Steve Liesman, also of CNBC, was there to take the other side, but he was clearly playing for the home team alongside Matt Lauer and Brian Williams, pinch-hitting for Meredith Vieira.  Neither Lauer nor Williams hit Liesman, who favors the huge mortgage bailout, with one hardball. All the tough stuff was reserved for Santelli, who held his ground, although he did say he might have chosen a couple words [presumably about calling people in default "losers"] more carefully.

Lauer suggested that this was the kind of sacrifice that the Bush administration had failed to ask of Americans, while Williams was worried that failing to bail out the bad mortgages would affect the prices of other homes, hitting Santelli with two questions on the subject. Hey, I thought we wanted more affordable housing?

Here’s what I thought was Santelli’s best point.

RICK SANTELLI: this innovative country, that everyone knows is going to snap back, we’re going to send a bad message to world investors.

Call Santelli a majority of one.

Note: Lauer did end on a fairer note, asking Santelli what he would like the 92% to do.  He suggested people debate the issues.  Presumably out in America, that debate will be a lot more balanced than the one Today staged this morning.