Please bring back Andrew Sullivan to the round table. His clear thinking and sound perspective is appreciated and a breath of fresh air.

What happen to the Sunday funnies? It was this part of the show that drew me away from Meet The Press,I thought they were very funny and I don`t get to watch those shows because I`m at work when their on.Please bring back the funnies.
Paul Griessel
Canton,Michigan

I was wondering why no one has talked about Obama's upbringing. Is it fact or fiction that he was raised in a radical Muslim group that wiped their feet on the American flag before entering the Mosque? How do veterans and active military personal feel about him?

Sunday Funnies will be back when Jay and the rest come back in spite of the writer's strike. Or maybe they won't say anything funny and the Sunday Funnies won't be back until the end of the writer's strike. My favorite roundtable is Cokie, Sam, and Will. On average, how often do the three of them appear together?

Hi Jude,

The "Classic Roundtable" with Cokie, Sam and George Will happens about once a month. Thanks for your interest in the show!

I do not understand how Mitt Romney could have said on today's show that he had never seen his ad attacking McCain's position on amnesty. All of his ads are required to have a statement saying, " I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this ad" (or something to that effect). Am I mistaken or does that mean the Romney campaign released an ad saying he approved it even if he hadn't seen it? What's the scoop on this?

I am sooooo sick of your political round table discussions of mostly "MEN"
(you stick in a women or two when you feel you HAVE to)
who have their own political fish to fry with Bill Clinton & Hillary Clinton telling us who we are voting for!

Do not assume you know who we are voting for let us vote first.
Like one late night talk show host/ comedian said "Rudy Guliani (more of your outstanding predictions) was going to win in the primarys and then a strange thing happened ...WE voted.

PLEASE ALLOW "US"....
"WE THE PEOPLE TO VOTE"!!!!!

I'd like to say how shocked and disappointed I was to see Tom Delay on your program. The man is disreputable and dishonest. I understood while he was in office but since he has been driven out in disgrace you don't need to stoop that low. You have really lowered your standards. Disgusting, I had to switch off immediately.

I'm just so worried that no one has bothered to talk about Obama's church that he openly admits he attends, Trinity United Church of Christ (www.tucc.org) that web page sounds so racist to me, it states that "they (blacks) are the chosen people of God" and they are committed to Africa. Please visit that site and see for yourself. I have noticed that they have changed their wording over the last couple of weeks; however, it still states what I said above. I can understand having pride in you race, but a person running or the President of this great country, which is full of diversity should not be supporting a man who is arrogant in thinking that "blacks" are better than the rest of us. His campaign had the nerve to say that Bill is racist because his remark about Jessie Jackson in S. Carolina, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard, Bill did a lot for people in all aspects of life, not just white rich people!! My question is why this is not focused on more; I think we need to be informed of Obama’s beliefs!!!

Governor Charlie Crist of Florida has said that Florida had a very large turnout for the primary election even though they had been told it would not count and therefore the results should be used. This disingenuous stand totally ignores the fact that the draw for the election was "Amendment One", a vote on increasing the homestead exemption. The vast majority who voted had a stake in this vote as homeowners, which means those who did not vote were young people and renters, all non-homeowners. This primary election did not represent all of the people of Florida in spite of what Charlie Crist would have you believe.

I no longer look forward to Cokie Robert's comments on the roundtable. In my opinion, she is less of an analyst and more of a campaigner for Hillary Clinton.

I left my comment at #12 on the Blog before I found this area. I sincerely hope you no longer have Katrina Huevel on the Roundtable. When she begins her idiotic input, I simply must change the channel.

This Week is my favorite show. I wait all week. My favorite of TW is Roundtable. I wish you would consider expanding RT to an hour.
Would you ask George Will to (sometime) tell us something about his son? I read his article, in his book, several times and was moved.
Thank you for the best show on television.

Dear Mr. Stephanopoulos,

Now look, you're every bit the interviewer Tim Russert was and there's no reason This Week can't go sailing by NBC in the Sunday morning numbers race. But it won't happen with programs like this morning's, (June 29, 2008).

It was disappointing to watch you let Congressman Emmanuel and Governor Pawlenty talk over each other and not to you, hardly answering your questions. You seemed to sit back and surrender control of the program to them. They could have mailed in their answers.

