Russert Mentions 'Ethical Challenges' of Democrats, Will 'Today' Follow?

May 8th, 2006 3:19 PM

Apparently Tim Russert has been paying attention to the misdeeds of Democrats. Last Friday the host of NBC’s Meet the Press appeared on the Today show. He commented that the Patrick Kennedy scandal will allow Republicans to "suggest to the country it’s not just Republicans who misbehave." I wondered if several misbehaving Democrats had somehow escaped his attention. Mr. Russert, on the May 7 edition of Meet the Press, grilled House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on that very subject:

Russert: "You have Congressman Jefferson of Louisiana, someone pleaded guilty and said he had paid him bribes. You have Cynthia McKinney investigated for roughing up a police officer. You have Congressman Kennedy who, in the wee hours, entangling himself with the police department. So the Democrats have ethical...the Democrats have ethical challenges, too, correct?"

Congresswoman Pelosi, who appeared at 10:51AM EDT, tried to insinuate that these were but a few bad apples and that it was the Republicans who had the real problems. Russert, however, wouldn’t let it the issue go. He countered by bringing up Democratic Senator Harry Reid’s connection to Jack Abramoff:

Russert: "But what about the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Harry Reid, in terms of money from Jack Abramoff?"

The NBC host then went on to cite an AP story on Reid’s ties to the disgraced lobbyist and his work on behalf of Indian tribes that Abramoff represented. So here’s the question, will the Today show, NBC’s news department and the rest of the media follow Mr. Russert’s lead and challenge the Democrats? Will they question the spinners who disingenuously assign the phrase ‘culture of corruption’ solely to Republicans?