NBC's Todd: GOP Using Susan Rice as 'Punching Bag,' Shouldn't Be 'Beating Up on Women'

NewsBusters.org ^ | June 5, 2013 | Kyle Drennan

[Kaslin]

Reporting the breaking news on Wednesday's NBC Today that President Obama had named U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to be national security advisor, chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd portrayed Rice as a victim of Republican attacks: "Rice, who had become a Republican punching bag during the whole Benghazi controversy....this is a bit of a defiant move by the President to his Republican critics." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]

Later on his 9 a.m. ET MSNBC show, The Daily Rundown, while discussing GOP opposition to Rice's promotion – and her nominated replacement as U.N. ambassador, Samantha Power – Todd proclaimed: "And beating up on two women, I think, would be something that the Republican Party brand doesn't need." Lois Romano of Politico chimed in: "They don't need it, but they – they haven't had much, you know, problems beating up on Susan Rice."

NBC's Todd: GOP Using Susan Rice as 'Punching Bag,' Shouldn't Be 'Beating Up on Women'

Immediately following Rice's December decision to withdraw her name from consideration to be secretary of state, Todd ranted that Rice had become a "victim" of "conservative [media] outlets."

Here is a transcript of Todd's reporting on the June 5 Today:

7:06AM ET

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We've got some breaking news out of the White House at this hour, a major shakeup. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice is going to become national security adviser, replacing Tom Donilon, who is resigning. Let's get right to NBC's chief White House correspondent and political director Chuck Todd with details. And Chuck, this move had long been rumored, but this is quite significant. Tell us about it.

CHUCK TODD: Well, it is significant in the timing and how quickly it's coming. There was some thought that Tom Donilon – this has been an open secret that Susan Rice was going to replace Tom Donilon, the national security adviser – the question was likely when would Tom Donilon decide he was going to leave? The fact that this is coming days before this summit that's taking place in China is a little bit surprising on that timing. The announcement's going to come today, the White House, the President's going to do this.

And of course, nominating Susan Rice, who had become a Republican punching bag during the whole Benghazi controversy and the whole idea of the talking points. So you're going to hear a lot of Republicans chiming in about Susan Rice. At the same time, this is not a Senate-confirmed position and this is a bit of a defiant move by the President to his Republican critics.

(...)

Here is a transcript of the June 5 Daily Rundown panel discussion:

9:45AM

CHUCK TODD: Well, in just a few hours President Obama will name new members to his national security team. They're actually familiar faces, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice will be his new national security adviser and he will also announce his intention to nominate Samantha Power to replace Rice as U.N. Ambassador.

The Rice news prompted quick reaction from Republicans, including Karl Rove. Who just a few minutes ago said this on another network.

KARL ROVE: This is a defiant gesture by the President, saying to the Republicans, "I know you think she lied, she mislead the country, but who cares?"

TODD: Let's bring in our Wednesday Gaggle. Viviana Hurtado, founder of the Wise Latina Club. Senior political writer for Politico, Lois Romano. And the editor-in-chief of the National Journal's Hotline, Reid Wilson.

Viviana, how did I do in my pronunciation?

VIVIANA HURTADO: You did really well, Chuck.

TODD: Well, I just wanted a cheap compliment from you.

HURTADO: Or I should say Carlos Todd since you're from Miami.

TODD: There you go. Fair enough, fair enough. Lois, let me start with you on this pick. In some ways this was the worst kept secret in Washington, that Susan Rice was headed down here at some point. Tom Donilon made no bones about the fact that he wanted to leave at some point in the summer. It's a stressful job.

LOIS ROMANO: Yeah, and I think – I think they just waited a little bit to see if Benghazi would get off the front pages. But I think ultimately this is going to be a smooth sailing, she doesn't need to get confirmed. There'll be a lot of carping from Republicans. But I think it's a one-day story.

TODD: Reid, any danger that the Samantha Power nomination becomes sort of a proxy that some Senate Republicans try, because that is a Senate confirmation appointment. And that some Republicans try to somehow go after her because they can't go after Susan Rice?

REID WILSON: Well, the first round of confirmations in the second term went relatively smoothly. We've still got a labor nominee to deal with-

TODD: Chuck Hagel.

WILSON: Chuck Hagel was not a-

TODD: And I don't think [Labor Secretary nominee] Tom Perez would say smoothly.

WILSON: But relatively, let's compare that to what's coming up for Samantha Power at the U.N. for maybe a replacement for Eric Holder, sort of a number of these other confirmation hearings are going to get really ugly, I think. It's the great Republican opportunity to focus on an administration that they want to focus on right now.

TODD: But Viviana, I know there was some early reporting that tried to call this a shake-up. Susan Rice and Samantha Power have been very influential in the President's foreign policy for years in many ways, steering them away from the old guard of a Tom Donilon, Hillary Clinton, and Bob Gates. And they were shifting the President in another direction and now they're just in the front seat.

HURTADO: Right, and I mean it's not really a surprise for a lot of us who follow Washington because both Susan Rice and Samantha Power are being rewarded for being there with President Obama, as well as being close allies for a very long time.

And just building on one thing that you said, think about it, as far as going forward, has the Republican response in general been a little bit muted for now? Yeah. But it may be that they are conserving some energy for some of these other bigger fights to come. The last thing the Republicans want is to have any more of that, "They are obstructionists, they're all over the place, I'm going to call somebody a liar this day and another person a liar on another day." That just hurts that brand.

TODD: And beating up on two women, I think, would be something that the Republican Party brand doesn't need.

ROMANO: They don't need it, but they – they haven't had much, you know, problems beating up on Susan Rice.

TODD: True, before. That's true, too.

