Providing a forum to actor and Obama supporter Robert De Niro on
Sunday's NBC Meet the Press, host David Gregory teed up the celebrity to
praise the President: "...you talked about your inspiration and your support for President Obama. Are you as inspired? Are you as hopeful? Are you as satisfied with what he's done as president as he stands for re-election?" [Listen to the audio [1]]
De Niro gave a predictably positive review: "You know, it's very easy to criticize people. I think he's done a good job....as
far as Bin Laden and other things that he stepped up – being a liberal
president, supposedly – that were effective." De Niro then predicted: "I know he'll do better in the next four years, when he won't have to worry whether he's going to be elected or not."
Gregory interviewed De Niro for the Meet the Press web-based feature
Press Pass, during which the actor urged Republicans to "help" Obama:
"...give us some faith in your behavior and don't make preposterous
statements, don't get into all this posturing and silliness. Try to be –
try to move forward and help the president, even though you're
from another party, the other party. Try to stop criticizing so much.
Try to move it forward."
In the April 29 edition of Press Pass [2],
Gregory interviewed Saturday Night Live cast members Jason Sudeikis and
Fred Armisen, who impersonate Mitt Romney and Barack Obama for the
show. Armisen gushed over the President: "I've grown to like him more
and more. You know, I was always – I've just been a fan of his."
Filling in for Matt Lauer on Friday's Today, Gregory cheerfully touted the "treat" [3]
of being able to interview liberal comedian Stephen Colbert, "who has
had a loud and influential voice in this political season."
Here is a portion of Gregory's May 6 exchange with De Niro:
DAVID GREGORY: So much is in a political context right now, because of
the campaign, whether it's Osama Bin Laden or the war in Afghanistan.
You're somebody who cares a lot about politics but hasn't been very
involved, until 2008, when you talked about your inspiration and your
support for President Obama. Are you as inspired? Are you as hopeful?
Are you as satisfied with what he's done as president as he stands for
re-election?
ROBERT DE NIRO: You know, it's very easy to criticize people. I think
he's done a good job. He's done other things that maybe he should have
been a little stronger about, people will complain. But it's not easy to
be President of the United States. And he – and that was pointed out in
the New York Times, I think in the last Sunday Week in Review, by Peter
Bergen, about all the things he did, as far as Bin Laden and other
things that he stepped up – being a liberal president, supposedly – that
were effective. Not always – you know, there's always the negative side
of that. But he took the chance to do it, and he did it. And
ultimately, with Bin Laden.
And I think he's doing – I give him credit, and I hope he does – I know
he'll do better in the next four years, when he won't have to worry
whether he's going to be elected or not.
DAVID GREGORY: Do you have much faith in Washington right now? How Washington operates?
ROBERT DE NIRO: I don't – well, I – all the shenanigans going on about,
you know, the divisiveness is always – it's upsetting. And I think most
people feel that way. They might not say it or they might not say,
"Look, I just want to get on with my life, do what I have to do." But
let's at least – at least give us some faith in your behavior and don't
make preposterous statements, don't get into all this posturing and
silliness. Try to be – try to move forward and help the president, even
though you're from another party, the other party. Try to stop
criticizing so much. Try to move it forward. Because everybody sees that
it's just a game and it's about really doing something.
(...)
-- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here [4] to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.