On her Thursday MSNBC show, host Andrea Mitchell fretted that Republican candidates would be not be properly “fact-checked” during the upcoming presidential debate, especially on the Planned Parenthood scandal: “...one of the issues is going to be whether there's going to be any fact checking by the moderators. Certainly we can all do it later after the fact. But the Planned Parenthood debate has not been very fact-based because of those horrific videos, the edited videos.”
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August 6, 2015, 10:39 AM EDT
In a rare acknowledgment of media responsibility, on Thursday’s NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer declared that it was up to the press to properly cover the first Republican presidential debate: “...that idea of substance versus sizzle, one-liners versus issues. That's on us tomorrow as well. We’ve got to make sure that we cover what they talk about, the issues as opposed to those one-liners.”
August 5, 2015, 11:56 AM EDT
Appearing on NBC’s Today on Wednesday, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus predicted GOP contenders would be united in their criticism of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in Thursday’s first primary debate. Savannah Guthrie quickly tried to downplay the breaking news that the FBI would be investigating Clinton’s private e-mail server: “In fact, the FBI, according to a report in The Washington Post, is looking into the set-up of her e-mail server. We're going to get a report on that in a moment. They are not looking into Hillary Clinton herself.”
August 4, 2015, 5:05 PM EDT
In an interview with Hillary Clinton’s communications director Jen Palmieri on Tuesday, MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell fretted over the Democratic front-runner’s recent dive in the polls: “The numbers are grim for Secretary Clinton, whose overall unfavorable rating of 48% is worse than any unfavorable rating we've recorded for Barack Obama during his presidency....What do you think is the cause of these poll numbers?”
August 4, 2015, 12:55 PM EDT
On Monday, all three network evening newscasts touted President Obama signing an executive order ordering power plants to reduce carbon emissions. On NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt proclaimed: “...a rare moment at the White House. President Obama got unexpectedly emotional as he unveiled a sweeping controversial plan to deal with climate change, which he called ‘one of the key challenges of our lifetime.’”
August 3, 2015, 3:21 PM EDT
In an interview with Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, host Chuck Todd demanded to know why the GOP contender had been critical of the left-wing “Black Lives Matter” movement: “...you were also, in an earlier interview this week, asked about the Black Lives Matter movement. And you called it ‘silly.’ Why did you call it silly?” Todd proceeded to parrot the liberal movement’s talking points.
August 3, 2015, 11:23 AM EDT
On Monday’s NBC Today, 9 a.m. ET hour co-hosts Tamron Hall and Willie Geist mourned Jon Stewart’s final week anchoring The Daily Show. Hall proclaimed: “Oh my goodness, it is the end of an era. In a few days Jon Stewart will bid farewell to The Daily Show and all of us.” Hall was particularly worried about Stewart’s absence following Thursday’s first Republican presidential debate: “What the saddest thing about this is that the Republican first debate is Thursday night. So we don't have Jon Stewart Friday.”
July 31, 2015, 2:43 PM EDT
Talking to the latest Republican to enter the 2016 presidential race, former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, on Fox News’s Special Report Thursday, Associated Press White House correspondent Julie Pace worried about the makeup of the GOP field: “If you look at the 17 Republican candidates right now, there's not much diversity in terms of gender and race. What does that say to the American public about diversity in the Republican Party and should that be a priority for the party to diversify?”
July 31, 2015, 11:01 AM EDT
On Friday, both NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America ignored the State Department releasing thousands more of Hillary Clinton’s e-mails as well as a federal judge demanding the agency do a better job of making all of the former Secretary of State’s communications public.
July 30, 2015, 12:48 PM EDT
In article on Thursday entitled “Clinton’s Planned Parenthood ties run deep,” Politico reporters Annie Karni and Anna Palmer touted “opportunities for the Democratic front-runner” despite the scandal swirling around the abortion provider: “And while Republicans seized on the scandal to attack Clinton – demanding that she return the group’s campaign contributions – some Democrats were quick to see some silver linings.”