ROMANO: But I think it'll – I don't think they're going to take on that one right now.

[a fool in paradise]

Didn’t hear them coming to the defense of Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann like that...

Identity politics only works when you serve THE Party. Otherwise, you are a "b!tch", a "c*nt", an "uncle tom", if you are Condi Rice, there will be MSM rumors that you are having an illicit affair with President Bush.

"Rape jokes" etc are all "fair game" to slur Republicans.

[RedEyeJack]

Rice is not a “punching bag”. Rightfully, she is the subject of derision and scorn because she lied to the American people in order to prevent them from knowing the truth about Benghazi. Her only qualification is loyalty.

Obama is like Hitler... he is surrounding himself with second rate intellects who are willing to follow him without scruples. He is using the IRS like the SA and the SEIU like the SS. He gets away with it because the press are true believers in his ideology and the masses are only interested in the free-bees he is promising them at the expense of the conscientious.

[Cyber Liberty]

Where was the media when the late Margaret Thatcher was being “kicked in her grave” by collective Red Commies?

They were with their friends in the streets of London, celebrating.

[alloysteel]

In your face.

Big disgrace.

The Current Occupant of the White Hut is giving us the finger once again. He KNOWS that Susan Rice is a lightning rod, and he keeps on putting her out there, because of a couple of vastly overarching traits - she is absolutely loyal and questions nothing - a perfect shield to deflect any attacks directed at HIMSELF.

Urkel says, “Did I do THAT?”

[cripplecreek]

Sarah and Michele had it coming, the way they were prancing around in those cute patriotic skirts.

[RobbyS]

Punching bag? Didn’t Obama shove her out there to catch the bullets so neither he nor Hilary would take them?

[manc]

war on women is back when it suits the left.

I have such a distain for the radical lefty;’s today that I can’t even let it go anymore if I see an Obama sticker.

They are nothing but hypocrites who protect muslims and islam and yet say they’re for women, they shout tolerance and yet hate anyone who opposes their social issues.
If Bush had done half of what this admin had done the media and the left which are the same would have forced Bush out by now and no way would the likes of Rice been allowed a job but because they have their messiah doing this then all is well and lets move on.

Start a war in Libya, bomb Americans, don’t close Gitmo and all is well , no war mongering there.
Have an enemies list and hey this is great, .
Rapes in the military have gone to record levels n men because of don’t ask being done away with and lets ignore part of the story and report on rapes on women.

The list is endless of their hypocrisy and they show us all how they care nothing about the kids futures or the country or her laws so long as they get their holy grail the social issues passed and so long as they keep the radical left in power

[jeffc]

So Todd said this in the safe confines of pMSNBC, where he could not be immediately hit with the obvious, "Well, what about Dems 'beating up' on Sarah Palin?"

Q is, will Todd be man enough to allow someone to ask him that question on live TV?

[manc]

Sarah had her life destroyed, forced to step down for the people of AK, had to pay endless amounts of money for fake suits, took out of the race and had her family subjected to all sorts of crap , lies and even peeping toms moving next door to spy on her and WHERE WERE THE HYPOCRITICAL LEFT?

NOWHERE, because all they care about is having their enemies list and taking them out.

Sarah talks to day and by does the radical elements of the fringe left go nuts and ten they attack her.

They still perceive she is a threat to their agenda because she is a beautiful woman who has a lovely family who has brains and can connect to the average working man and woman and who will oppose their holy grail unlike most of the stupid party and that is social issues because our side either has no problem with communist social issues like queer marriage or they are cowards

[mardi59]

war on women is back when it suits the left.

******

Absolutely.

With the left it’s all party all the time and to heck with the country. Their thirst for power overides all reason. They are truly dangerous and need to be defeated at all costs before our beautiful country is completely destroyed.

[Irenic]

Mark Levin thinks Obama appointed her not to be in-your-face but to keep her close.

Also, Chuck Todd sure did/does enjoy using Michele Bachmann for his punching bag.

[Iron Munro]

It is only permissible to criticize white males (unless they are democrats, commies, socialists, progressives or some other type of leftoid).

[dfwgator]

*cough* Sarah Palin *cough*

[freeangel]

The nitwit in the WH already publicly explained all about his enemies. It’s not a stretch to know that he was doing something about those enemies. He is as paranoid as Nixon(and with good reason) and should have the courage that Nixon had to step down.

[formosa]

There are some incredibly evil women on this planet. Having ovaries does not exclude you from penalty. I will never understand why so many men think women are not capable of deplorable behavior. Look at how many giddily embrace the opportunity to destroy their own offspring. It is time women were held to the same standards as men, and I say this as a woman.

If they want to be like men, then they should share the same consequences and the same public scrutiny.

[KC_Lion]

Baghdad Jim McDocuhe, I have a motion for you....

What. A. PUTZ!!!!

Same goes for Chuck Todd!

[bert]

Two birds with one uppercut......

Susan Rice is elevated as the poster girl for affirmative action

[EnquiringMind]

What an unattractive creep

[manc]

that;s the difference between us and them.

They only care about an agenda, their ideals and how the country should look.
They don’t care one bit about corruption and when they pretend to be mad over a war, attacks on women then it shows because they only speak up if they can see that to attack our side and not to see the middle line here.

That is why I hate them now and why I speak up to them if I ever see any of them.
My kids are growing up in a country which is more liking to communist Cuba than the founding principles of America and yet on TV they say we should all get along, we should work with each other.

They’re hypocrites

[manc]

not only is this man paranoid with his enemies list but even with those who guard him like the marines, taking breech blocks out of their rifles.

How this man and his family are still in the white house stuns me.
The media is covering for him again even if they are attacked by him because they can’t get past their own agenda which is in tune with the royal dictator.