David Gregory: Now MSM Roadkill

David Gregory, NBC's self-righteous White House correspondant, called into the Don Imus show this morning. And to say the least, he wasn't exactly up to par with his professionalism. (HT: Mary Katherine Ham.)

IMUS: Let's go to the White House correspondent David Gregory.

DAVID GREGORY: I'm OK.

IMUS: You can calls us later if you want.

GREGORY: [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter]

IMUS: Are you drunk?

GREGORY: [Laughter] [Laughter]

IMUS: Are you all right David?

GREGORY: India is a wonderful language and i've been learning, where's my little sheet here. I've been learning some new phrases to come home. But any way, that being one of them and i just think it's nice. ...

GREGORY: I just think it's funny. [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter]

CHARLES: He's drunk.

IMUS: He is drunk!

CHARLES: Oh god.

IMUS: Why don't you compose yourself and get back to us. You want to?

GREGORY: [Laughter] [Laughter] [Laughter]...

GREGORY: I'll call you after dinner.

IMUS: NBC Chief White House Correspondant from New Delhi, India. Clearly drunk.

This is pathetic. David Gregory brow-beat Scott McClellan for almost two weeks over the Cheney hunting accident, virtually calling into question the professionalism of the vice president, and even accused McClellan of not being forthright with the press. His professionalism was clearly lacking then; the man sounded like a petulant child arguing with his parent over a toy. Today, in complete display of utter disregard for any sort of professional decorum, David Gregory believed himself to be OK to speak with Imus here in the United States.

I guess we should thank God that Gregory wasn't arguing over whether or not he could drive, huh?

Publius II

ADDENDUM:

Human Events has reported that he wasn't drunk.

NBC News spokeswoman Barbara Levin told HUMAN EVENTS that White House correspondent David Gregory wasn’t drunk during his conversation with Don Imus this morning.

“Do you listen to Imus? I mean this is what Imus does,” Levin said. “I would just say my reaction is that this is an absurd accusation. Of course, David Gregory wasn’t drinking.”

When asked if Gregory was drunk, Levin said: “No, of course not!”

The episode marked the second time in two weeks that Gregory has made news for himself. Two weeks ago, during an exchange with White House spokesman Scott McClellan, he told the press secretary: “Don’t be a jerk to me.”

When I asked Levin if any disciplinary action would be taken against Gregory, she responded: “Of course not! Imus jokes—that’s what he does on the air.”

OK, I don't know about our readers, but I read the transcript, and I've listened to the audio. I'm sorry, but Ms. Levin is engaging in what is called "damage control." She can spin it anyway she wants, but it sure appears to me that Gregory was inebriated in some way when he called into the Imus show. And it doesn't change a thing in regard to David Gregory. He's a snot-nosed reporter who thinks that he's bigger than what he really is. NBC may call this a "smear campaign." I call it poetic justice, and I hope it just finished wrecking this guy's credibility.

Publius II (Updated: 1:22 p.m., AZ Time)

Hugh says that he wasn't drunk. OK, whatever, but I still call it a lack of professionalism; just one more notch in his non-illustrious career as a journalist who has had far too many unhinged, unprofessional moments in recent weeks. Hugh calls it jet-lag. Well, no offense, if that's the case, then take time to compose yourself before calling into a radio show.

Publius II (Updated: 5:32 p.m., AZ Time)