July 29, 2015, 2:30 PM EDT
On Wednesday, the hosts of NBC’s Today cheered the network’s decision to hire former White House chef – and husband of left-wing MSNBC host AlexWagner – Sam Kass. Co-host Savannah Guthrie gushed: “...we’ve got an exciting announcement. You guys remember Sam Kass, of course he’s the former assistant White House chef, executive director of the First Lady's Let's Move campaign, and nutrition advisor to the President....He is becoming an NBC News senior food analyst.”
July 29, 2015, 10:34 AM EDT
Appearing on Fox News’s The Kelly File Tuesday night, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie blasted the press over the stunning double standard of its obsession with Bridgegate versus its minimal coverage of a possible criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal: “I'm waiting for the nightly specials on other news networks. I'm waiting for the breathless front-page stories on The New York Times that they don't back off from every time Hillary Clinton yells at them....it's completely biased, unfair, disparate treatment.”
July 28, 2015, 4:00 PM EDT
Appearing on NBC’s Late Night on Monday – aired early Tuesday morning – Today co-host Matt Lauer assessed the state of the Republican presidential race: “Donald Trump is getting all the attention right now on the Republican side....This guy is great. He's a showman. He’s got a lot of P.T. Barnum in him and he knows how to promote things....it's hard for the other candidates to get any attention whatsoever, because Donald is, I think some would say, sucking the oxygen out of the room.”
July 28, 2015, 1:05 PM EDT
In an exclusive live interview with Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee on Tuesday’s NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer scolded the former Arkansas governor for his strong criticism of President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran: “It seems to me the irony here is you’re taking a pro-Israel stance, but in explaining that stance, you have offended people in Israel and Jews all around the world.”
July 27, 2015, 3:56 PM EDT
In the midst of a 2016 presidential race overflowing with candidates, Monday’s NBC Today instead decided to devote three minutes of air time to a Maryland congressional contender with little chance of even securing the Democratic Party’s nomination for the seat. Co-host Matt Lauer introduced the fawning segment: “Caitlyn Jenner getting a lot of attention right now, but she's not the only transgender American breaking new ground.”
July 27, 2015, 10:51 AM EDT
In an interview with Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus on Monday’s NBC Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie predicted “long-term damage” for Republicans and a “free pass” for Hillary Clinton.
July 24, 2015, 4:49 PM EDT
While Matt Lauer pressed Secretary of State John Kerry on the Iran nuclear deal during an interview on Friday’s NBC Today, the co-host did allow Kerry to continue to make false claims about the policy without challenge.
July 24, 2015, 11:33 AM EDT
In a live interview with Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday’s NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer lobbed a softball about the news that the Justice Department was considering launching a criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal: “As you’ve heard, two inspectors general have called for a criminal investigation into her use of that private e-mail server for sensitive information. As someone who occupies the job and knows what information is handled by someone in your position, is this politics or is she in real trouble?”
July 23, 2015, 4:25 PM EDT
During a discussion on her MSNBC show on Thursday, host Andrea Mitchell and Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd were puzzled by a new poll showing bad numbers for Hillary Clinton. Mitchell immediately tried to downplay the results: “I mean, it's one poll, it's a Quinnipiac poll....But it does show her behind in the swing states, with Virginia, I guess, as within the margin of error....It's pretty early.”
July 23, 2015, 11:19 AM EDT
Despite the revelation on Wednesday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) made secret side deals with Iran over nuclear weapons inspections and refused to disclose the details to the U.S. Congress, NBC, ABC, and CBS all ignored the story. By contrast, FNC’s Special Report led with the news as anchor Bret Baier informed viewers “there is word tonight of a separate covert deal between the Islamic Republic and the U.N.’s nuclear team. Two of them, in fact, that are not going to be shared with members of Congress nor with you.”