I Now Crown David Gregory, King Of Republican Softball Questions.

David Gregory has a pretty easy job on "Meet The Press". All he has to do no matter whether his guest is Democrat or Republican is repeat right wing talking points and just reframe them as questions. Today was no different but it might have been the most striking case. Gregory grilled Tim Geitner over the banking plan and the AIG bonus scandal yet when John McCain came on the show I don't think he asked even one follow up question. Of course there might be a very good reason why which I will address at the end. For now let me post some of the questions that were asked served up to McCain like wiffle ball to Barry Bonds.

MR. GREGORY: But more generally, in terms of fixing of the economy, fixing the financial industry, if you look at all of the programs that the government has now put in place, do you think they got the prescription right?

Yeah, because John McCain is an EXPERT on the economy right?

MR. GREGORY: And what is your take on the anger, the populist anger in the country? Do you think it's justified, or do you think it's been overblown? Has the president showed leadership in standing up to it?

Has the President shown leadership...asked of the guy who got his ass whupped by the President just a few months ago.

MR. GREGORY: Let me ask you for your assessment of your former opponent in the presidential race and now president, Obama. This is what you said on election night. Let's watch.

(Videotape, November 4, 2008)

SEN. McCAIN: I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences.

(End videotape)

MR. GREGORY: Have Republicans heeded that call, and do you think President Obama has heeded that call?

Hmmm maybe this question would have been appropriate had Gregory asked how describing President Obama's plans as "socialist" and "generational theft" fit in with what McCain said on election night.

MR. GREGORY: And yet the White House says the Republicans have become the party of no. Is that fair?

Is this a multiple choice question?

MR. GREGORY: Has the president been true to his word to change the way Washington operates?

Yeah, because McCain is such a neutral observer.

MR. GREGORY: Mm-hmm. Earlier this month you took to the floor on that spending bill over earmarks, and you were quite upset about it. This is what you said.

(Videotape, March 2, 2009)

SEN. McCAIN: I just went through a campaign, Mr. President, where both candidates promised change in Washington; promised change from the wasteful, disgraceful, corrupting practice of earmark, pork-barrel spending.

So what are we doing here? Not only business as usual, but an outrageous insult to the American people.

(End videotape)

MR. GREGORY: You made it very clear, in that instance the president had not been true to his word.

Notice that Gregory didn't use a qualifier here. He didn't say "You made it clear, in this instance THAT YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE the president had not been true to his word". Instead he made it as a statement of fact all because McCain said so.

MR. GREGORY: On the economy, I don't have to remind you, during the campaign you said, as this financial crisis was really unraveling, as the economy was taking a dive, that the fundamentals of the economy were strong. You were criticized as being out of it, not getting it, not understanding the economy. And yet just a couple of weeks ago this was the president in the Oval Office. Watch.

(Videotape, March 13, 2009)

PRES. OBAMA: If we are keeping focused on all the fundamentally sound aspects of our economy, then we're going to get through this. And I'm very confident about that.

(End videotape)

MR. GREGORY: What did you think when you saw that?

This wasn't a softball but an alley oop. To his credit McCain didn't quite take the bait but Gregory wouldn't be denied.

MR. GREGORY: In the, the campaign, you think that criticism was unfair?

How much worse could it get? Well lets see.

MR. GREGORY: Let's move on to the budget and the deficit picture that you referenced just a moment ago. The Washington Examiner reported this this week: "Last week in a little-noticed conference call featuring Budget Director Peter Orszag...[Orszag was asked:] Are those deficits sustainable? Relenting, Orszag said such deficits, in the range of 5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, `would lead to rising debt-to-GDP ratios in a manner that would ultimately not be sustainable.' The simple version of that is: If the Congressional Budget Office projections are correct, we're headed for hell in a handbasket." How concerned are you that, with the goals the administration has for spending on major programs, they're going to have to raise taxes?

Tax and spend liberals anyone?

MR. GREGORY: Is that a real fear in your mind?

Gregory is channelling Michele Bachmann here.

Now Gregory spent little if any time challenging McCain on his own stances on the issues like his idiotic call for a spending freeze. No this was basically a free lunch for McCain to say whatever he wanted to say without any fear of having to answer tough questions. Now why might that be? Well I think David Gregory answered that question for you at the end of the interview.

MR. GREGORY: This is your 54th appearance on MEET THE PRESS. Now, I know you're a competitive guy. Bob Dole still holds the record at 63. And so we've been doing the calculations here. We think we can make this up, maybe within a year's time.

SEN. McCAIN: I'd love...

MR. GREGORY: If you're game for that.

SEN. McCAIN: I'd love to try. Thank you, David.

If someone could explain to me why NBC is doing statistical analysis on how many times they could possibly have John McCain on their show for the rest of the year I would LOVE to know. But don't miss this either about Gregory's statement. Who exactly is McCain the runner up to right now? Well of course another former Senator and Republican candidate for President, Bob Dole. Its not a coincidence, you can bet your ass on that. Anybody who doesn't see that Meet The Press is a safe haven for the GOP at this point are just delusional. Honestly I can't even watch it anymore but I read the transcripts to keep you informed.