NBC's Andrea Mitchell: Even the Weather is Against McCain

NBC's Andrea Mitchell devoted virtually her entire story, on Wednesday's "Today" show, to jotting down all the negatives going against the McCain campaign including Obama's advantages in fundraising, ad time, the polls and even the weather as she passed along this omen:

Still at a time when everything can be viewed as a sign of how things are going, they [McCain campaign] called off their midday rally outside Philadelphia because of stormy weather.

First up, Mitchell started her piece by tallying up all the Obama media appearances:

John McCain is trying to get his message out as Barack Obama tries to dominate the airwaves with a prime time infomercial just before the World Series game, a late night rally with Bill Clinton and an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Now Mitchell did air a clip of McCain quipping to Philadelphia voters that at least he's not going to delay their chance to watch the Phillies in the World Series, but she countered:

John McCain took a shot at Barack Obama's planned TV blitz, but he struck out when Fox, broadcasting the rain-delayed fifth game, said that wasn't the plan. Fox is simply bumping its pre-game show for Obama's program. The Series will start on time.

Mitchell then moved on to a McCain attack on Joe Biden, "McCain ripped into Obama after Joe Biden seemed to lower the $250,000 a year ceiling for those who would get tax cuts under the Democratic plan," However Mitchell couldn't let that Biden gaffe stand as she pointed out: "Biden aides called that, 'desperate.'"

Mitchell quickly turned to yet another Obama talking point, his lead in a new poll. "In the latest sign of trouble for the Republicans a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/myspace survey of new voters and those who didn't vote last time had Obama leading McCain by more than 2 to 1."

After noting that negative poll result for McCain/Palin, Mitchell stressed another hurdle, alleged GOP backbiting: "Facing an uphill climb McCain and Sarah Palin disputed reports of infighting between their staffs."

Mitchell did show a clip of McCain and Palin dismissing the allegations of infighting but then switched to one last GOP stumbling block - the weather:

MITCHELL: Still at a time when everything can be viewed as a sign of how things are going, they called off their midday rally outside Philadelphia because of stormy weather, while 50 miles away Obama plowed ahead.

The following is a complete transcript of the Mitchell story as it was aired on the October 29, "Today" show:

MEREDITH VIEIRA: But let's begin with the presidential election. Like I said it's now six days away and the candidates are giving it their all on the ground and on the air. NBC's Andrea Mitchell is keeping an eye on all of it. Good morning to you, Andrea.

ANDREA MITCHELL: Good morning, Meredith. The candidates are battling each other in Florida today. John McCain is trying to get his message out as Barack Obama tries to dominate the airwaves with a prime time infomercial just before the World Series game, a late night rally with Bill Clinton and an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

JOHN MCCAIN: No one will delay the World Series with an infomercial when I'm president.

MITCHELL: In battleground Pennsylvania, where the Phillies lead in the World Series, John McCain took a shot at Barack Obama's planned TV blitz, but he struck out when Fox, broadcasting the rain-delayed fifth game, said that wasn't the plan. Fox is simply bumping its pre-game show for Obama's program. The Series will start on time. With a $100 million advantage in TV dollars, Obama hopes to reach millions of prime time viewers tonight with his economic plan.

BARACK OBAMA: John McCain has ridden shotgun as George Bush has driven our economy towards a cliff. And now he wants to take the wheel and step on the gas.

MITCHELL: McCain counters that Obama is not being candid about his tax cuts.

MCCAIN: Senator Obama is running to be redistributionist in chief. I'm running to be commander-in-chief.

MITCHELL: McCain ripped into Obama after Joe Biden seemed to lower the $250,000 a year ceiling for those who would get tax cuts under the Democratic plan.

JOSEPH BIDEN: Which should go to middle class people, people making under $150,000 a year.

MCCAIN: You getting an idea what's on their mind? Huh? A little sneak peak. It's interesting how their definition of rich has a way of creeping down.

MITCHELL: Biden aides called that, "desperate," saying Biden was just giving an example, not setting a limit on who would get a tax break. In the latest sign of trouble for the Republicans a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/myspace survey of new voters and those who didn't vote last time had Obama leading McCain by more than 2 to 1. And 64 percent of those voters viewed Obama positively. Only 24 percent were negative. McCain's positives were 29 percent. 52 percent, a majority, were negative. All of this suggests a big turnout of new voters would help Obama. Facing an uphill climb McCain and Sarah Palin disputed reports of infighting between their staffs in an interview with CNBC's Maria Bartiromo.

SARAH PALIN: It, it came down, the way it was supposed to, when it's all good. And it is very good. The partnership is very good. And, and John McCain he, he is a true leader.

JOHN MCCAIN: I couldn't be happier. I couldn't be happier. The enthusiasm, the support, the people who come to, and look, here's two mavericks. Here's two mavericks. Did anybody expect us to agree, to agree on every issue? We're not gonna agree on every issue but that's the fun of our relationship.

MITCHELL: Still at a time when everything can be viewed as a sign of how things are going, they called off their midday rally outside Philadelphia because of stormy weather, while 50 miles away Obama plowed ahead.

OBAMA: Whether it's rain or sleet or snow, we are going to go out and we are gonna vote, because it's too much at stake. There is too much at stake right now for us to back off.

MITCHELL: To combat discouraging independent polls, the McCain campaign has released its own internal polling. They claim that the race has narrowed significantly in the last few days and is now tied across the key battleground states. If they're right this will be a very close election despite all other predictions. Meredith?

VIEIRA: Andrea Mitchell, thank you.