Was it a simple mistake, or more deeply revealing of how Luke Russert regards events in Ferguson, MO? With Chuck Todd on his way to Meet The Press, Russert hosted MSNBC's Daily Rundown today.
Speaking with NBC reporter Ron Allen, on the scene in Ferguson, Russert said: "the big news this morning is we expect to hear for the first time the name of the officer who was involved in the murder of Michael Brown -- or the killing of Michael Brown." H/t reader Charles B. View the video after the jump.
It seemed to me that in saying "or the killing of Michael Brown," Russert was meaning to correct himself, rather than to offer the more neutral "killing" as simply an alternative alongside "murder." Even so, was this a form of Freudian slip in which Russert revealed what was really on his mind? At the very least, doesn't a national-level reporter need to be in full command of his tongue in such a sensitive situation?
Note: this isn't the first time an MSNBC host has played fast and loose with inflammatory language about the death of Michael Brown. As NB Managing Editor Ken Shepherd has noted, when a Missouri state senator called the death an "execution-style" killing on MSNBC's "All In," host Chris Hayes didn't make a peep in protest or otherwise attempt to correct the record regarding facts that are far from proven.
LUKE RUSSERT: NBC's Ron Allen joins us live now from Ferguson on more of what to expect over the next few hours. Ron, obviously last night was a real change from what we saw a few nights ago. There is a sort of unity between police and protesters, at least an understanding and peace was there. But the big news this morning is we expect to hear for the first time the name of the officer who was involved in the murder of Michael Brown -- or the killing of Michael Brown.