As for Ralph Nader, where was the question about his monumental ego that seems to be satisfied only when he can be present in a political contest? Where was the question about his massively tarnished legacy as a genuine people's representative but now playing amateur politician who even more than the Supreme Court gave the world George W. Bush as U.S. President?

Finally, the round table discussion resembled nothing so much as a McGlaughlin Group yellfest. B list commentators (OK, it's summer and the professionals are at the beach) sat around you and shouted at each other, two or three at a time.

You're much too good at your craft to allow such bad journalism. One wonders if some suit at ABC has gained control over your program, threatening to send This Week down the dumper.

Sincerely yours,

Reese S. Rickards
Fruitland, Maryland

Realized how badly Tim Russert will be missed- after watching George's Sunday program! Lieberman or Reed were NEVER challenged on anything they said! They were allowed to spin their statements with out question don't want to hear spin- we want the truth.

The panel was boring, with predictable spin!

Ted Kopell, may be the only true newsman left at ABC. Where is he? At least- he would do his homework before asking questions!!

Sunday was a discusting program!!

Disinformation Week With Jake Tapper.

After watching the Aug 8, 2008 roundtable on This Week, guest hosted by Jake Tapper, all I could think was,"Can anyone play this game anymore?"

The discussion of the crisis between Russia and Georgia was completely uninformed, with none of the so-called pundits having even the barest acquaintance with how the crisis there actually developed on the ground -- which one would think would be the key step for any self-respecting journalists to take before shooting off their mouths on a very dangerous and complex issue.

Not a problem for This Week's crew of talking heads, they had something that trumps facts, THEY HAD A NARRATIVE! In this case: Georgia Good, Russia Bad. IT was just that simple-minded.

In fact a mere reading of two or three decent articles posted in the last 24 hours would have told them that GEORGIA HAD STARTED THE HOSTILITIES. They had launched a devastating artillery barrage and air attack on a city of 30,00 civilians, killing hundreds of women, kids and plain citizens in South Ossetia in response to a terror attack by the separatists.

Is that a small detail? That Georgia attacked and maascred civilians in a Ossetian capital city first? Is that minor or simply incovenient? Something to leave uncovered and undiscussed??

Well, not to any self-respecting professional journalist, who actually knows how to report, think and understand the world he covers and comments on. Many of them have written good stories in the last day or so.

Perhaps the fact the Russians were NOT the initial agressors in this disaster is a shock to anyone reading this. Unsurprising perhaps, since none of the geniuses supposedly informing us on This Week bothered to learn it and report it themselves. And that is their bleeping job!!!

This is an enormously difficult and complex issue, and the USA has egged on and encouraged the Georgians to get in Russia's face, even traiing and equipping the Georgian military RIGHT ON RUSSIA'S BORDER.

How would we feel if Russia began re-equipping and training Cuba with advanced weapons?

This American flirtation and pas de deux with Georgia was reckless, gave the Georgians wild-eyed fantasies of forcing their will militarily on groups that want nothing to do with the Georgian state, and are no different than the Kosovars, whose ethnic enclave WE helped break away from its mother country because of military attack by the majority.

Russia absolutely had to respond to the outrageous and totally unjustified bombardment of the Ossetian capital and later brutal military sweep by the Georgians. Clearly, They have done so far too violently and disproportionately, and deserve condemnation for that (we can see they don't have anything like our smart and accurate bombs yet.)

What should have been done was to tell the Russians to hold back and promise them we would yank our Georgian allies back out of South Ossetia. The way for Georgia to regain these regions was to build a model democracy and state, prosper and become a liberal, welcoming country that the Ossetians and Abkhazians would trade with and later clamor to rejoin.

This whole disaster was triggered by a hotheaded, emotional Georgian President, his American-puffed-up cowboy military, and yes, it has lead to an overly brutal Russian response.

Not a whisper of these facts in this crucial story came through from the disinformation crew on This Week's roundtable. They knew nothing about Georgia, South Ossetia or even what had actually gone on there. And it showed.

The This Week journo-buddies only knew that Russia was "BAD" and had invaded a free innocent democratic neighbor, unprovoked, simply to grab territory that wasn't theirs. Echoes of Saddam in Kuwait.

In other words -- nothing remotely resembling the actual story, a story we we all needed to know to actually understand this war. Watching this kind of balderdash and, in a very important way, dangerously inflammatory false reporting and reckless punditry was deeply depressing. This is how Amereicans are made stupid.

