CNN Resorts to Questioning Appeal of Jack Nicklaus Endorsement of Romney

The media are digging deep to rain on Mitt Romney's Ohio campaign. On Wednesday, CNN's Brooke Baldwin stupidly wondered how golfer and Ohio-native Jack Nicklaus' endorsement of the candidate would help him with Ohio middle class voters.

"But here you have – you have Romney needing middle class votes in Ohio. How is he helped by a man who has been the face of professional golf, doesn't even live in Ohio anymore?" Baldwin said in her pathetic attempt to play devil's advocate. [Video below the break. Audio here.]

By her standards, she could have asked the same question when President Obama attended a fund raiser hosted by Jay-Z and Beyonce at Jay-Z's 40/40 club that featured a champagne tower, where seats went for $40,000.

Reporter Peter Hamby even mentioned the fund raiser in front of Baldwin on September 18 during CNN Newsroom, but she said nothing on the optics of it for middle class voters. Both Beyonce and Jay-Z have a net worth in the hundreds of millions.

And Hamby shot down Baldwin's question on Wednesday. "Look, he [Nicklaus] said in the speech, this election isn't about wealthy people, it's about the middle class. And you want surrogates like this in Ohio. Jack Nicklaus is an Ohio legend. He's from the Columbus area, that's where they were campaigning together. That's a bellwether part of the state."

A transcript of the segment, which aired on September 26 on CNN Newsroom at 3:16 p.m. EDT, is as follows:

BROOKE BALDWIN: And we'll also talk about Romney and Ohio, because that's precisely where he is today, to gain some traction. And he was joined this morning by a guy I know many of us would recognize. A really world-class, world famous athlete, Ohio native, who got up there and talked about winning, talked about success. Here is Jack Nicklaus.

(Video Clip)

JACK NICKLAUS: When I was competing, I didn't lean on someone else in tough times. I knew what I had to do on the golf course to succeed. And when I won, I certainly didn't apologize for my success.

(Applause)

(End Video Clip)

BALDWIN: So Peter Hamby, I'm just going to play devil's advocate. And look, I love golf, working on my swing, who doesn't love Jack Nicklaus. But here you have – you have Romney needing middle class votes in Ohio. How is he helped by a man who has been the face of professional golf, doesn't even live in Ohio anymore?

PETER HAMBY: Well it's hard to hate on Jack. The guy has 18 Masters. Look, he said in the speech, this election isn't about wealthy people, it's about the middle class. And you want surrogates like this in Ohio. Jack Nicklaus is an Ohio legend. He's from the Columbus area, that's where they were campaigning together. That's a bellwether part of the state. He went to Ohio State. I mean, in my personal preference, I want to see where Bubba Watson and the Golf Boys are going in this election.