The journalists at NBC News couldn’t let the funeral service of George H.W. Bush go by without using the occasion to offer some nasty comments about other Republicans. When former Vice President Dan Quayle showed up at National Cathedral, Andrea Mitchell’s first reaction was this: “He was almost dropped from the [1992] ticket, although the loyalty of Bush 41 rejected the advice of political advisers who thought he had become a liability.”
Continuing the mockery, she derided, “He was chosen for youth, for conservative credentials. But he was hardly the best of the Indiana senators because Dick Luger was the senior senator.”
Meet the Press anchor Chuck Todd stammered as he first seemed to try and insult George Bush’s vice president and then shifted to a compliment of sorts:
I was talking to somebody who is close to him. He sort –- He sort of knows that –- whatever you want to call it — That, you know, there are some who politically feel as if he wasn't as successful as he could have been. People have appreciated how he's handled his post-vice presidency.
Todd made the funeral about his own profession, self importantly insisting, “It says something about the President, former President, that he chose a journalist to be his biographer in Jon Meacham.”
Earlier in the morning, former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw pointlessly recounted, yet again, that Barbara Bush didn’t like Texas Governor Rick Perry:
Barbara came in. She was in her pearls and pulled together as she always was. She said, “Tom, go over and sit by George. I want to take a picture of the two of you.” I said, “okay.” So I go over and sat down. She got that impish smile on her face and it was at a time of great dispute with Rick Perry who was the governor of Texas. She didn’t think he was treating her son well. They didn’t like him. She said, “I’m releasing this picture as you two co-chairs of the ‘Get Rick Perry campaign.’” She turned around and walked out.
On April 18, 2018, reflecting on the life of Barbara Bush, Brokaw told the same story: “One of my most memorable times with the two of them...I was at Walker’s Point, visiting with them...She really didn’t like the Texas Governor Rick Perry. Who they had kind of taken care of and then he turned on them.”
Partial transcripts are below:
NBC Live Coverage
12/5/189:25am ET
TOM BROKAW: I think that’s part of what we’re celebrating today, the family. I had a memorable moment in Maine. I went to see him. By then he was confined to that little scooter that he had to ride around because of what was going on with his legs. Barbara came in. She was in her pearls and pulled together as she always was. She said, “Tom, go over and sit by George. I want to take a picture of the two of you.” I said, “okay.” So I go over and sat down. She got that impish smile on her face and it was at a time of great dispute with Rick Perry who was the governor of Texas. She didn’t think he was treating her son well. They didn’t like him. She said, “I’m releasing this picture as you two co-chairs of the ‘Get Rick Perry campaign.’” She turned around and walked out. I said, “Barbara, don’t do this!”
10:33am ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Here's former Vice President Dan Quayle who served, of course, with President Bush.
LESTER HOLT: And Dick Cheney greeting President Obama. How does Dan Quayle fit into the equation as you look back at the Bush legacy?
ANDREA MITCHELL: Well, he was almost dropped from the ticket although the loyalty of Bush 41 rejected the advice of political advisers who thought he had become a liability. He was chosen for youth, for conservative credentials. But he was hardly the best of the Indiana senators because Dick Luger was the senior senator.
HOLT: It was a big secret. Remember being there I was at the convention. I believe it was in New Orleans and the word leaked very late in the day.
MITCHELL: Well, let's just say NBC News broke it.
HOLT: I was working for CBS at the time.
CHUCK TODD: Somehow Andrea always remembers those things.
GUTHRIE: Because she's usually the one who broke the story.
MITCHELL: I remember calling Tom Brokaw up in the booth saying, “I got it. I got it.” He said “Who?” I said, “Dan Quayle.” We went on the air.
TODD: I was talking to somebody who is close to him. He sort of knows that –- whatever you want to call it. That, you know, there are some who politically feel as if he wasn't as successful as he could have been. People have appreciated how he's handled his post-vice presidency.
10:52
TODD: It says something about the President, former President, that he chose a journalist to be his biographer in Jon Meacham.
