NBC-TV: Meet the Press Goes Mobile

By Rob Schreier
schreierama@gmail.com
@rob_schreier

With the conventions complete, two presidential hopefuls hit the road for crucial "swing states" to try and convince voters to get on their bandwagon.

NBC's popular news program Meet the Press with David Gregory took that one extra step and joined Massachusetts Governor and Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney on his tour bus through New Hampshire.

A candid, distraction-less, well-guided interview with Gregory allowed voters to have an up-front profiling of Romney, his policies, and his wife, Ann.

The Set Up

A casual backdrop for this exclusive interview provided a much clearer, more precise view into Romney's current state; that is, wrapping up the convention season, previewing the "winning" stretch until election day, and some insight on his family life.

Gregory with Romney, free of distractions in a
candid interview (screenshot from NBC.com)

Gregory was accompanied by two cameras on the Romney bus with Mitt and Ann sitting side-by-side. It felt like a "stripping down" of the bells and whistles of the campaign speeches, convention platforms, the campaign posters, and yes, teleprompters.

Gregory fired away with deep-digging questions that prompted Romney to defend or champion his campaign strategy and policies.

The most noticeable aspect aesthetically from the interview was that it was just the cameras, the Romneys, and Gregory.

No sidebars with stock prices, no ticker showing international news, no BREAKING NEWS alerts.

Just content from the interview.

It made it much easier to follow in a time where we, the viewers, can create distractions enough on our own.

The Content

The questions began with job creation and President Barack Obama's current policies to try and stimulate job growth in America.

What would Romney/Ryan's bumper sticker slogan be?
Courtesy: dailykos.com

Romney, allowed all the time needed to fully articulate his answers, spoke clearly against the President's policies and added that Americans "have a simple choice" to reverse declining job rates and wages by voting on his side.

While talk of jobs was on the front of mind in the first 4-5 minutes, Gregory prepared well for the interview, bringing forward a variety of challenging prompts.

A bumper sticker showing "Bin Laden is Dead, GM is Alive" allowed Romney to comment and to speculate if campaign had a similar bumper sticker what the slogan might be.

Additionally, the much debated Clint Eastwood speech during the Republican National Convention in Tampa was addressed, although Mitt danced around the answer with many pirouettes saying the Hollywood cowboy was a pleasant RNC addition.

"We Know What it Feels Like to Struggle"

Finally, some light was directed to Ann to answer an element of the Romney campaign that has been a point of attack from liberals: the Governor's ability to share an appreciation for the struggles of the American people.

Whether this questions was prompted or "squeezed" from the Romney camp, it did allow Ann Romney to share her personal struggles with multiple sclerosis and how it has taught her and the Romney family about caring for others in struggle.

Ann did not hide behind the fact that her family has experienced financial struggles, but it did shed light on another aspect of struggle.

With healthcare being a negative aspect of the current Obama administration, I am positive Romney's campaign had to be thrilled with the answer delivered and how the question was "spun" positively.

Below is the excerpt from NBC's Meet the Press.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy