The hosts on NBC's Today spent over a minute of air time on Monday applauding Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu for helping a fan tailgating at an LSU football game do a keg stand. Co-host Matt Lauer touted how Landrieu "may do just about anything to get your vote" given that she was "in the middle of a really tough reelection campaign."
Substitute co-host Hoda Kotb concluded: "I think that wins her votes, personally....I do guarantee you, in Louisiana, that definitely helps. I mean that helps in the vote department. For sure, right?"
According to Mediaite, CNN similarly touted the campaign stunt Monday morning, as New Day host Chris Cuomo proclaimed:
My inclination is to treat this entirely lightly. I say there are two points of merit here. One, in that state we have the famed expression, laissez les bons temps rouler, let the good times roll. She is living that. And if you see the left hand, the placement on the tube of the keg spout: strong. Strong choice, helps the flow, helps the man drink. Respected.
Just imagine if a Republican senator in danger of losing reelection was caught doing the same thing. Would the media be cheering the move as a great way to win votes or treat it as a gaffe?
Here is a full transcript of the September 22 exchange on Today:
8:12 AM ET
MATT LAUER: We're back now with – 8:12 with What's Trending Today. And let us start on a Monday morning with the Louisiana senator who may do just about anything to get your vote. Mary Landrieu is in the middle of a really tough reelection campaign, so that may or may not be related to what reporters saw her doing over the weekend. There she is helping a guy do a keg stand at a tailgate party for LSU.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Bottoms Up; Senator Helps Fan Do Kegstand]
HODA KOTB: I think that wins her votes, personally. Landrieu is putting the spigot in his mouth. The man is in his late 20s and was at tailgate with his family, it's clearly an LSU tailgate. To her credit, she resisted calls to do her own keg stand.
AL ROKER: I don't think it was that hard.
CARSON DALY: That's impressive.
KOTB: I do guarantee you, in Louisiana, that definitely helps. I mean that helps in the vote department.
TAMRON HALL: Yes, Louisiana, come on.
KOTB: For sure, right?
LAUER: The story prompted a big discussion, what we actually call the thing at the end of the hose on the keg. Carson thought it was-
DALY: Maybe a valve or a – spigot, I think, works.
ROKER: Spigot.
KOTB: Spigot works?
DALY: Release valve.
LAUER: Release valve. I like that better.
KOTB: You've been at the end of a few of those, Carson.
DALY: Looks good. Yeah, I have. But that would make me want to do yoga or pilates, the way that guy's doing that.
HALL: Because he was balancing. Okay.
DALY: It's like planking.
ROKER: Beer pilates.
DALY: Yeah, beer pilates.
HALL: Beer pilates. Beer planking.
