On Friday's NBC Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie promoted a video of Rahm Emanuel caught dancing at a Chicago music festival: "Rahm's rhythm. You know, a lot of people find it just hard to sit still when they hear Robin Thicke's hit summer anthem Blurred Lines. Well now you can add Rahm Emanuel, Chicago's mayor, to that group." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
While the video prompted a full discussion of the Mayor's dance moves among the morning show cast, the broadcast completely skipped any mention of Chicago's credit rating just being downgraded. On Thursday's Nightly News, correspondent John Yang reported: "Moody's gave a big hit to the city's credit rating, knocking it down three pegs. Moody's mentioned not only a $36 billion unfunded pension obligation that the city has, but interestingly, also mentioned the gun violence that's been plaguing this city. Chicago, from the beginning the year through May, has paid $40 million in police overtime."
Here is a full July 19 transcript of the Today crew fawning over Emanuel dancing while Chicago burns:
8:12AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Meantime, trending on the website of the Atlantic magazine, Rahm's rhythm. You know, a lot of people find it just hard to sit still when they hear Robin Thicke's hit summer anthem Blurred Lines. Well now you can add Rahm Emanuel, Chicago's mayor, to that group. Somebody caught the Chicago mayor in action. This was during a food and music festival last week. At first you can see just like a little bit of – I don't know if you would call it dancing.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Rahm's Got Rhythm; Chicago Mayor Caught Dancing to Robin Thicke Hit]
MATT LAUER: He's testing the waters.
TAMRON HALL: He's loosening his tie.
GUTHRIE: But then suddenly.
AL ROKER: Tie comes off.
GUTHRIE: Tie's coming off.
ROKER: Undoing the cuffs.
GUTHRIE: Can't help himself. He's feeling the beat.
LAUER: The knee dip.
ROKER: Look out. Too bad the guy's battery ran out before his pants came down.
GUTHRIE: He gets into full dance mode. Anyway, pretty funny.
LAUER: We should call him and see if he wants to comment on that.
HALL: Oh, yes.
GUTHRIE: I know – I don't know. He's a former ballet dancer, though.
HALL: Yes, he is.
LAUER: That's true. I almost forgot that.
GUTHRIE: He's got the moves.
