'Today' Has No Time for Negative Obama, Edwards Stories, But Plenty for Bush's '1776'

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

As the screencap shows, the cast of "Today" was really yukking it up this morning at George Bush's expense, recycling his "1776" gaffe on the occasion of the Queen's visit and updating the story with the Queen's retort. Between a show-opening tease and the later laugh-a-thon, the show devoted no less than 1 min, 43 seconds of its opening 21-minute 7:00 AM half-hour to the matter.

But, at least during that crucial first half-hour, "Today" somehow couldn't find a second to report on either of two stories with negative implications for Dem presidential candidates Obama and Edwards.

View video here.

Speaking in Virginia yesterday, Obama claimed that "ten thousand people died" in the Kansas tornado. He was only off by a factor of 1,000. Since we all know that Obama is brilliant, a Harvard law grad, why bother to pass along a story which doesn't fit the template?As for Edwards, in an interview yesterday with the Associated Press, he claimed that "he worked for a hedge fund between presidential campaigns to learn about financial markets and their relationship to poverty." Not that there's anything wrong with working for the financial industry, but still, shades of the politician caught taking bribes who claims he was conducting his own undercover investigation of corruption. By the way, at least for the time being, anti-poverty warrior Edwards has refused to disclose how much the hedge fund, Fortress Investment Group, paid him.

Again, nary a word in the first half-hour, discouraging or otherwise, from "Today" about Edwards extracurricular activities.

But President Bush and "1776"? Send in the clowns! Vieira sardonically reminded us of President Bush's "little verbal slip," and replayed the clip. "Today" then rolled footage of the Queen's retort, made at yesterday's reception at the British embassy, when she began a toast by asking the president whether she should start by saying "when I was here in 1776." Meredith, David Gregory and Al Roker then riffed off the episode, with Meredith suggesting that "they should go on the road -- to the Catskills!" Hehe.

ASIDE: No mention of Edwards' hedge fund work during the first half-hour of Good Morning America, but GMA did play a clip of Obama's 10,000-dead in Kansas mistake.

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[no dems]

First of all, just be patient. The msm networks are going down in flames slowly but surely; especially SeeBS and NBC.

Surely the RNC has clips of this soundbite and will replay it over and over if he becomes the nominee, which he won’t because Hillary’s camp has the clips of the same soundbite.

Just relax and enjoy.

[VRWCmember]

12 — easy to see how he got the 10000 figure. Heck even expressed in binary, 12 is only 1100.

[Inspectorette]

Mark, do you have any info on the demographic that watches these morning “news” shows? I’m wondering if it’s the Poligrip and Preparation H contingent (same as the demo that watches the evening news).

[twonie]

We here certainly owe you a debt of gratitude for your dogged watching and reporting of this part of the Clown Car Media. Of course, no one of any intellect watches this show by choice, but we areally do hve to know what it is that they are preaching to the mental defectives who do regularly watch and believe. Thank you again.

[N3WBI3]

bias, yes but what the heck W, the bicentennial? I was not even alive in 76 and even I would not have made that mistake..

[The Great RJ]

I’m saddened...deeply saddened. Things just haven’t been right on the Today Show since perky Katie left. /sarcasm

[seanmerc]

CLASSIC!!!

[GoldenPup]

Like I said, “...nobody of any substance or intellegence watches...etc”. There’s a whole lot of “Stupid” going around these days. Look how many voted for the “Catsup King” in the last Presidential election.

[BlueMondaySkipper]

I dunno... what would you call a guy who has erotic fantasies about himself?

So David is in love with Gregory?

[kevkrom]

So David is in love with Gregory?

Yes, and he's lucky, because Gregory is also in love with David. It's a match made in NBC.

[DuncanWaring]

Heard a weather girl last nite say that the waves off North Carolina were THIRTY FEET.

About a year ago on the Weather Channel, they were doing a report on Sierra snowpack. The snow was roughly 400-500 inches, but whoever put together the graphic (apparently inadvertently) used the ' for feet rather than " for inches.

So the bimbos are reading along, one says the snow is "500 feet deep"; the other asks, incredulously, "500 feet - don't you mean 500 inches?"; the first then responds "Nope ... it says right there - 500 feet", and the second then acquiesces "Well, I guess you're right".

[BlueMondaySkipper]

Yes, and he's lucky, because Gregory is also in love with David. It's a match made in NBC

I see. That also probably explains why he's always such a pissant. The size of his "Outtie" is not big enough to fill his "Innie"

[DCPatriot]

LOL! That's why it seemed so funny to me.

30 ft. waves? You're talking a major tsunami...that would wipe out everything deep onto land.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks, twonie. It’s my - twisted - pleasure ;-)

[hunter112]

Fine with me. Any revealed Obama gaffes would only benefit Hillary. I wait with nervous, gleeful anticipation the nastiness she’s going to have to unleash to keep a brotha’ down!

[wtc911]

fyi....any sailor can verify that thirty foot waves off Hattaras or Montauk or Cape Cod are real and not at all unusual in TS conditions.