Appearing on Thursday's MSNBC Andrea Mitchell Reports, Bloomberg News reporter Jeanne Cummings asserted that the highly controversial Bowe Bergdahl prisoner exchange – which an overwhelming majority of Americans feel has endangered the lives of U.S. soldiers – would have no negative political impact on Democrats in November's midterm elections. [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Asked if the deal with the Taliban would affect the elections, Cummings declared: "Generally, no. It's a bipartisan reaction....I don't think this is going to last very long unless Congress comes up with better arguments than, 'We really hated the Rose Garden ceremony.' That compared to bringing a soldier back, for the American public, I don't think they weight together."
She did, however, see one possible impact "on a very small level" for one Republican senator: "And that is the special election in Mississippi. Senator Thad Cochran's office tweeted out a welcome home. And then all the controversy broke about whether this soldier was a good guy or a bad guy or whatever."
As a journalist, the only negative political fallout Cummings could foresee from a Democratic president negotiating with terrorists to secure the release of an alleged military deserter was that a Republican senator might be hurt because of a single tweet about the issue that he later retracted.
The White House should be proud of that kind of spin.
Here is a transcript of the June 5 analysis from Cummings:
12:27 PM ET
(...)
KRISTEN WELKER: Jeanne, is this something that could have implications into 2014?
JEANNE CUMMINGS [BLOOMBERG NEWS]: It could on a very small level, but important level. And that is the special election in Mississippi. Senator Thad Cochran's office tweeted out a welcome home. And then all the controversy broke about whether this soldier was a good guy or a bad guy or whatever. They pulled the tweet down as fast as they could, but we all know it's out. And he's in a special election in two weeks. And so his opponent is, you know, stirring the pot in that regard.
Generally, no. It's a bipartisan reaction, anybody on the Hill can take whatever position that they want. I don't think this is going to last very long unless Congress comes up with better arguments than, "We really hated the Rose Garden ceremony." That compared to bringing a soldier back, for the American public, I don't think they weight together.
(...)
