Bob Schieffer Clearly Embarrassed To Be In New Romney Ad Bashing Obama About Hope and Change

Noel Sheppard
July 15th, 2012 5:32 PM
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Bob Schieffer on CBS's Face the Nation Sunday seemed deeply embarrassed to be included in a new Mitt Romney ad bashing President Obama about Hope and Change.

He even expressed concern that he might "get some blowback" as a result (video follows with transcript and commentary):

BOB SCHIEFFER, HOST: I want to start with something that we didn't know about when this broadcast started. But, it is my understanding that just a few minutes ago, the Romney campaign bought time on FACE THE NATION during one of our commercial blocks and in some other markets around the country running a new ad, which includes me. We're going to just-- just show you that.

Schieffer then played this ad released by the Romney campaign Sunday:

The ad begins with Schieffer saying, "When the President was elected, he talked about hope and change. Whatever happened to hope and change? Now, it seems he is just coming right out of the box with these old-fashioned negative ads."

As NewsBusters reported, that occurred on the May 27 installment of Face the Nation.

Now, almost two months later, he's obviously not pleased to have his words used against the President:

SCHIEFFER: I'm running this not to give circulation to it, but just to state that obviously I have no connection with the Romney campaign. This was done without our permission. It comes as a total surprise to me and-- and that is that. But that is-- that's where we are in politics. Frank Rich:

FRANK RICH (New York Magazine): I hope you get residuals.

BOB SCHIEFFER: I'll get some blowback, I'll tell you that for sure.

FRANK RICH: I am sure.

Blowback? For something accurate he said almost two months ago?

Obviously concerned, Schieffer further explained his position when the ad came up again a bit later in the program:

JOHN DICKERSON (CBS News Political Director): Any day the conversation is about outsourcing is a day Mitt Romney loses and the ad you started this segment talking about is their response, which is isn't this disappointing for the candidate of hope and change? Now, will people care about the niceties of politics, maybe not? But, what they're trying to tie that to is aren't these attacks disappointments and doesn't that match your larger disappointment with this President? The question one advisor said to me is not are you better off but did you think you'd be better off and if you don't think so aren't you disappointed in Barack Obama? And that's where they're trying to get.

BOB SCHIEFFER: Not to dwell on this, but you're talking about that ad that they put me in. I-- I-- you know, that was a question that I posed to David Axelrod, the President's campaign manager. I wasn't stating something there. I-- I was--

JOHN DICKERSON: Sure.

BOB SCHIEFFER: --asking somebody else a question.

As you can see, Schieffer really appears worried that he's now going to be seen as saying something negative about the media's messiah.

Farbeit for a journalist to actually express criticism about a sitting president.

That would be unseemly, wouldn't it?