Meet the Press nadir: October 25. Just a shame that a great show has fallen so low after periodic small improvements

I founded the Media Criticism course at Towson and taught the course for 20 years.

It was always full, and the evaluations from students and faculty were always quite positive.

I have periodically critiqued NBC’s Meet the Press for the Baltimore Post-Examiner and there have been periodic tiny improvements from its profound anti-Republican bias. The first decades represented great journalism, as I wrote previously. It has been reduced to bragging that it is the longest-running show on television.

The fall of the show, best evidenced by its collapse October 25, 2026, is simply embarrassing and deplorable again.

Meet the Press (MTP) watch: October 25

Major pro-Democratic anti-Republican journalistic embarrassment

Moderator: Kristen Welker

Major Guests:

California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff

Michigan Republican Senatorial candidate Mike Rogers

Michigan Democratic Governor Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Well, MTP is back to its 2-1 Democratic to Republican lopsidedly pro-left major guest list. And why have Sen. Schiff on at all? Does he have some particular insight on a particular issue?

Republicans suing over Alaska’s senatorial race, as the dishonest Democrats therein have a man running as an independent with the same name as the Republican candidate—Dan Sullivan—a really grown-up dirty trick-no criticism implied or explicit of Democrats by Welker.

Analysis of senate battleground states…Steve Kornacki…good, fair analysis if you believe the polls…the only section of this MTP segment with no politically left bias—but no reference to all of the inaccurate polls of the past.

Sen. Adam Schiff…generalized claim of corruption of Trump Administration…Schiff references past poll inaccuracies, at least.

Issues discussed with no Welkerian pushback: Cost of living…Iran War…no questions about Iran’s threat of nuclear acquisition and military actions and mass murders of its citizens (see earlier this year with 40,000 protesters mass murdered).

Welker asks politely about Alaska Democratic trickery of running a candidate with the same name as the Republican senatorial candidate (Dan Sullivan)…Schiff says it’s not a federal issue…does not reference the Democratic dirty campaign tactic. And Welker doesn’t press it whatsoever—incredibly bad Welkerian interviewing…no interruptions or follow-up questions throughout.

Welker asks about impeachable offenses—will Democrats pursue? Schiff dodges the question…Welker does a rare follow-up…Schiff dodges again.

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Sen. Mike Rogers…worst MTP in ages. And that is saying something.

Welker: Is a vote for you a vote for Trump’s agenda…Rogers: Our 4th graders cannot read…we disagree with fighting with Canada.

Tariffs…Welker: Would you vote to repeal some of tariffs…I shall work with the president…Rogers dodges somewhat. But the hostile approach by Welker is the real interview affront.

Re: Abdul El-Sayed…Welker says bluntly presidential accusations against him are false…really unserious Welkerian moderating.

Rogers: El-Sayed…has been involved closely with the Muslim Brotherhood…consistent over talking while Welker insists that El-Sayed has denied all ties with them. And Rogers insists El-Sayed has been contradictory on this. Welker might as well wear an El-Sayed sweatshirt- embarrassingly bad one-sided interview.

Welker consistently interrupts Rogers. I may never have seen such an incompetent partisan interviewer.

Rogers won’t say whether he is a “MAGA Republican.”

On that, Welker pushes over and over and over…he doesn’t want to be in that category. Ask a follow-up and then drop it, Ms. Welker!

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Democratic Gov. Whitmer…what is your message to Democrats unsure as to whether they will vote for El-Sayed?

How has El-Sayed handled attacks on him…Whitmer avoids question…no pushback from Welker. This interview is a genuine love fest.

This interview, along with the prior one with Rogers, is a journalistic embarrassment.

Welker asks of Whitmer why Democrats lost in the previous election in Michigan…Whitmer simply says Michiganders have discovered they were wrong…no follow-up by Welker.

Welker asks if Whitmer still thinks Biden did a great job…O.K. Let’s see where that takes the interview.

Whitmer says the jury is still out. But that those in Michigan think they were better off under Biden…no follow-up…no surprise there for the interviewer, if she’s 12.

Might Whitmer run for President? She won’t answer; Welker asks if America is ready for a female president…yes, Whitmer says…all mutual smiles from there on in.

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Panel Discussion: 2-1 pro-Republican and 3-1 with Welker…just a few minutes…awful, awful, awful…hardly a hint of a criticism of Democrats or El-Sayed.

Panel Chief White House Correspondent Garrett Haake:

Environment is terrible for Republicans, says Haake

Republicans are in trouble, says Haake

Ramaswamy ad is not one you’d run in any case

Former Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp

Talks about the ad of Ramaswamy…

Says Trump policy of war and economics will hurt him

Not a word from anyone about need to oppose Iran

Former Republican North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory

Democrats are leaving out foreign policy…critical issues

Anti-Ramaswamy ad as well…really anodyne

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Professorial Grade: D– as a gift…just a horrible anti-Republican and pro-Democratic journalistic embarrassment