Men's Journal

The new host of TV’s Meet the Press on Obama, our economic future, and how he misses George Bush

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Interviewed by Gordy Megroz

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MJ: There may be no bigger shoes to fill than Tim Russert’s, and some sources have reported your ratings are slipping. Does that worry you?
DG: Well, I recognize I’m in a time of testing; people who were dedicated to Tim for years are ­going to look at me with a critical eye. I recognize that, I’m humbled by it — and I’m motivated by it. I’m trying to live up to the program’s legacy while putting my own stamp on it. I’m not going to be distracted by criticism. I know what my mission is.

What will be the big story this year?
I think the economy is going to be worse for people psychologically than it is for the country. The prospect of people’s lives fundamentally changing — how we spend, how we save, how we think about our lives, our children’s lives, our parents, our homes, the role of the banking industry. It appears to be a fundamental resetting of the economy, and it’s possible that people of our generation are going to be telling stories of how we noticed this sizable shift. This whole process could go on for another 10 years.

Do you think Obama can deliver?
I’m curious to see if politics changes in a fundamental way, if Obama is something other than a conventional political figure and if the level of political engagement, especially among younger people, transforms Washington in some meaningful way. I’m kind of skeptical of that.

Why?
Washington is a very difficult place to usher through fundamental change. The bureaucracies are too large, and change occurs in an uncomfortable way. Especially big change. Bush actually ushered in a great deal of change, and you see how popular he is.

Your most memorable moments as a White House correspondent were during your battles with press secretary Tony Snow. What was that like?
It was not a show; it was real. But it was healthy. It’s an important part of the relationship between the press and the White House to have that tension, and it spilled over. I pushed hard, but I think I got a disproportionate amount of attention for it.

You had an interesting relationship with President Bush as well.
I like to think we had a unique relationship where we could laugh a little bit. I think sometimes he liked to use me as a foil.

Like in 2002 when you asked France’s President Chirac a question in French?
Most notably that. Two years later, in Europe, Bush said to me, “Gregory, you might want to brush up on your French, because I might call on you later.” I thought, God, doesn’t he have other stuff to do instead of obsess about this? For years Bush would tell anyone who would listen that I spoke French.

Do you feel the press let down the public over the past eight years?
I’ve heard that view a thousand times, but I disagree. I think the press gets blamed unfairly. The right questions were asked, the administration was challenged. I think both sides have become so entrenched in their views that they’ve created a set of expectations of the media reflective of their ideology. So the antiwar left feels like the press corps let the country down by not pushing the administration harder. I just don’t agree.

What do you do to escape all of this stuff?
My wife’s a lawyer, so we approach our careers as a partnership in terms of family duties. I really want to be a presence for my kids in a way that’s meaningful. One of the ways I measure my success is whether I’m actively in the conversation of their lives. I want to live a life that they want to emulate.

You’re also a big tennis player. Who’s your toughest DC opponent?
Former senator John Breaux is really good. He beat me once, and it kinda bummed me out.