NBC's 'Today' Finds It 'Surprising' Obama Not On List of Greatest Leaders

Newsbusters.org ^ | 3-20-2014 | Kyle Drennen

[servo1969]

On Thursday's NBC Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie touted an exclusive preview of Fortune magazine's list of the world's 50 greatest leaders and wondered about one name that was absent from the ranking: "Bill Clinton comes in at number five and makes the cover. There are a lot of other notable names here. Tell you what, though, there may be some talk about one leader who did not make the list, the leader of the free world, President Obama. Fortune tells us he was not overlooked, he just did not make the cut." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]

Co-host Matt Lauer reacted: "Yeah, that's surprising." He then noted leaders who "did make the cut": "Pope Francis takes the top spot. Congratulations to him....Some other folks you may recognize, Bono, Derek Jeter – yes! – Angelina Jolie, and Malala Yousafzai."

[video]

Wrapping up the segment, Lauer reassured viewers: "But the President is not sulking at home. On Wednesday, what did he do? He went out and taped an appearance on Ellen." Host Ellen DeGeneres proceeded to suck up to Obama by claiming people were "very grateful" for ObamaCare.

In a statement to NBC News, Fortune explained:

President Obama wasn't excluded from Fortune's World's 50 Greatest Leaders list. He simply didn't make this year's list of 50 outstanding individuals who have demonstrated rare leadership, leadership in multiple areas or who have demonstrated a long history of leading.

Besides Bill Clinton getting the number five spot, the only other American political leaders on the list were former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. No Republicans made the list.

In an interview with Fortune, Clinton was asked: "Who are the great leaders in your mind?" Obama didn't make his list either.

Here is a full transcript of the March 20 Today segment:

8:14 AM ET

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We are back now at 8:14 with What's Trending Today. And this morning, Fortune magazine is releasing its first list of the world's 50 greatest leaders.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Fortune's Finest; 50 Greatest World Leaders]

The issue's out tomorrow, we're going to get an exclusive look right now at who makes the list. Bill Clinton comes in at number five and makes the cover. There are a lot of other notable names here.

Tell you what, though, there may be some talk about one leader who did not make the list, the leader of the free world, President Obama. Fortune tells us he was not overlooked, he just did not make the cut.

NATALIE MORALES: In the top 50.

MATT LAUER: Yeah, that's surprising. Okay, so who did make the cut? Pope Francis takes the top spot. Congratulations to him.

CARSON DALY: What a year, what a year he's had.

LAUER: That's right. Some other folks you may recognize, Bono, Derek Jeter – yes! – Angelina Jolie, and Malala Yousafzai.

But the President is not sulking at home. On Wednesday, what did he do? He went out and taped an appearance on Ellen. And then he had a little joke about her famous Oscar selfie. Remember, she beat his record for the most retweeted tweet. Take a look.

[ELLEN OSCAR SELFIE STUCK ON SCREEN AS CLIP ROLLS]

BARACK OBAMA: Pretty cheap stunt myself.

LAUER: Well, he was actually a lot better when you saw him. But he said, "Pretty cheap stunt, grabbing a bunch of celebrities and feeding them pizza just to beat my record."

GUTHRIE: Yeah. Did a little dancing with her. Episode airs later today. By the way, if you're interested in Fortune's list, you can find it at today.com.

[El Cid]

"Nevermind"

LOL! Well done.

[shalom aleichem]

What do they suggest? Redefining the meaning of the word “leader”? Like they did “marriage”?

[fungoking]

The “smartest woman in the world” isn't on the list...what's her name...Benhillary or Hillghazi?

[lonevoice]

Well played. :-)

[lonevoice]

[Mears]

What did Gabrielle Gifford do to make this ridiculous list?

.

[Qiviut]

Dayton just upset Ohio State so he’s busted .... won’t get Warren B’s billion bucks .... or something.

[WayneS]

It does not surprise me that the idiots at the ‘Today’ show are surprised by this.

[Ohioan]

To fail to "make the cut," even in the most Leftwing business magazine, probably does say something. But considering some of the other "leaders," who did, I am really not sure quite what. (One might even be tempted to doubt his credentials as the great Nobel Prize Peace Maker; but I will leave that speculation to others.).

William Flax

[Rennes Templar]

I hate to admit it, but I won one also.

[TexasCajun]

-Perfect-

[Defiant]

That’s the opposite of what I believe. How could you not understand that?

[Dead Corpse]

I still find it amazing that Obama hasn’t started his career as Leavenworth Prisoner #71452.

[NFHale]

See? You’re in good company - with ME...!

haha!!

[morphing libertarian]

Scott walker

[Defiant]

I stand corrected. You are absolutely right about Walker. I am a big Cruz fan myself, and hoping he runs and can win the GOP nomination in 2016, but Walker is great, too. And he, unlike Cruz, has been able to lead a group of Republicans to do the right things to run a state in a liberal stronghold. Good call. Let’s get Walker and Cruz on the same ticket, I don’t care who is where.

[dead]

Wrapping up the segment, Lauer reassured viewers: "But the President is not sulking at home. On Wednesday, what did he do? He went out and taped an appearance on Ellen...

Thereby validating Fortune Magazine's exclusion of him from the list.

[dead]

Some people wield the banana, some people eat it.

[morphing libertarian]

Walker needs a publicity blitz. He stays home and gets it done. Never will get recognition. Maybe rush is the key

[stop_fascism]

I don’t understand how Jim Harbaugh failed to make the list.