Double Standard? MSNBC Quick to ID Coleman as Republican

This is just too perfect.  Earlier today, noting that none of the network morning shows explicitly identified Rod Blagojevich as a Democrat, I wondered out loud how the MSM would treat a Republican in like circumstances.   It's taken less than three hours to get our answer.

Let's preface this by saying that Norm Coleman is not, repeat not, the target of an investigation.  To mention him anywhere within a million miles of Blago is unfair.  I'm citing the MSNBC coverage just for purposes of illustrating the double standard.  At about 11:20 AM ET, here's how Contessa Brewer threw it to Norah O'Donnell.

CONTESSA BREWER: Let's head over to Norah now, live at the politics desk, with more on a potential problem for GOP Senator, and the incumbent here in Minnesota, Norm Coleman. Norah.Let's see.  The very first word out of Brewer's mouth in mentioning Coleman was "GOP."  Even that doesn't do it justice.  You have to view the video to hear how Contessa stressed her pronunciation of "GOP."  After a little chit chat about Brewer having said "here in Minnesota" whereas she was actually in New York, Norah took up the ball.  It took her ten seconds to tag Coleman as a Republican.

NORAH O'DONNELL: New this hour, we do have new information. There is a federal investigation involving a long-time friend and benefactor of Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that the FBI wants to know whether that friend tried to steer money toward the Republican incumbent, who of course is locked in this tight recount race with Democrat Al Franken.  And NBC News justice correspondent Pete Williams with more on that.  And Pete, explain what's going on here.

To his credit, Williams suggested that O'Donnell had overstated the case. His opening words: "I think calling this a 'federal investigation' at this point is probably a little too grand a term for it." I'm including the remainder of Williams' remarks just so that readers can see how fluffy the allegations appear at this point.

In any case, sincere thanks to Contessa and Norah for serving up such a timely case in point of the MSM double standard.