with us this morning. And, David, Tim always liked to say that 'Meet the Press' was a national treasure, the rest of us were all temporary custodians of all that. I'm more temporary than others at this chair right now. But I hand this assignment off to you with also one of the best staffs I've ever worked with, led by Betsy Fischer the executive producer."

Gregory: "Well, thank you, Tom. This is an incredible honor, and to have it come from you is also really special because of what you've meant to me in the course of my career here and the course of my life. I know how Betsy and the staff and I feel so grateful to you for everything you've brought to the program in such a difficult time after Tim died, and it's really meant a lot. It's meant a lot to the country, it's meant a lot to us to see your example. And I've watched your example a lot. You nurtured me in this business, Tim did. And I was in a unique place where I got to see two of the very best in journalism up close. I've tried to learn a lot and you know, I've thought a lot about what it means to succeed somebody like Tim Russert. And I'm not Tim, but, along with this great team, I can just work real hard to make him proud."

Brokaw: "Well, part of the deal is that you no longer can break up Washington parties by doing your drop-dead imitation of me. That has to be part of the contract, you understand that?"

Gregorty: "Exactly. I got that memo very carefully. Although when I'm a little bit under the weather like I am now, the voice is really close, so it's really so tempting to break into it."

Brokaw: "Listen, I've been at this a long time, as you know, and what I think really is very exciting for you and important to this country is that everybody's paying attention now in a way that I can't remember since 1968. We are in very, very difficult times, and people want to participate in their own destiny. And so it makes Sunday morning across all these networks, and especially here on 'Meet the Press,' a critically important time in American life, David."

Gregory: "I think the country is in such a difficult place right now and such a challenging place, and people are so engaged, and we just saw it. And what an important interview with the president-elect of the United States on Sunday morning. In a way, on this program, uniquely, can provide insights and answers and ask tough questions to explore the nature of leadership in Washington and the country and the world, and to hold leaders accountable. You know, Tim always said to me, as you have said to me, be respectful but ask the tough questions and think of the smart follow-up and hold them accountable. And if you come out that way and if you're fair, you'll be just fine in the end. And that's what this program represents to me. ... It's about preparation. What I thought you have taught me in this role and in your role at NBC News at 'Nightly News' and beyond, and what Tim has taught me is that these are treasured platforms with which you have to pursue with great purpose, a sense of purpose."

Brokaw: "The other thing to remember, if I may offer this gratuitous advice, is that this broadcast is especially important beyond the Potomac and beyond the Hudson River in New York City. Across the country, I have been very struck by how important this broadcast is to people as a regular appointment for them."

Gregory: "That's right, and again, one of the strengths of the program, is to be able to bring some of the very difficult issues of our time to people in a way where they can understand it, they can digest it, and they can make it part of their own decision-making and opinion-making in their lives. And a key part of that, I hope you know, is that I'm going to be counting on you, both privately on a phone call, or if I can get out to Montana, and around this table, I'm going to need your voice and really want your voice and your perspective."

Brokaw: "Well, I'll be happy to be back, but I really encourage you to reach to your generation and get some fresh new voices that are out there because it's a very impressive crowd of young journalists who are coming of age" (NBC, 12/7).

HE'S GOT FIVE ON IT

And Sunday marked the fifth anniversary for Chris Wallace as the host of "Fox News Sunday."

NPR's Williams, at the end of the show: "Hey, wait a second. Wait a second. Wait a second. Chris, you're forgetting something. ... Bill [Kristol], Mara [Liasson], Charles [Krauthammer] and I want to wish you congratulations on five splendid years of hosting Fox News Sunday. Congratulations."

Wallace: "And, as usual, you have just played out the clock. Thank you, all. It has been a pleasure" (12/7).

ROUNDTABLE ROUNDUP

The "This Week" roundtable discussed the economy, the auto industry bailout and Obama appointments.

Wall Street Journal's Noonan, on ex-Army CoS Eric Shinseki as Obama's pick for VA sec.: "I think bringing back Shinseki into
government is bringing back a very talented and experienced and respected person. It is also ... a rebuke to those who got rid of that talented, experienced person who had the courage to simply tell the truth about what he thought of troop levels needed in the Iraq war."

Washington Post's Dionne: "It may be the most honorable in your face move in history, because it sends an interesting signal. I hope that Obama is saying we're not going to punish people who tell the truth. That's a hard promise for a president to keep" (ABC, 12/7).

The "Fox News Sunday" roundtable discussed the auto industry bailout and the U.S. in recession.

Weekly Standard's Kristol: "I'm sort of sympathetic to the auto guys. They've gotten kind of a bum rap compared to the easy kid-glove treatment of the finance guys."

NPR's Liasson, on some Dems saying Obama should be more assertive: "The incoming Obama administration is very aware of this. They've been trying to walk a fine line. Of course, they're repeating this mantra, only one president at a time. They don't want to take responsibility for what they think are the incompetent actions of the outgoing Bush administration. ... He's starting to reveal more and more specifics. ... But they want to make sure that they don't do what Herbert Hoover wanted FDR to do, which is kind of bless the actions of the Bush administration" (12/7).

The "Late Edition" roundtable discussed the auto industry bailout.

CNN's Borger: "They're going to hold their noses and do something. Obviously, everybody understands that the auto companies have been run badly. There's a great deal of a sense if we weren't in this kind of economic crisis, that maybe we should just let them go bankrupt. However, given the unemployment numbers we saw last week and given the number of jobs that this would lose, I think there are folks in the Congress, in the incoming administration, and in the current administration who say you just can't let them fail."

CNN's Johns, on whether Obama is doing enough: "He has to walk a line, and it's a very thin line, number one. The other thing he knows, I think, is that when you're talking about a lame-duck Congress, it's a very fluid situation. Because the same allegiances aren't there. You can't necessarily convince people you could otherwise convince if you were the president in power. And I think the other thing you have to look at, too, is what happens if he steps in and fails. ... Barack Obama understands that it's probably better to let the Congress figure out what they're going to do and then get in and add some nuance to it rather than work it the other way" (12/7).

The "Face the Nation" roundtable discussed the auto industry bailout and Mumbai.

New York Times' Friedman: "It looks like I'm going to be a future shareholder of General Motors as a taxpayer, and as a future shareholder of General Motors, I sure don't want to have the management that drove this company into a ditch stay on. ... So I would totally endorse new management."

More Friedman: "GM can only do two things today really well. They can lobby Congress and they can advertise at the Super Bowl. That's about it. And until they get back to having the talent and management to make cars that people want to drive -- that is the core problem. Go on a college campus today. How many young people do you see driving Pontiacs, you know? You don't see it. That's the core problem. They haven't made cars people want to ride. ... If we are going to save them, then I want new management and I want to see a real plan for their survival" (CBS, 12/7).