Meet the Press Season 2019 Episode 49 December 29, 2019

On December 29, 2019, Meet the Press aired its final episode of the year, reflecting on the past year's top political stories. Host Chuck Todd moderated a roundtable of journalists and political analysts to discuss the most noteworthy events of the year, including the ongoing impeachment proceedings against President Trump, the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and national security issues.

Todd began the show by asking his panelists to reflect on the year in politics and to name the most significant events of the year. Panelists included NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker, David Brooks of The New York Times, Kasie Hunt of MSNBC and former Rep. Donna Edwards.

Impeachment was at the forefront of the discussion, with Todd citing the lack of bipartisanship in the impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives. The panelists agreed that the impeachment process had become highly partisan, with little room for compromise or consensus. Brooks noted that the impeachment process had exposed the divisions within the Democratic Party, with many moderate Democrats concerned that the party was becoming too progressive.

The panel also discussed the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, which began to heat up in earnest in 2019. The panelists were divided on which candidate was best positioned to beat Trump in the general election, with some expressing support for moderate candidates like Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg, while others backed more progressive candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

National security issues, including tensions with Iran, the ongoing conflict in Syria and the rise of authoritarianism around the world, were also discussed. Edwards expressed concern about the Trump administration's foreign policy, arguing that the president had damaged America's relationships with its allies and emboldened authoritarian leaders around the world.

The panelists also discussed the state of the media in 2019, noting the ways in which social media and the 24-hour news cycle had changed the way that news was reported and consumed. Hunt argued that journalists needed to be more transparent and accountable, while Brooks emphasized the importance of traditional standards of journalism, including fact-checking and verification.

Finally, Todd asked each panelist to offer their predictions for the year ahead. While the panelists were divided on many issues, they all agreed that 2020 would be a consequential year in American politics, with the 2020 presidential election shaping up to be one of the most important in recent memory.

In conclusion, Meet the Press's final episode of 2019 was a thoughtful and insightful reflection on the year in politics. Todd and his panel of experts provided a thoughtful analysis of the most significant political stories of the year, offering insight into the challenges and opportunities facing American democracy in the years ahead.