Portfolio.com’s Jeff Bercovici ran into Arianna Huffington last night a party for her new book. He asked her about her criticism of Tim Russert in the months before his death.
First of all, you know, my critique of Tim Russert was all about him as a journalist, not about him as a human being. So obviously, with his death, the focus has been on him as a father, a son, a Buffalo Bills supporter. But in terms of journalism, I think the need for the network will be to make sure that whoever succeeds him after Tom Brokaw’s interregnum would challenge the conventional wisdom. I think that is they key. Challenging the conventional wisdom.
And this is where it gets interesting. Bercovici asks: “Is there a particular interviewer you think would challenge the conventional wisdom?”
Well, there are many. I think it’s more a journalistic attitude than a particular journalist. Definitely Keith Olbermann challenges the conventional wisdom. It depends if they want to go with somebody known or somebody unknown.