During NBC’s coverage of Indiana and Arkansas’s religious freedom bills on Thursday morning, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd did his best to tie the potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates to the ongoing religious freedom debate.
Appearing in a pre-taped segment on Today, the NBC News political director maintained that while the GOP has bungled this issue “If there is any good news for Republicans on this issue right now is that it's happening in 2015 and not 2016.”
The segment began with Today co-host Matt Lauer declaring “some big news” out of Indiana regarding “the uproar over that state’s controversial religious freedom law” before he turned to reporter Gabe Gutierrez to play up the supposed impact Indiana and Arkansas’s religious freedom laws could have on the 2016 presidential election.
Gutierrez once again deemed the Indiana law “controversial” before he insisted that “now with Arkansas's governor refusing to sign that state's version of the bill, this is quickly becoming a political hot potato as we head into 2016.”
After he promoted Hillary Clinton’s condemnation of the Arkansas law, Gutierrez played up the supposed rift among Republicans over the issue of religious freedom:
The issue now putting two wings of the GOP at odds. Social conservatives versus business leaders. Senator Ted Cruz, as of now the only official candidate to announce saying, “Today we are facing a concerted assault on the first amendment.” Other potential contenders weighing in, carefully.
After playing clips of several potential GOP candidates commenting on the Indiana law, Gutierrez then turned to Chuck Todd who claimed that the law was a problematic for the Republican Party except that it happened a year before the 2016 elections:
Many Republican candidates have been trying to find a way to not sound like they're anti-gay rights without alienating conservative Christians...If there is any good news for Republicans on this issue right now is that it's happening in 2015 and not 2016.
While Todd was quick to argue that the recent religious freedom law debate was a huge loser for the GOP going forward, he did not express such sentiments when the shoe was on the other foot. In 2014, the former MSNBC host downplayed the IRS’ targeting of conservative groups and wondered “are there any actual real victims?” and even suggested that the GOP was merely going after the IRS because “beating up the IRS, good for the base.”
See relevant transcript below.
NBC’s Today
April 2, 2015
MATT LAUER: Some big news out of Indiana when it comes to that state's uproar or the uproar over that state's controversial religious freedom law. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez is at the state house in Indianapolis. Gabe, what can you tell us?
GABE GUTIERREZ: Matt, good morning. State Republican lawmakers have called a joint news conference with business leaders to outline what they call a legislative fix to this controversial law. Now and they want to make it clear that it does not discriminate and now with Arkansas's governor refusing to sign that state's version of the bill, this is quickly becoming a political hot potato as we head into 2016.
This morning, the battle between religious liberty and gay rights is already shaping up the 2016 presidential race. Wednesday, just before Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson decided not to sign his state's current version of the religious freedom bill, former First Lady of Arkansas and likely Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton encouraged him to veto, tweeting that it would “permit unfair discrimination against LGBT Americans.” In 1993, it was her husband, President Bill Clinton who signed a federal version of the state laws currently under fire. But as Hutchinson noted, times have changed.
ASA HUTCHINSON: And there is clearly a generational debt on this issue. My son, Seth, signed the petition asking me, dad, the governor, to veto this bill.
GUTIERREZ: The issue now putting two wings of the GOP at odds. Social conservatives versus business leaders. Senator Ted Cruz, as of now the only official candidate to announce saying, “Today we are facing a concerted assault on the first amendment.” Other potential contenders weighing in, carefully.
JEB BUSH: This is simply allowing people of faith, ah, space to be able to express their beliefs.
MARCO RUBIO: Look, I don't think Americans want to discriminate against anyone.
SCOTT WALKER: I understand the law’s not unlike the one that President Obama voted for.
CHUCK TODD: Many Republican candidates have been trying to find a way to not sound like they're anti-gay rights without alienating conservative Christians.
GUTIERREZ: A recent Wall Street Journal poll found 59% of Americans now support gay marriage, up from 30% in 2004, but a Pew poll last year found Americans split on businesses denying services to same sex couples.TODD: If there is any good news for Republicans on this issue right now is that it's happening in 2015 and not 2016.
GUTIERREZ: Ahead of the Final Four, lawmakers here want to get it done quickly. Arkansas lawmakers want to do the same. Both could come as early as today, Matt.
LAUER: Alright Gabe Gutierrez in Indianapolis. Gabe, thank you very much.
