Lauer Swings and Misses at Hughes With Rumsfeld Grading

Photo of Mark Finkelstein.
By Mark Finkelstein (Bio | Archive)
June 9, 2006 - 06:27 ET

I'm on a quick strike down to NYC today to attend a talk radio convention.

And speaking of quick strikes, Matt Lauer launched one at Karen Hughes on this morning's 'Today.'  Hughes, who serves as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, was on to discuss US relations in the Arab world in the, ahem, wake of the killing of Zarqawi.

At the end of the interview, Lauer hit Hughes with this 21/2-month old quote from Donald Rumsfeld:

"If I were grading, I would say we probably deserve a D or a D-plus as a country as to how well we’re doing in the battle of ideas that’s taking place in the world today. And I’m not going to suggest that it’s easy, but we have not found the formula as a country."

Lauer played it as a Rumsfeld attack on Hughes 'operation.' Hughes undefensively responded that it was precisely because we need to improve our global outreach that Pres. Bush had named her to her position, and that Rumsfeld had welcomed the appointment.

Swing and a miss for Matt.