While Brian Williams warned of "those lethal weapons known as super-PACs" in the GOP primary race on NBC's Rock Center, he and correspondent Ted Koppel failed to recognize their own network's routine advocacy on behalf of liberal causes and in favor of Democratic candidates. Not to mention the barrage of negative coverage directed toward conservatives and Republicans.
The report itself on the Monday night broadcast was pushing the traditional liberal cause of greater government regulation of campaign finance. Koppel interviewed comedian Stephen Colbert, whose farcical super-PAC in South Carolina has begun running ads calling Mitt Romney a "serial killer." Koppel praised it as "proving how ridiculous this system has become."
Koppel's voice and that of NBC News is certainly heard, loudly routing for the left and admonishing the right.
Following his interview with the liberal Comedy Central host, Koppel discussed the topic with Williams and lamented: "We're stuck with them [super-PACs] until the Supreme Court reverses its ruling, and if that's ever going to happen, it will be years away."
In reply, Williams worried: "I talked to a smart person in politics yesterday who said the Supreme Court will never reverse its own standing law....for good-hearted people who are fearful that our election process has been changed and damaged forever, is there anything to hope?"
Koppel and Williams completely ignored the fact that the whole reason PACs and super-PACs were created was to comply with campaign finance regulations that restrict the money candidates can spend themselves.
Read a complete transcript of Koppel's January 16 interview with Colbert.
