NBC’s Today came out firing Thursday thoroughly pleased with how their friends at the Democratic National Convention programmed the night prior, deeming it an “unforgettable” and “supercharged” night “heavy on star power” with vice presidential nominee Tim Walz giving off “Midwest dad energy” hounded by Republicans and Oprah Winfrey “expand[ing] the tent” for Democrats.
“Tim Walz introduces himself to the nation with a high-stakes speech, stressing his small-town roots and personal story...while his party rolls out a lineup of stars and politics, Hollywood and music, to make the case for Kamala Harris,” co-host Hoda Kotb proclaimed in a tease.
Co-host Savannah Guthrie later stated from Chicago that Walz “leaned into that role of coach to energize voters”. She was followed by Peter Alexander bragging Kamala Harris gets to follow “an unforgettable evening here for Democrats” where Walz “[took] the handoff” for Democrats amid there were “[t]housands of signs sharing Coach Walz’s name”.
Amid soundbites of Walz’s speech, Alexander rhetorically fluffed Walz’s pillows like someone working at a five-star hotel: “Walz introducing himself to America, emphasizing his heartland roots...and how his years as a schoolteacher informed his political career...while going after the Trump/Vance agenda...and contrasting the party’s definitions of freedom.”
After stating “Coach Walz” closed with “a final pep talk,” Alexander shifted from Walz to the celebrities being the apple of his eye:
The night’s surprise guest, Oprah Winfrey, with a speech drawing a line from pioneers of the civil rights movements to Harris and calling for unity....referencing J.D. Vance’s comments about childless cat ladies...but focusing on Harris...The night featuring a parade of rising Democratic stars, celebrities.
The so-called analysis with Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker and senior Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson was an embarrassment. Welker gushed about Walz having “delivered” and “cast himself as the coach” and “relatable dad” with “optics” and views on guns that “independent, moderate voters” will love.
Jackson picked up on Winfrey’s speech and comically argued it’s being done “to both expand the tent” and leave everyone inside feeling “supercharged.”
Jackson predictably hailed it as “very sweeping, very much about the ideals that Democrats want to be fighting for”, but took a bizarre direction by tying her to so-called Republicans who spoke at the convention, including former Georgia Lt. Gov. Jeff Duncan, who “said that actually means you’re a patriot.”
Guthrie and Welker received a fever pitch in the level of eye-rolling partisanship as they fawned over Democrats “trying to corner the market on joy and hope” like in 2008 and seemed detached from the left’s previous strategy of “warn[ing] people about the threat that they say Trump poses to democracy” was nonsense (click “expand”):
GUTHRIE: Well, it’s interesting, because, look, people are taking their shots at Donald Trump, either by name or implicitly. There’s no question about it, but does seem that Democrats are trying to corner the market on joy and hope.
JACKSON: Mmmhmm.
WELKER: Yes!
GUTHRIE: Michelle Obama herself said, you know, hope is making a comeback. Of course, that was — hope was Obama’s theme in 2008.
WELKER: Here’s what is so interesting about that. It seems as though the Democrats have realized that the message from the Biden campaign, trying to warn people about the threat that they say Trump poses to democracy, was not working.
GUTHRIE: The negative argument.
WELKER: The negative argument, so we’re hearing all of this positivity, joy, hope, reminds you of 2008. Barack Obama. They are trying to make the case that that will energize voters.
JACKSON: And watch for Kamala Harris to make that case tonight. Campaign officials are saying it will be about lightness versus darkness.
WELKER: Yeah.
JACKSON: What they see as this sort of dark, ominous, grievance-filled campaign from the Trump/Vance team and a real contrast to that in her remarks tonight.
GUTHRIE: The other thing is patriotism.
WELKER: That’s right.
GUTHRIE: I mean, the chants of USA breaking out all through this convention hall this week — I mean, that is not always the kind of chant you hear about a Democratic National Convention.
WELKER: It’s not and I think what’s fascinating about it, Savannah, is patriotism. She’s not necessarily going to cast this against the backdrop of her historic candidacy.
JACKSON: That’s right.
WELKER: Instead, again, just as Hallie was saying, she’s going to try to have a message that helps to expand the tent, that helps to reach out to those undecided voters.
In the second half hour, correspondent Tom Llamas channeled Jackson’s Wednesday story on the Obamas with a pathetically syrupy celebration of Walz. Llamas sounded like he was auditioning to work for Walz with lines such as describing Walz as “Midwest nice, but he’ll also fight for what he believes” in.
Notice how Llamas was both crestfallen that “the attacks from Republicans are becoming more personal” (as though he never knew politics were rough and tumble) and brushed aside any questions about Walz’s character that emotes “Midwest dad energy” (click “expand”):
LLAMAS: So he loves Minnesota, flannel, and he’s slowly becoming Vice President Kamala Harris’s attack dog. People say Governor Tim Walz is Midwest nice, but he’ll also fight for what he believes. And as the country gets to know him more, the attacks from Republicans are becoming more personal. This as millions watching last night also got to know his son in a moment you’re about to see.
DNC ANNOUNCER: Governor Tim Walz!
LLAMAS: Overnight, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz walking on to the biggest stage of his political life. The 60-year-old accepting the Democratic nomination for vice president and introducing himself to voters across the country.
WALZ: We’re all here tonight for one beautiful, simple reason. We love this country.
LLAMAS: Walz embracing his rural upbringing, which he says helped to shape his values.
WALZ: That family down the road, they may not think like you do, they may not pray like you do, they may not love you like do, but they’re your neighbors and you look out for them and they look out for you.
LLAMAS: Born in Nebraska, Walz enlisted in the National Guard at 17, serving for more than two decades. During that time, he also taught social studies in high school and coached football. Last night, some of his former players showing their support. His wife, Gwen, a teacher at the same school.
(....)
LLAMAS: Democrats, including former President Obama, calling Walz as warm and authentic as his favorite article of clothing.
BARACK OBAMA: You can tell those — those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some political consultant. They come from his closet, and they have been through some stuff!
LLAMAS: Walz bringing what many online are calling Midwest dad energy to the campaign.
[HARRIS-WALZ CLIP]
LLAMAS: A former student said that Walz showed his character when he became the faculty adviser for the school’s first LGBTQ group.
JACOB REITAN: Tim is out of central casting when it comes to a good and decent person.
LLAMAS: But all of the attention has also brought scrutiny, with the Trump campaign accusing Walz of exaggerating aspects of his life story, saying he lied about his couple’s experience with IVF. The couple used a different fertility treatment, saying Republicans are playing semantics. The Trump team also seizing on this comment he made in reference to his military experience
WALZ: We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war are the only place, where those weapons are.
LLAMAS: The campaign later clarifying that Walz never saw combat and simply misspoke. Now, the former football coach highlighting the urgency of this campaign.
To even further drive the point home, NBC didn’t even have Alexander return to rerack his first hour report. Instead, correspondent Jacob Soboroff merged with a highlight reel of his travels on the convention floor interspersed with recap of the speakers.
This nonsense including fawned over Walz as the “[f]ormer schoolteacher and football coach cheered on by his family, including his emotional son, Gus” with a lead-in “heavy on star power” and “talk show giant Oprah Winfrey” calling Harris “a trailblazer”.
To see the relevant NBC transcript from August 22, click here.
