A panel packed with liberal pundits on Tuesday's NBC Today concluded that Mitt Romney "cannot relate to average people" because he is "just an awkward human being" and "robot" who is "not likable" due to his wealth "mixed with arrogance without empathy" that gives him "the image of a robber baron." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
As if that DNC-approved analysis wasn't biased enough, advertising executive Donny Deutsch declared Romney's candidacy to be dead on arrival: "He's not likable and he's not real. We vote for humans, we don't vote for issues. He will not win because of this, I guarantee it."
Starting off the questionably-named "Today's Professionals" panel segment early in the 8 a.m. et hour, co-host Matt Lauer announced: "I want to talk about Mitt Romney and some of the gaffes he's made." To helpfully remind viewers, a montage of sound bites played of Romney supposedly being out of touch with voters.
Following Deutsch's declaration that Romney was an awkward robot, NBC chief medical editor Nancy Snyderman chimed in: "He's an elitist." That label would certainly fit Snyderman, who's friendship with Clintons earned her a stay in the Lincoln bedroom.
Attorney Star Jones pleaded: "When people tell you who they are, actually believe them." She then proceeded to condemn Romney's "arrogance without empathy."
Snyderman concluded that Romney is "just not cool and he's trying to be cool....I think he's working so hard to try to be something he's not."
Here is a full transcript of the February 28 exchange:
8:11AM ET
MATT LAUER: We're back now at 8:10 with Today's Professionals. As always, Star Jones, Donny Deutsch and Dr. Nancy Snyderman are here to break down the hottest headlines of the day. Good morning, folks, nice to see you.
PANEL: Good morning, Matt.
LAUER: I'm going to start out by saying you run for president and you get followed around by cameras every day of your life for a year, two years, three years, you're going to say some things and be caught on camera you're going to wish hadn't been caught on camera. I want to talk about Mitt Romney and some of the gaffes he's made. Here's an example:
MITT ROMNEY: I'll tell you what, 10,000 bucks? $10,000 bet?...I drive a Mustang and a Chevy pickup truck. Ann drives – a couple of Cadillacs actually...Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans but I have some great friends that are NASCAR team owners.
LAUER: There's a – there's a recurring theme here...
NANCY SNYDERMAN: You think?
LAUER: ...And it seems to be that Mitt Romney cannot relate to average people. You're an image guy [to Deutsch]. How do you handle this?
LAUER: So you're saying – are these not slips of the tongue? Is this who the guy is?
SNYDERMAN: Yes, he's an elitist.
STAR JONES: Yes. When people tell you who they are, actually believe them. He has – he's got wealth and success, which is not a problem. But when it's mixed with arrogance without empathy that's where people get the image of a robber baron.
SNYDERMAN: Well, he's just not cool and he's trying to be cool.
JONES: Yes.
SNYDERMAN: He's the guy who shows up in jeans and you go, "Really? You – I've never seen you in jeans before."
LAUER: But of course we want a president to be able to relate to average citizens. But do we want someone to go out of his or her way to pretend to relate? He's being who he is.
SNYDERMAN: No, he's not.
DEUTSCH: But once again, it's not the – guys, it's not the issue that he's wealthy, it's the issue...
SNYDERMAN: I agree.
JONES: I agree.
DEUTSCH: ...that he's not likable and he's not real. We vote for humans, we don't vote for issues. He will not win because of this, I guarantee it.
SNYDERMAN: I think he's working so hard to try to be something he's not. That that's his stumbling block.
JONES: Yes. It's okay to be the rich guy. You have to figure out whether or not your group of constituents want that guy. That's the problem. He's not embracing who he really is.