It is absoltuely appalling to see such shoddiness in reporting and punditry. The BBC has been handling this with depth, insight and truly enlightening commentary. Don't for a second pretend it can't be done or the public "doesn't do complexity."

I don't favor Russia, I don't oppose Georgia's independence or territorial integrity. I want there to be peace for all sides and a fair resolution. But for God's sakes I want the truth from my media, and not some anti-Russian pronouncements from criminally uninformed poretenders to wisdom and insights they haven't got a particle of. And that goes for every last person on the panel. Seeing Jake Tapper and Matt Bai perform so disgracefully was especially depressing.

This is why Americans know so little, understand less, and can be lead like sheep to wars in Iraq: because the America media isn't doing its job and are as herdlike and shoot-from-the-hip as the rest.

This was in many ways a failure of American policy not to read the Georgians the riot act and forbid them to even considering military action in Ossetia. And now our little dalliance has helped egg on this unconsionable Georgian cowboyism and the utter destruction of a city of 30,000 civilians and the triggering of a wider war.

And that is the actual truth of it. Like it or not, that is what happened o the ground. Georgia attacked FIRST. How about a mere mention of it?

Russia has gone disgracefully overboard, and its brutality is shameful and must be condemned totally. But Bush was right to say it was "disproportionate," implicitly acknowledging that once the Georgians had killed hundreds of Ossettians out of a clear blue sky, Russia had to respond. And had the right to respond.

I don't expect the pundits on This Week to agree with all my views, but good god, I expect them to know a particle about what they are shooting their mouths off about in a key world crisis.

I have tried from time to time to be a regular viewer of This Week. But I am now turning to Fareed Zakaria for an actual, nuanced, accurate, in-depth report on this that leaves me informed and able, not stupid and revved about about the "evil Russians" and other agit-prop.

I was really pulling for you. I like Tapper, Bai and even Will. But this was as disgraceful a piece of drive-by journalism as I have seen in ages. And it serves only to stoke anti-Russian sentiment with false premises and reporting. Shame on This Week.

And I suspect you know it.

Cokie's true colors certianly came flying through today with her highly relevant criticism of the Obama family's choice of where to have their vacation. Does she really believe the tens of thousands of mainland Americans who love to vacation in Hawaii and do so every year are viewed as foreign and exotic by their fellow citizens? And then to assert that Myrtle Beach is more 'appropriate'. If every person in America over the age of 6 could be polled, which do you think most would have some familiarity with: Hawaii or Myrtle Beach? Cokie's made a lot of biased remarks, as has George Will. But George's remarks usually show some degree of relevance and thoughtful consideration. Cokie's remark today was simply ludicrous.

Energizing the base doesn't get McCain the win. And does a pro-life VP candidate matter? McCain is trying to win on a "hail mary." Isn't that the epitome of being desperate --it's a strategy adopted by a losing football team or a losing political party/candidate. And as for the roundtable, I am flabbergasted and dismayed by how disingenuous and unconcerned with facts these so-called objective journalists are. The exception is Samuel Donaldson. And the most egregious, offensive, and disingenuous is Cokie Roberts. Her wide-eyed stance of amusement and devil's advocate suggests this is all just a game to her. Clearly she isn't thinking about how this incredibly stupid choice could adversely affect America.

And who cares that finally McCain is smiling again and a happy warrior again. Does that essentially change his platform and what he stands for? Do any of these talking heads think this does more than make conservative, religious right happy? No. So, does this help McCain -- not really because let's be real those people weren't going to vote for Barack Obama. And the truth is, this ploy and pandering choice, is not going to sway swing voters.

Palin can come off as likable as she can be with stupid sounding words like "awesome." But does anyone really think you'd have her on standby to deal with Putin or the leader of Iran?????

And Cokie must be on the Republican payroll who defended this choice every step away. But of course she isn't trying to provide analysis -- she's amused and smirking -- maybe after all these years of dealing with the boy's club, she thinks she has to feel nothing and remain cool and cynically amused. She's pathetic and Stephanopolous isn't strong enough of a host to challenge these people who clearly intimidate him.

And if Palin has to explain her qualifications about some reform against fellow Republicans in Alaska, and no one says "The emperor/empress has no clothes on," then this nation is doomed.

The Roundtable should be renamed -- Masturbatory Self-Indulgence.

Samuel Donaldson seems to be the only one on this panel who is trying to hold on to any kind of journalistic integrity.

