After grilling Romney campaign adviser Eric Fehrnstrom on a variety of topics on Tuesday's NBC Today, co-host Ann Curry wrapped up the interview by portraying Mitt Romney's support of traditional marriage as behind the times: "...there's a Gallup poll now that shows an increasing support by Americans for relationships between same-sexes. I'm wondering, do you believe that on this issue Mitt Romney is on the wrong side of history?" [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Curry prefaced her left-wing question by noting how President Obama "is painting gay marriages as an expansion of human rights." In a prior report, chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd touted how during a New York campaign fudraising swing, the President experienced "an embrace of enthusiastic donors happy with his new gay marriage stance....firing up his liberal base as he basked in the glow of a friendly audience..."
Todd's report featured sound bites of Obama stirring up supporters:
We have never gone wrong when we expanded rights and responsibilities to everybody. That doesn't weaken families, that strengthens families....That's how we achieved women's rights. That's how we achieved voting rights. That's how we achieved worker's rights. That's how we achieved gay rights.
Meanwhile, Todd failed to include a single clip of Mitt Romney or any opponents of gay marriage.
Here is a portion of Todd's May 15 report:
7:05AM ET
ANN CURRY: President Obama was in New York to deliver a commencement speech and to attend a fundraising event, and he had more to say about his recent announcement of support for same-sex marriage. Chuck Todd is NBC's chief White House correspondent and political director. Chuck, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Firing Up the Base; Obama Takes Campaign Message to Friendly Crowds]
CHUCK TODD: Well, good morning, Ann. You know, the President's New York trip had a little something for all parts of his re-election campaign, a nod to women and hopes of expanding the gender gap, an embrace of enthusiastic donors happy with his new gay marriage stance, and an awkward attempt to raise big Wall Street money while bashing some of Wall Street's practices, at least when it comes to how Mitt Romney did it.
RICKY MARTIN: Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to welcome the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
TODD: President Obama with singer Ricky Martin in New York Monday, firing up his liberal base as he basked in the glow of a friendly audience, following his decision to embrace same-sex marriage.
TODD: Earlier, Mr. Obama taped an appearance of The View, hinting he might use the gay marriage issue against Mitt Romney because of Romney's support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. But also targeting Congress on the same issue.
OBAMA: Look, Congress is clearly on notice that I think it's a bad idea.
TODD: The official reason for the President's New York swing was a commencement address for the graduating class at the all-female Barnard College, which took place at his own alma mater, Columbia University. His remarks often felt like a campaign speech, encouraging his audience of young women to remain politically active.
OBAMA [AS CROWD CHEERS]: That's how we achieved women's rights. That's how we achieved voting rights. That's how we achieved worker's rights. That's how we achieved gay rights.
(...)
Here is a portion of Curry's May 15 exchange with Fehrnstrom:
7:11AM ET
(...)
CURRY: Meantime I don't have a lot of time left but I really need to ask you this question about Mitt Romney's reiterating his position that marriage is between one man and one woman, while the President is painting gay marriages as an expansion of human rights. And there's a – there's a Gallup poll now that shows an increasing support by Americans for relationships between same-sexes. I'm wondering, do you believe that on this issue Mitt Romney is on the wrong side of history?
FEHRNSTROM: Well, look, we – Mitt Romney understands that people have different opinions on marriage. His opinion is that marriage is between a man and a woman. Why does he have that opinion? It's because he believes a home headed by a man and a woman, married, is the best environment for the raising of our children. But we understand that – that this is a tender and emotional subject for many people. Not everybody comes down on the same side. But where Mitt Romney stands is that marriage is between a man and a woman.
(...)
