As hard as they tried, fans of NBC correspondent Luke Russert never really had a chance of getting him installed as the host of Meet the Press after his dad, Tim Russert, died in June 2008. The job went to David Gregory.

But now as ABC struggles to find a replacement for George Stephanopoulos, who left as host of This Week to cohost Good Morning America, young Luke's fans are starting to suggest again that he might make a good host or cohost, especially as the Sunday shows drive for a younger audience.

A prominent ABC political pundit said grabbing Russert would be a major play to shake up the Sunday shows. Speaking on background, the pundit told Whispers: "It's a great time to buck the tide and throw caution to the wind."

Sunday show insiders also like the idea. Paul Schur, a former CNN and Fox spokesman, said, "Luke Russert has his youth, as well as the name, contacts, pedigree, and potential." Schur, who handled This Week competitor Fox News Sunday while with the network, added, "If ABC tapped into NBC's deep bench of talent, they could turn a future NBC News star into the fresh young face of Sunday morning talk."

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[S]aid a third fan of Russert's: "The kid's proven himself since he hit the scene. What the heck—I'd go for it."

Lil' Luke Russert: Well you have to remember David, that one of the main issues that the centrists have up here, both in the Senate and in the House is, "do we have the infrastructure available here in the Unites States to take on more types of folks on Medicaid and Medicare". A lot of folks in the House, the Blue Dogs in rural areas said we do not have the infrastructure being able to take in all these people.

That is what the progressives right now are using as their bargaining chip. Will we go back on the public option, perhaps allow you get Medicare recipients down at 55, but my guess is they're going to have to have a serious look at the CBO as to how much that would cost and how that would affect the deficit. It's not cheap to put 55 year olds on Medicare by any means, David.