During an interview with Senator John McCain on Thursday’s NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer could not contain his enthusiasm for the idea that the politically-charged congressional investigation into supposed ties between the Trump campaign and Russia could somehow bring down Donald Trump’s months-long presidency: “Do you think that when all of those shoes drop, that they may mortally wound this young administration?”
The exchange began with Lauer advancing the Democratic Party agenda by blasting Republican House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes for daring to publicly reveal that the then-President-elect or his campaign associates had been caught up in “incidental” and “inappropriate” surveillance during the transition: “Can you explain any reason why Chairman Nunes would have done what he did yesterday?...instead of discussing those reports with members of his own Intelligence Committee and the ranking Democratic member, go right to the press and right to the White House?”
The reporter followed up with another hyperbolic question that used the words of the committee’s Democratic ranking member, Adam Schiff, to accuse to Nunes of undermining the entire investigation:
You heard what Adam Schiff said. He said, “The Chairman will need to decide whether he's the chairman of an independent investigation into conduct or he's going to be a surrogate to the White House, because he cannot do both.” Has Chairman Nunes so damaged the credibility of the Intelligence Committee that they should just shut down that investigation?
Later in the segment, fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie similarly cited Schiff, touting the liberal lawmaker’s unsubstantiated claim that “there is more than circumstantial evidence of some kind of collusion between Trump campaign associates and Russia.” McCain replied that he was “not aware” of that evidence.
Briefly touching on the topic of the GOP’s health care reform legislation set to be voted on in House Thursday night, Lauer again channeled left-wing hopes, eagerly wondering if the effort would fail: “...it's going to be a tight vote tonight. A, what's your prediction, will it pass? And B, if it doesn't pass, how badly does that damage the President's ability to pass other aspects of his agenda?”
While Lauer and Guthrie were happy to slam Nunes, questioning the Republican representative’s credibility and motives, Democrat Schiff was held up as an objective source – instead of being dismissed as a partisan shill.
On Monday, MSNBC anchor Brian Williams speculated the congressional investigation into Russia could “dissolve” the Trump administration.
Here is a transcript of Lauer and Guthrie’s March 23 questions to McCain:
7:13 AM ET
MATT LAUER: We are joined now by Republican Senator John McCain. Senator, nice to see you. Good morning.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN [R-ARIZONA]: Good morning.
LAUER: You know Washington, you know the role of oversight that Congress has. Can you explain any reason why Chairman Nunes would have done what he did yesterday? Say, “I've seen reports from the intelligence community on this subject,” and instead of discussing those reports with members of his own Intelligence Committee and the ranking Democratic member, go right to the press and right to the White House?
(...)
LAUER: You heard what Adam Schiff said. He said, “The Chairman will need to decide whether he's the chairman of an independent investigation into conduct or he's going to be a surrogate to the White House, because he cannot do both.” Has Chairman Nunes so damaged the credibility of the Intelligence Committee that they should just shut down that investigation?
(...)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Senator, the President said, as you just saw, that he felt somewhat vindicated by this information that he received yesterday. But let's back up a minute. The claim that Trump made was that then-President Obama surveilled him some way before the election at Trump Tower. What we appear to have learned yesterday is that Trump or his associates were somehow incidentally caught up in surveillance after the election. Surveillance that was of other legal foreign targets. So I ask you, should he feel vindicated? Is that accusation of wiretapping by President Obama vindicated?...So this changing nothing?
(...)
LAUER: This story of Russian possible connections to Trump associates during the campaign, you just alluded to this a second ago. About a week ago you said this, “There's a lot of aspects with this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny.” You went on to say, “In fact, I think there's a lot of shoes to drop from this centipede.” Do you think that when all of those shoes drop, that they may mortally wound this young administration?
(...)
GUTHRIE: And Congressman Adam Schiff, who’s the Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, has now said to NBC that there is more than circumstantial evidence of some kind of collusion between Trump campaign associates and Russia. Have you seen that evidence? Are you aware of it? Do you doubt it?
(...)
LAUER: Let me ask you, before I let you go, Senator, about health care. I know it's happening down the hall from you. But it's going to be a tight vote tonight. A, what's your prediction, will it pass? And B, if it doesn't pass, how badly does that damage the President's ability to pass other aspects of his agenda?
(...)
MCCAIN: I don't know it's going to turn out, but I do know this, that ObamaCare as it is, is imploding and it's not working in Arizona, where premiums are going up over 100%. So we've got to do something.
LAUER: Yeah, but is this the bill to replace it?
(...)
LAUER: Alright, Senator John McCain. Senator, I know how much you love these early hours so I really appreciate you getting up and joining us this morning.
MCCAIN: Good to be with you.