Really? Seriously ABC?

Note to George,
Take a page from the Tim Russert playbook of hosting a political morning show. SET THE TONE -- remind your panelists this is not an amusing chat of casual neighbors and colleagues. Ask the tough questions of them when they're clearly NOT being serious or taking matters seriously, exhibiting irresponsible behavior!

Establish that if you say stupid things and suggest questionable ideas, you will be held to account, questioned and pinned down. Don't relent. Be relentless.

Or else this whole program is just a "show" and a very dog and pony show at that.

Not one of you think that? Not one? Incredible. You all are too busy trying to be detached and objective and don't know that being objective is calling it like it is WITH PASSION, not the amused condescension I saw today Sunday, August 31st.

Absolutely shameful.

None of you think this whole choice of Palin shows how incredibly desperate McCain is? None of you, not one argued how ill-prepared this woman is. Barack has spent 19 months getting ready. This woman has had less than a week! But not one of you would even make that point. Seriously? ABC ought to fire George and never let any of you near a microphone or camera ever again.

How can you all sit there and seriously act like this McCain choise is nothing but a DANGEROUS choice which shows clearly McCain is too risky a candidate?

Not one peep from one of you. Amazing.

It is clear now that, after years of respecting and admiring Charlie Gibson and his work, that it has all been wiped out with one interview.
His pop-quiz styled "interview" including that shameless question of Palin asking about "hubris" in her belief in her being qualified to be Vice President, made clear that he is among that large group of media "reporters" bent on furthering the "get Obama elected" at all costs agenda. Many of us who supported Hillary Clinton, gradually became painfully aware of this great slant toward Obama during the primary season. Gibson has never, ever, grilled Obama in such a way, nor do any of us believe, would he. Never is Obama pressed so intensely when he does not exactly answer a question, as Palin was when she did not completely answer the question about her naming three things that would be different in the McCain presidency from President Bush...
His subtle smirking and skeptical faces made when Palin would give some answers, cloaks all of you in diagrace!
It is this sort of reporting that has pushed me toward the republicans, even at the expense of some of my important issues. I sacrifice a few of these beliefs, not only because I believe McCain much more qualified to deal with our National Security issues, but also because Obama showed such arrogance in not choosing Hillary Clinton for VP, even though it was clear that was what most of us wanted, and lastly I will support the republicans because of the hugely slanted media bias toward Obama. I will not stand idle and watch public opinion be shaped by the gross bias of individuals in the media. It is amazing that a national election can, perhaps, be shaped and molded, by the words, edits of tv pieces, and opinions of a couple of dozen national media reporters and commentators.

This morning's (14 Sept. 2008) This Week Roundtable discussion sure was stacked on the liberal side: 4 liberals to 1 moderate/conservative. Your bias is showing. Last week it was bad enough that GeorgeS helped Obama save his neck on Obama's "My Muslim religion" comment. You'd better keep George Will on the program or there will be no reason at all to watch.

George will never read this and it probably won't get posted. The closer to the election the more heart sickthis old lady gets for America and Americans.

Spending a lot of time on line this last month and watching all the news channels none of my questions ever come up. It looks like everyone is afraid of the Obama people. There has been more digging into Gov. Palin in a short time than has been done in 2 yrs on Obama. Isn't there a real investigative journalists anymore? I have a ton of questions and one is what was that $50 Mil. for that is reported given to Obama from the Ayers after he Ayers trial. If he gets elected who is going to run this country, Geo. Soro and Ayers and Buffett and the Dayle's? In other words the Chicago political machine?? Why won't he admit to at one time being with the Muslim religion? He went to their school. Where is his "real" birth certific?
I could go on and on this is just the tip of the amount of questions out there.
One for all of you big Obama backers, Are on Soros payroll also to push for Obama or just afraid of him the the crew? I about fell over when I found this bunch was behind Dean and getting him placed into the DNC.
I am finding it hard to believe that the Clintons are involved with that bunch. They both have looked so worn lately and maybe it is because they had to fight the Chicago group along with the media. How many of the Delegates got paid off to jump ship on Hillery when she was so close?
This will be the first time in my 48 yrs of voting that this old lady will not be voting Dem for anyone. Obama and his group scare the H--- out of me and to be honest with myself and with America I can not see helping this bunch lying crooks into power. This is the worse I can remember in my life for a Pres. race.