Appearing on Wednesday’s Today show to reflect on the life of Barbara Bush, NBC Senior Correspondent Tom Brokaw bizarrely noted how much she supposedly “really didn’t like” current Energy Secretary and former Texas Governor Rick Perry, while recalling a private conversation with the former First Lady years earlier.
During an otherwise non-political discussion about Bush’s legacy, out of nowhere, Brokaw decided that the best anecdote he could share was about her dislike of Perry: “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.” That prompted laughter from co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin, who was filling in for Hoda Kotb.
Brokaw continued:
And she said, “He’s talking about God put me in this place to run. What’s that got to do with it? Tom, sit over there next to George.” That’s how she talked to you, so I did, and she took a picture of the two of us. She said, “I’m releasing this as the co-chairs of the Rick Perry – Get The Campaign of Rick Perry, we’re going to put that out there.”
More laughter followed, as he concluded: “So you knew where she stood at all times.”
It’s puzzling why Brokaw thought it was appropriate to use Bush’s passing to bash a Republican government official.
As the news broke Tuesday night, MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes and his panel of guests also weren’t shy about using Bush’s death to attack the GOP.
Here is a transcript of Brokaw’s April 18 comments:
8:24 AM ET
(...)
TOM BROKAW: One of my most memorable times with the two of them after the President had – was – couldn’t move around easily. I was at Walker’s Point, visiting with them in the solarium, and she shows up. She really didn’t like the Texas Governor Rick Perry. [Laughter] Who they had kind of taken care of and then he turned on them. And she said, “He’s talking about God put me in this place to run. What’s that got to do with it? Tom, sit over there next to George.” That’s how she talked to you, so I did, and she took a picture of the two of us. She said, “I’m releasing this as the co-chairs of the Rick Perry – Get The Campaign of Rick Perry, we’re going to put that out there.” [Laughter] So you knew where she stood at all times.
(...)
