One clue that the New York Times might have gone too far by publishing aggressive hit pieces on Marco Rubio: Even Andrea Mitchell thinks the liberal paper made a mistake. After playing a clip of Jon Stewart mocking the Times, Mitchell said of the articles on the Republican's speeding habits and his lack of wealth: "How is [this] front page news?"
The cable anchor insisted that the paper's treatment of Rubio "certainly look[s] like an opposition dump." Susan Page of USA Today agreed, asserting that the presidential candidate's struggles are ones that "a lot of Americans would identify with, using money from his book advance to pay off his student loan, for instance."
Expanding on the idea that the Times's treatment could backfire, Page added:
SUSAN PAGE: In a way, you never want to be the subject of a negative story on the front page of the newspaper. On the other hand, this is the kind of criticism or skeptical look that I think makes a lot of voters say, "hey, I can see myself in this story." This is not a rich guy who has inherited a lot of money from a famous family. This is a guy who is living the life a lot of a lot of Americans.
Fellow Andrea Mitchell Reports guest Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post offered only a half-hearted defense of the Times, mildly suggesting, "The first story is a little bit is harder to defend. I would maybe argue the counter to you and Susan and say I think the second story is relevant."
A partial transcript of the June 11 segment is below:
12:30
ANDREA MITCHELL: Now, you've got a Republican presidential candidate, Marco Rubio, who is getting a lot of scrutiny from the New York Times about his finances and he found an unlikely ally last night in Jon Stewart on the Daily Show mocking the New York Times for its front page treatment of Marco Rubio's personal finances. Let's watch.
JON STEWART: It wasn't long before they were splurging on a whole house with, and I quote, in-ground pool, handsome brick driveway, meticulously manicured shrubs and oversized windows." Oversized windows! Oh, what's the matter, senator? The normal amount of light isn't good enough for you? "I'm Senator Marco Rubio, I like to roll around in giant patches of sunlight like I'm a big old kitty cat! Meow!" How is this front page news?
MITCHELL: So, that's the question, how is it front page news? I mean, there is, Susan, there are issues about his backer and his debts. But the way this treatment -- did certainly look like an opposition dump.
SUSAN PAGE: And on some issues that I think a lot of Americans would identify with, using money from his book advance to pay off his student loan, for instance. You know, the boat he bought. I think this does not seem unfamiliar to people in Florida that they want a fishing boat which cost, I think, $80,000, which is significant amount of money. But, on the other hand, it's not a super million dollar yacht.
MITCHELL: And they leased a car. They leased an SUV.
PAGE: In a way, you never want to be the subject of a negative story on the front page of the newspaper. On the other hand, this is the kind of criticism or skeptical look that I think makes a lot of voters say, "hey, I can see myself in this story." This is not a rich guy who has inherited a lot of money from a famous family. This is a guy who is living the life a lot of a lot of Americans.
MITCHELL: And Chris Cillizza, he has been raising money on this. One of the details was four parking/speeding tickets in 17 years. I think a lot of us could relate to that.
CHRIS CILLIZZA: One thing I'll say, Andrea, is I think, the Times, they ran two stories. One, as you just mentioned, was about he and his wife speeding and parking tickets. The other was more detailed dive in his personal finances. The first story is a little bit is harder to defend. I would maybe argue the counter to you and Susan and say I think the second story is relevant and in a vacuum, without the first story might not have been as criticized, simply because this is someone we don't know that much about. This is someone who has risen very rapidly and I think looking into the back story of how that happened is not a bad thing.
