Network polls put McCain-Palin ten-plus points behind Obama-Biden and Brian Williams introduced Thursday's NBC Nightly News by asserting “some senior Republicans are getting edgy at the prospect of a long up hill climb in a short amount of time,” but Williams and other journalists may not be so confident of an Obama victory -- how else to explain NBC's decision to air hit piece Thursday evening about Sarah Palin's husband Todd? Or maybe it just reflects continued animosity.

With “Palin abused her power” on screen with a picture of Todd and Sarah Palin, from Alaska reporter John Larson related that in the “troopergate” probe “state investigators noted in their report the pressure Todd Palin used to try to get his brother-in-law fired, and that Governor Palin’s firing” of public safety commissioner Walter Monegan, “who resisted that pressure, was an abuse of power, though she did not break any laws.” Nice caveat there.

Larson framed his story around how, horror of horrors, “state employees testified 'he had significant influence' on government affairs, that he occupied the Governor's office at least half the time.” Larson intoned, as if it were some kind of new and damaging revelation: “In fact, in this, his first nationally televised interview” Monegan “told NBC News Todd attended the Governor's closed cabinet meetings.”

The MRC's Brad Wilmouth corrected the closed-captioning against the video to provide this transcript of the shallow story on the Thursday, October 16 NBC Nightly News:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: Almost hard to believe that it was just six weeks ago that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin introduced herself to the nation as we watched there at the Republican Convention. Since then, her husband of 20 years, Todd Palin, has received increased attention. We still learn more about him each day. And tonight our report from NBC's John Larson.

JOHN LARSON: When Todd Palin appeared on the national stage, he was unlike any political spouse ever. Blue collar, commercial fisherman, champion snowmobile racing. The rugged “first dude,” as he was called, became part of the campaign, even making solo appearances like this one in Maine to thank the National Rifle Association.

TODD PALIN: Sarah and I are very active outdoors and hunting.

LARSON: But as investigators here in Alaska began looking into whether Governor Palin abused her power when she tried to fire that state trooper ex-husband of her sister's, new details emerged about Todd Palin. State employees testified “he had significant influence” on government affairs, that he occupied the Governor's office at least half the time.
    
WALTER MONEGAN: He would just be sitting there along the wall along with all the other staffers.

LARSON: Did it seem odd to you?

MONEGAN: It did.

LARSON: In fact, in this, his first nationally televised interview, Walter Monegan, the Alaska public safety commissioner fired in what has become known as “Troopergate,” told NBC News Todd attended the Governor's closed cabinet meetings.

LARSON: Did you ever voice it, say, “What’s up with this?”?

MONEGAN: No.

LARSON: How come?

MONEGAN: It’s my boss's husband, and what could I do to challenge that?

LARSON: State investigators noted in their report the pressure Todd Palin used to try to get his brother-in-law fired, and that Governor Palin’s firing of Monegan, who resisted that pressure, was an abuse of power, though she did not break any laws.

MONEGAN: I’d die for her, but I won’t lie for her.

ANDREE MCLEOD: Todd is pretty much behaving like a lobbyist.

LARSON: And when Andree McLeod filed suit against Governor Palin last year for using private e-mails to conduct state business, she accidentally discovered Todd Palin was not only deeply involved in state policy, but traveled at state expense to visit with special interests.

MCLEOD: That's a lobbyist. That's not, you know, a spouse serving tea.

LARSON: Yet historians say look no further than Ladybird Johnson advocating for civil rights in the 60s or Marilyn Quayle attacking liberal values in the 90s. Vice presidential spouses can be influential. The only difference this time, he is a him. John Larson, NBC News, Anchorage.

—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center