Posted on 10/16/2012 10:12:38 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
NBC Unearths Major Scandal: Paul Ryan May Have Washed Dishes That Were Already Clean By Kyle Drennen Created 10/16/2012 - 12:21pm
In a pathetic attempt to smear Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan ahead of Tuesday's second presidential debate, NBC's Today seized on a story in Monday's Washington Post accusing Ryan and his family of washing already clean pots and pans at a soup kitchen in Ohio for a photo-op. Co-host Matt Lauer wondered: "Would a campaign do that? We're gonna talk about it." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Following a report on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taking responsibility for security failures in the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd actually treated the supposed dishwashing incident as if it were a scandal: "Paul Ryan is dealing with some fallout from that weekend photo-op....something that – that the campaign is a little nervous about because they're trying to get through this idea of whether they're in touch or out of touch."
ABC's Good Morning America and CBS This Morning chose not to cover dishwashing-gate.
After Todd's reporting on the manufactured controversy, Lauer turned to former McCain advisor and MSNBC contributor Steve Schmidt, again asking: "Is it within the realm of possibility that Paul Ryan was washing clean dishes? Would a campaign do that, Steve?" Schmidt replied: "It is absolutely within the realm of possibility." That prompted a roar of laughter, with Lauer adding: "I thought you were gonna say no...Wow, okay, that's good."
In the Washington Post article, Brian Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society charity that ran the soup kitchen, attacked the Romney campaign for having "ramrodded their way" into the facility.
Antal claimed to be politically independent, however, the Post later updated the item to note that he had voted in Democratic primaries for the past 17 years.
Here are portions of the October 16 coverage that included the cheap shot:
7:01AM ET
MATT LAUER: We all know that campaigns are about creating images. Well, some people are paying attention to this image right here, that's Paul Ryan, he was washing dishes at a soup kitchen in Ohio over the weekend. But now the charity's president says the dishes that he was washing were already clean. Would a campaign do that? We're gonna talk about it.
(...)
7:05AM ET
CHUCK TODD: Meantime, Paul Ryan is dealing with some fallout from that weekend photo-op. He visited a soup kitchen in Ohio, cleaned dishes. Well now, according to the Washington Post, the charity's president says those dishes were, in fact, already clean. Matt, it is something that – that the campaign is a little nervous about because they're trying to get through this idea of whether they're in touch or out of touch.
(...)
7:05AM ET
LAUER: You've run your share of campaigns. Is it within the realm of possibility that Paul Ryan was washing clean dishes? Would a campaign do that, Steve?
STEVE SCHMIDT: It is absolutely within the realm of possibility.
[LAUGHTER]
LAUER: I thought you were gonna say no.
SCHIMDT: And those dishes are extra clean now, absolutely.
LAUER: Wow, okay, that's good.
(...)
S***. The ultimate October Surprise.
There but for the grace of Dawn’s ultra grease-fighting power goes the election.
And he wasted water.
The guy who runs the Ohio soup kitchen that Paul Ryan appeared at this weekend tells TMZ ... contrary to his earlier statement, Ryan DID get dirty with dirty dishes.
Manufactured issue.
Since when are campaign stops not planned weeks in advance?
Since when is there no advance security check on the venue?
The manager at this kitchen is a registered Democrat.
Do you smell a rat? I do.
Did it ever occur to the Washington Post and NBC that perhaps the dishes were not clean enough for the Ryan Family standards?
But instead, the WP And NBC imply that the only reason why Ryan began acting like he was cleaning dishes was for some lousy photo-op.
Ryan: “Clean enough for the likes of those accustomed to helping conceal four years worth of President Obama’s dirty dishes piling up, perhaps, but certainly not clean enough for a Romney/Ryan administration.”
The pots were in the sink. The president of SVDP wasn’t there.
How many times have politicians posed for pictures with ceremonial shovels in their hands?
Sounds like one of Obama’s make-work jobs programs.
At least he wasn’t delivering pizza!
I also have it on good authority that he once taped a baseball game without the expressed written consent of the Commissioner of Baseball.
This will “SINK” the Romney campaign!
OH gees Louise,, This is hugh.. Ryan commandeers soup kitchen, washes dishes.. media is tizzzy..
what a waste of breath as the media spins
St. Vincent de Paul Society = Catholic
Paul Ryan = Catholic
A Catholic visiting a Catholic soup kitchen.
Does the media realize how stupid they look? (Rhetorical question, I know...)
So....
Did Ryan steal some silverware?
No wait, I think that was something the Clintons did.
They are treading on very thin ice here. Major Scandal? In their dreams. It wasn’t too long ago that Chellie the Moocher was photographed (ad nauseum) at shelter kitchens in her kerjillion dollar cheesy tennies, photo opting like a stripper on a pole.
Hysterical. Desperation.
Anything as long as it’s not about Obama. Keep Obama off the news!
LOL. I don't even THINK about disseminating accounts and descriptions of the game without first writing the commissioner for his consent.
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