On Friday’s NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer spent a three-minute interview with Florida Senator Marco Rubio grilling the Republican presidential candidate on an opponent’s debate performance: “Donald Trump refused to rule out a third-party run. He says he's using it as leverage to make sure the party treats him well. Sounds like a bit of a threat to me. How does that impact the way you and other candidates take him on directly?”
Rubio responded: “Well, it doesn't impact it at all. And the truth is...I’m not running against any of the other people who are on that stage. I'm running for president.” Lauer was not satisfied: “Let me ask it this way. As you stood on stage last night listening to what he said and watching what he did, did you find yourself thinking, ‘If I am not fortunate enough to be the nominee of this party I could enthusiastically support Donald Trump to be the next President of the United States and commander-in-chief’?”
After Rubio again tried to steer the discussion to his own candidacy, Lauer used his final question to demand an answer on Trump: “With all due respect though, I’m going to ask you again, do you think Donald Trump has what it takes to be the president and commander-in-chief?”
Rubio explained in part:
None of us are owed the position by virtue of our fame or how much money we’ve raised. We have to go out and earn it by convincing people. And last night was part of that process, where voters get to see us answer tough questions and from that make a decision about whether they’re going to turn over the most important office in the world to one of us.
Three of Lauer’s four questions to Rubio focused on Trump. In his first question to the Senator, Lauer actually asked about Rubio’s debate performance: “I’ve been reading some of the reviews on your performance last night. I’ll paraphrase and sum them up. People said while you may not have broken out last night, you certainly answered in a positive way some questions about your electability. Are you happy with that review?”
Rubio replied: “Yeah, I mean, the reviews that matter are not the pundits. It's the people watching that have to make a decision at the ballot box....And so I was pleased with last night, I was honored to be a part of it. I'm looking forward to future ones.”
At the top of the show, Lauer ignored all other GOP candidates: “Showtime! Donald Trump steals the spotlight at a rowdy Republican presidential debate. His trademark barbs and bluster on full display....And he drops a bombshell, refusing to rule out a third-party run.”
In the 7:30 a.m. ET hour, fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie conducted a live interview with Trump that lasted nearly seven minutes, over twice the time given to Rubio. Guthrie did not spend the exchange asking the businessman about how other candidates did.
On Thursday, Lauer told viewers: “...that idea of substance versus sizzle, one-liners versus issues. That's on us tomorrow as well. We’ve got to make sure that we cover what they talk about, the issues as opposed to those one-liners.”
However, Friday’s Today show coverage predictably obsessed over those “one-liners” and the horse race, with little discussion of any substantive issues.
Here is a full transcript of Lauer’s August 7 interview with Rubio:
7:05 AM ET
MATT LAUER: Senator Marco Rubio joins us now from Cleveland. Senator, good morning to you.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO [R-FL]: Good morning, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: GOP Candidates Make Their Case; Marco Rubio Speaks Out After Last Night’s Debate]
LAUER: I’ve been reading some of the reviews on your performance last night. I’ll paraphrase and sum them up. People said while you may not have broken out last night, you certainly answered in a positive way some questions about your electability. Are you happy with that review?
RUBIO: Yeah, I mean, the reviews that matter are not the pundits. It's the people watching that have to make a decision at the ballot box. And obviously this part – day one, the first time that we're going to debate together. There’ll be multiple other opportunities. This is a long campaign for the most important political office in the world. And so I was pleased with last night, I was honored to be a part of it. I'm looking forward to future ones.
LAUER: Let’s talk about some of the headlines in the debate. Donald Trump refused to rule out a third-party run. He says he's using it as leverage to make sure the party treats him well. Sounds like a bit of a threat to me. How does that impact the way you and other candidates take him on directly?
RUBIO: Well, it doesn't impact it at all. And the truth is I'm not running – and I say this all the time – I’m not running against any of the other people who are on that stage. I'm running for president. So I’m going to continue to do what I did last night. I’m going to tell people where I stand and what I’m going to do if elected and then voters are going to decide. That's the great thing about living in this republic is the voters get to decide. So it doesn’t really – what other people are doing doesn't necessarily impact our strategy or what we’re going to be saying.
LAUER: Well, let me ask it – let me ask it this way. As you stood on stage last night listening to what he said and watching what he did, did you find yourself thinking, “If I am not fortunate enough to be the nominee of this party I could enthusiastically support Donald Trump to be the next President of the United States and commander-in-chief”?
RUBIO: Yeah, look. I think we’re – this – I have confidence in this process. And I have confidence that the Republican nominee is going to be a Republican. I also have confidence that our nominee is going to be someone who’s optimistic about America. I don't believe America is losing to everybody. I don’t believe – I think this is the greatest country in the world. I wouldn’t – I know we have problems, we have challenges, no doubt.
LAUER: Right.
RUBIO: But who would we trade places with? I mean, what country in the world would we trade places with? I think that's the message that ultimately is gonna win.
LAUER: With all due respect though, I’m going to ask you again, do you think Donald Trump has what it takes to be the president and commander-in-chief?
RUBIO: Well, I don't know. I don't think that's been answered about anybody in this race. I certainly feel confident about me. But that's why we have a campaign. That's why we’re going to have multiple debates and people are going to have to go out there and answer questions. And over the next few months that's what this campaign is about is determining and answering questions like that. None of us are owed the position by virtue of our fame or how much money we’ve raised. We have to go out and earn it by convincing people. And last night was part of that process, where voters get to see us answer tough questions and from that make a decision about whether they’re going to turn over the most important office in the world to one of us.
LAUER: Senator Marco Rubio. Senator, I appreciate your time this morning. Thank you very much. Good luck.
LAUER: Thank you, Matt.
