It was watching David Gregory and the other members of the White House press pool 'question' President Bush a week or so before the war in Iraq began that turned me firmly and finally against the war. I was, literally, shocked by the press conference with the president. I remember writing at the time that President Putin's press events were less scripted than Bush's.

So, it is no surprise that David Gregory is utterly unwilling to fact check his guests on Meet The Press. Earlier this week I tried to engage Professor Rosen and Gregory on Twitter, when Gregory said, "Look, I don't think it's fair to suggest I'm opposed to fact checking or accountability or real journalism for that matter. My view is that I just don't think we need a formal arrangement to accomplish that goal." This was after Rosen dug into him harder about having a fact check session on Meet The Press, when ABC's Jake Tapper has instituted one. My reply to Gregory was, "Sure, no formal arrangement needed, just like self-policing of financial firms. How'd that work out Dave?"

The bottom line is, he is unwilling. All he has offered are excuses.

Fact checking is just good journalism--and good blogging, as this place wouldn't be what it is without the constant challenges I get--and his intransigence on the issue is, to be generous, disconcerting.

Be sure to read Rosen's conclusion on just why Gregory won't institute fact checking. Neither interpretation is charitable, in the least.