NBC Seizes on New Study to Promote ObamaCare Contraception Mandate

At the top of the 9 a.m. et hour on Friday's NBC Today, news anchor Natalie Morales eagerly touted a study released by Washington University in St. Louis on contraception: "A new study suggests that free birth control can dramatically lower rates of abortion and teen births."

Morales then quickly used the findings to promoted ObamaCare: "The report comes as millions of women are about to gain access to free contraception under most workplace insurance plans as part of President Obama's health care law."

Morales avoided labeling the mandate as controversial or any mention of the 43 Catholic institutions suing the Obama administration over the issue.

Here is a transcript of the October 5 news brief:

9:04AM ET

NATALIE MORALES: A new study suggests that free birth control can dramatically lower rates of abortion and teen births. Researchers tracked more than 9,000 women in St. Louis. Many of them poor and uninsured. The report comes as millions of women are about to gain access to free contraception under most workplace insurance plans as part of President Obama's health care law.