To its credit, Wednesday's NBC Today actually brought on Republican Senator Rand Paul to react to Hillary Clinton's Tuesday press conference regarding the email scandal. However, co-host Matt Lauer used the second half of the interview to parrot Clinton's attacks on the GOP: "...she talked about this open letter that you and forty-six other Republican senators wrote and then signed and sent off to the leaders of Iran during very delicate negotiations over this nuclear deal. She said that you and the others were either trying help Iran or undermine...the commander-in-chief."
Matt Lauer
By Kyle Drennen | March 3, 2015 | 11:13 AM EST
In an interview with former Obama White House press secretary and current NBC political analyst Robert Gibbs on Tuesday's Today, co-host Matt Lauer saw big problems for Hillary Clinton in the wake of revelations that she used a private email account during her tenure as secretary of state: "It provides a lay-up, doesn't it Robert, for her critics who say this is all about a lack of transparency as she prepares for a run in 2016, that you can't go back and look at those emails?"
By Kyle Drennen | February 27, 2015 | 12:09 PM EST
Desperate to tear down 2016 Republican frontrunner Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, co-host Matt Lauer led off Friday's NBC Today by proclaiming: "Governor's gaffe?...Presidential hopeful Scott Walker under fire for saying his experience with union protesters has prepared him to take on ISIS. Is it the first major blunder of the presidential race?"
By Kyle Drennen | February 25, 2015 | 11:33 AM EST
Wrapping up an interview with actor Tom Hanks on Wednesday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer took time to promote a January op-ed Hanks wrote for The New York Times praising "free" community college: "I read this op-ed you wrote recently....I love that. Why was it so important for you to get that message out there?"
By Kyle Drennen | February 24, 2015 | 12:04 PM EST
Continuing to hype a possible "shutdown" of the Homeland Security Department if Congress did not approve funding by Friday, Tuesday's network morning shows all seized on White House talking points that any delay in funding would threaten national security and placed blame for the budget impasse squarely on Republicans.
By Curtis Houck | February 15, 2015 | 8:58 PM EST
During the red carpet show leading up to the 40th anniversary special of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, actor Jim Carrey ended his interview with Today co-hosts Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie on a rather awkward note by suddenly asking them where NBC is “hiding” suspended NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. Carrey interjected with: “Can I ask you guys a question? Where are you hiding Brian Williams? Where is he?”
NBC Colleagues React to Williams Suspension: 'You Cannot Mislead...Truth and Transparency – It's Our Trade'
By Kyle Drennen | February 11, 2015 | 5:09 PM EST Reacting to the decision by NBC News to suspend NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams for six months following his Iraq war lies, Today 9 a.m. hour co-host Willie Geist acknowledged it was "kind of a difficult and strange morning." Fellow co-host Natalie Morales added: "...it is a difficult day here and we are certainly sharing our best wishes with Brian. It's a tough time for him and his family, so we hope and pray for the best."
By Kyle Drennen | February 11, 2015 | 12:17 PM EST
After six days of limiting its coverage of the scandal engulfing NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams to a few cryptic briefs only seconds long, NBC News finally provided full coverage of the controversy on Tuesday's Today show. Co-host Matt Lauer introduced the report: "And now we turn to a story that hits very close to home for all of us who work at NBC News. Brian Williams, who's anchored Nightly News since 2004, has been suspended from his job for six months."
By Jeffrey Meyer | February 11, 2015 | 11:58 AM EST
On Tuesday night, liberal comedian Jon Stewart announced that he was stepping down as host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show after 16 years and on Wednesday, the “big three” (ABC, CBS, and NBC) morning shows eagerly praised Stewart's tenure. NBC’s Matt Lauer introduced Today by declaring “Stewart Stunner..The announcement that’s rocking Hollywood, Washington and his millions of fans” and ABC’s Lara Spencer proclaimed Stewart’s show to be a “comedy cultural juggernaut.”
By Kyle Drennen | February 10, 2015 | 12:08 PM EST
Following all three network evening newscasts on Monday devoting full reports to "a full blown civil rights battle" in Alabama after the state's supreme court chief justice refused to carry out a federal ruling allowing gay marriage in the state, the Tuesday morning shows on CBS, ABC, and NBC all continued to push the story.
By Kyle Drennen | February 3, 2015 | 5:18 PM EST
While the ABC, NBC, and CBS morning shows on Tuesday all jumped on potential Republican 2016 contenders Chris Christie and Rand Paul being sympathetic toward parents skeptical of child vaccinations, all three broadcast networks ignored Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton holding the same positions in 2008.
By Kyle Drennen | January 29, 2015 | 12:32 PM EST
Appearing on Thursday's NBC Today to promote his new film Black or White, actor Kevin Costner stood by his criticism of left-wing activist Michael Moore, following Moore's remarks slamming military sniper Chris Kyle as a "coward": "I just felt that those comments were, from my point of view, really wrong."