Chuck Todd: Andrea Mitchell is ‘LeBron James of Foreign Correspondents’

June 26th, 2018 11:25 AM

In a fawning profile for NBC News Foreign Correspondent Andrea Mitchell for the latest issue of InStyle magazine, colleague and Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd gushed that the veteran liberal reporter was “like the LeBron James of foreign correspondents.” He added: “It’s the same awe that I have watching him play after all these years. Why are you still this good? Aren’t you tired?”

On Tuesday’s Today show, correspondent Stephanie Gosk touted the article: “The magazine hits news stands on July 6. It includes profiles of dozens of women, from Serena Williams to Aly Raisman to our own Andrea Mitchell, who’s been rocking the news world for 40 years, guys.” Fill-in anchor Craig Melvin enthusiastically chimed in: “They don’t – there are not bigger badasses in our business than Andrea. Can I say that on morning television?”

 

 

Mitchell, who is set to mark 40 years with NBC, was asked by the magazine about President Trump labeling her “Hillary Clinton’s PR person.” Mitchell laughably denied the charge: “Did he? Just ask the Clinton people – they thought I was a royal pain in the ass. They could not stand me.”

In reality, MSNBC actually ran a promo during the 2016 campaign touting how Clinton praised  Mitchell at a press conference: “I love you Andrea. You are indefatigable. You’re my kind of woman. I’ll tell you what. Look at this.”

That sentiment from the then-Democratic presidential nominee was certainly justified, given the glowing coverage that Mitchell routinely provided:

Andrea Mitchell Celebrates Hillary as ‘Defining Figure in Women's Empowerment’

Andrea Mitchell Reminisces Over Her History with Hillary Now That the ‘Moment’ Has Arrived

Andrea Mitchell: ‘Very Confident’ Hillary ‘Feeling Her Oats’ After Debate

Andrea Mitchell Loses It Over ‘Extraordinary,’ ‘Magical’ Hillary Rally in New Hampshire

After Clinton lost, Mitchell was in mourning over “history put on hold yet again.” She went on to applaud Clinton’s “resilience” and “grit” in the face of defeat.

Mitchell’s denial of any favoritism toward Clinton is not new, in April of 2017, she absurdly claimed, “That isn’t my reputation.” In July of that year, she doubled down that she “can’t think of” ever showing any bias. If anything, Mitchell argued that she may have been “too aggressive” on Clinton.

Talking to InStyle magazine, Mitchell predictably condemned the Trump administration: “Facts don’t seem to matter. We see it all the time, and it is really, profoundly disturbing. If you get three sources, that should be enough. But if they’re all lying, then you’ve got a real problem. So how do you find out what the policy is?”