Dear Mr. Russert and Producers of Meet the Press:

With John McCain and Joe Lieberman as your guests on this Sunday’s Meet the Press, you have proven just how completely out of touch you are with the American public. And, this is on the heels of a monumental repudiation of the Republican party and a nationwide victory by Democrats.

Why wasn’t Nancy Pelosi on your show? Harry Reid? Russ Feingold? John Conyers? The voters of America have spoken loud and clear. The leadership of President Bush and the Republicans in both the House and Senate has been rejected. The Democrats now hold power in the Capitol, but you refuse to accept the fact.

As an independent journalist and free American citizen, I find your choice of guests wholly reprehensible and completely irresponsible. John McCain, his policies and his positions, are, for the most part, irrelevant. He has "stayed the course" with the War in Iraq, has allowed the congress to shirk their oversight duties for the past six years, yet you find him worthy of your air time. Are you completely insane or just plain stupid?

McCain’s views have been shown to be on the wrong side of public opinion over and over and over again. While most people want troops removed from Iraq, McCain wants to send more. While the American public wants John Bolton removed from the UN, McCain thinks he should be confirmed.

As for Joe Lieberman, all I can say is this is a feeble attempt by you and your producers to portray him as a power broker and a leader in the Senate because of his "unique" independent (helped by the Republicans) win in Connecticut. This is unbelievable hubris and totally misguided. Nobody in the vast spaces of America cares about Joe Lieberman except supporters of the Israeli lobby. It’s time the news media awaken to the fact that most Americans do not support the policies of Israel and do not want to be bound to their every action. Wake up!

As for Lieberman’s power, your theory is rubbish. He’ll be forced into line with the Democrats or will be roundly repudiated, just like the Republicans.

I would hope that you would change your policies regarding guests on your show and present opinions more in line with the views of the American public in the future, though, if you choose not to, I cannot complain, as this only creates more opportunity for me and other independent journalists.

When Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Alberto Gonzalez and other top administration officials are about to be charged with war crimes in Germany, you fail to even acknowledge the story. And you dare call yourself a journalist. You are nothing more than a paid toady for the party that has just lost power. Stay that way if you wish, but the American public has moved on. Apparently, you have not.

I trust you and your producers pay attention to viewership because while I will not tune you out, I will continue to loudly criticize every guest you have on your show that does not represent the will and wishes of the American public. You’re starting out after this election at 0 for 2. Good luck in the future. I am posting this letter on my website and other public opinion sites, and sending a copy to Media Matters for America.

Apparently, even though the Democrats won the vote on November 7, you’ve shown that they must continue to be vigilant because you and other members of the mainstream media have not yet gotten the message. If you wish to be fully discredited in the eyes of the American public, continue on your present course. However, if you would like to restore some of the credibility you’ve already lost, I suggest you review your policies and politics concerning your on-air guests.

Good day,

Rick Gagliano, Publisher Downtown Magazine http://www.dtmagazine.com

This was sent to Mr. Russert on 11/12/06 and published on the Thought Puh-leeze blog at [http://www.thoughtpuh-leeze.blogspot.com]