Meet the Press: Rotten to the Core

I just made the mistake of watching a replay of today's Meet the Press, in which host David Gregory revealed his infatuation with the word "core".  As in, does Mitt Romney have one, or not.

But what is a core, anyway?  Most people, me included, think of it as the inner part of a fruit, containing seeds -- such as the apple core. Or one's innermost moral being. But another archaic meaning is much more fun. As defined by Olde Hoblyn's Dictionary, a core is "the slough which forms at the central part of a boile."

So, was Gregory wondering if Mitt is the middle of an avocado, or was he wondering if he is a puddle full of pus?  Maybe the script will tell.  Here are some snippets from the official transcript taken just a tad out of context, of the segments with David Axelrod of the Obama campaign going first, followed by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. Video is at same link.  Watch if you must, and you will see I am not making this dialogue up!

(Videotape, October 30, 2011)
MR. DAVID PLOUFFE:  He has no core.  And, you know, every day, almost, it seems to be we find another issue.

(Videotape, Thursday)
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-FL):  They need to understand that this is a person who has no moral core, no conviction, willing to, to change his position based on the political winds and the way they blow.
(End videotape)

MR. GREGORY:  No moral core, no core.  I mean, this is a man whose (sic)been married over 40 years, who has been, in effect, a priest in his faith, as a bishop in the Mormon church.  Is this not underlying what is the politics of personal descript--destruction?

MR. AXELROD:  Look, I--and, and, and I admire, I admire his, his family and I admire his...

MR. GREGORY:  What is this about no core?

MR. AXELROD:  Well, let me just, let me, let me, let me make, let me make this point about what happened last night.  Last night Governor Romney said that the, the EPA was the president's tool to crush the private enterprise system.

MR. GREGORY:  What is this about no core?

MR. AXELROD:  This is about, this is about public character.  This is about public character.  And, by the way, it's not just Democrats, but most of the Republicans who are making the same case, David.  Jon Huntsman's running ads, or his supporters are in New Hampshire on that right now.  We got another example of it again last night on, on the Fox segment that--with Mike Huckabee.

MR. GREGORY:  Well, you think it's an overstatement they just say no moral core, that Mitt Romney has no moral core?

(slight break. Blah, blah, blah. then....)

MR. GREGORY:  Newt Gingrich, does he have a core?  Is he a formidable candidate that the president faces?

MR. AXELROD:(blah, blah, Well he is a formidable character, David, blah.

MR. GREGORY:  We're going to leave it there.  David Axelrod, thank you very much, as always.
MR. AXELROD:  Good to be with you. F--, I mean Thank you.

MR. GREGORY:  Let me turn now to the chair of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus.
Welcome back to MEET THE PRESS......

MR. GREGORY:  Campaigns are tough, they've already gotten tough.  How do you respond to Mr. Axelrod on the moral core question for Mitt Romney?

MR. PRIEBUS:  Well, for the first time I, I've seen David tongue-tied.  I think he's living in an alternative universe here.  Blahmumblemumblechuckle.

MR. GREGORY:  Let me just...

MR. PRIEBUS:  This president has been a disaster to this country, David.

MR. GREGORY:  Let me just--let me just ( pleeeeeze let me say core one more time) button up one thing.  I mean, we talk about how tough these campaigns can be.  You just said a moment ago this president is not real, and that's how Americans are perceiving him, as not real.  You've heard Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the DNC chair, say that Mitt Romney has no moral core.  David Plouffe saying he's got no core.  David Axelrod saying the same about Mitt Romney.

(Me to TV: Not true, Gregory, you steaming pile of slough! You're the one keeps saying the damn core word!)

MR GREGORY: Fair to say, on both sides of the ledger, we're headed for a very personal and pretty nasty campaign?  (Me to TV: Gotta get in the false equivalence. Both sides are doing it, only they're not. I see only one Core Whore on this show, and it's not any of the guests).

(big break here about some other really stupid stuff, but nothing hardcore)

MR. GREGORY:  Newt Gingrich says he's the inevitable nominee.  Do you agree with that?

MR. PRIEBUS:  I think it's going to be up to the voters in Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina and Florida.

MR. GREGORY:  All right.  How about a harder one.  Do the Packers go undefeated?

MR. PRIEBUS:  You guys are going to have the cheeseheads coming out of your ears pretty soon.

MR. GREGORY:  (That'll be fun, since my head is made of Swiss Cheese. I'll have sloughs of heads coming out of my head holes.)   Chairman Priebus, thank you very much.

The rest of the show was a panel discussion about Newt Gingrich. David Gregory tried mightily to find a happy medium between Good Newt and Bad Newt. Harold Ford's favorite phrase was "Newt Might Implode".  Ford was a little bemused that Newt hates child labor laws.... but hey, give the guy credit for at least talking about childhood poverty, right?  And the Manchester Union Leader editor thinks Newt is getting a bum rap about this childhood janitorial crap.  I think he really meant to say that Newt really would love to rap some children's bums. His education program will be called No Child's Behind Left.




The best is still at hand - to lance the sore/And cut the head, for till the core is found/The secret vice is fed and gathers ground . (John Dryden)

 For further reading: Is David Gregory a Vegetable?