While all three network morning shows on Wednesday covered the American flags on top of the Brooklyn Bridge being bleached white by unknown vandals, only NBC's Today mentioned that the incident occurred while left-wing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was on vacation: "This embarrassment for the city comes while its mayor, Bill de Blasio, vacations in Europe, which itself has brought criticism." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Correspondent Ron Mott continued: "And adds to other recent high-profile security slip-ups, both at One World Trade Center. Last fall, three men climbed to the top of the tower and base jumped. In March, a 16-year-old escaped detection and made it to the rooftop as well, snapping photos for hours."
Mott concluded: "A lot of folks are questioning, A, how did it take so long for these flags to be noticed? And B, why did it take so long for them to be taken down?"
Following the report, co-host Matt Lauer warned: "It's really serious. I mean, that bridge was the target of an Al Qaeda plot years ago....And for somebody to be able to get up to the top of that bridge in the dead of night without being detected, it's crazy."
Fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie added: "It's terrifying. I hope it's a wake-up call, for sure."
It wasn't the first time someone from Today has taken de Blasio to task for his poor handling of a situation. Back in February, weatherman Al Roker ripped the Mayor on Twitter for not closing New York City schools during a blizzard: "I knew this am @NYCMayorsOffice @NYCSchools would close schools. Talk about a bad prediction. Long range DiBlasio forecast: 1 term."
Roker quickly apologized for the tweet and was even seen "burying the snow shovel" with de Blasio live on Today. Still, his prediction may prove true.
Here is a portion of Mott's July 23 report:
7:16 AM ET
(...)
RON MOTT: This embarrassment for the city comes while its mayor, Bill de Blasio, vacations in Europe, which itself has brought criticism. And adds to other recent high-profile security slip-ups, both at One World Trade Center.
Last fall, three men climbed to the top of the tower and base jumped. In March, a 16-year-old escaped detection and made it to the rooftop as well, snapping photos for hours. Flag-gate unsettling to many bridge-crossers.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: You're just messed up and you're wrong. And you need to leave the American flag on the Brooklyn Bridge.
MOTT: Every day more than 130,000 people cross the Brooklyn Bridge. And as the city likes to say, it never sleeps. A lot of folks are questioning, A, how did it take so long for these flags to be noticed? And B, why did it take so long for them to be taken down? Savannah.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Alright, Ron Mott. Thank you very much.
MATT LAUER: It's really serious. I mean, that bridge was the target of an Al Qaeda plot years ago where someone tried – they didn't try, but they suggested that they cut the suspension cables to possibly bring it down. And for somebody to be able to get up to the top of that bridge in the dead of night without being detected, it's crazy.
AL ROKER: Both towers.
GUTHRIE: It's terrifying. I hope it's a wake-up call, for sure.
LAUER: I do, too.
(...)
