On Sunday’s Meet the Press, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell eagerly declared Hillary Clinton one of the big winners of last week’s Republican presidential debate.
The MSNBC host/NBC News correspondent insisted that because “the e-mail controversy was not really explored very adequately by the questioners, and also because of this focus on gender, [Hillary Clinton] is one of the beneficiaries of what happened ironically.”
Mitchell continued to promote Clinton as the beneficiary of the GOP debate and speculated that she’d be “very surprised if at a town hall meeting this doesn't come up and she has a perfect opportunity to talk about Megyn Kelly.”
After New York Times columnist David Brooks praised Senator Marco Rubio and Governor John Kasich's strong performances at last week’s debate, Mitchell decided to bring up Donald Trump’s attack on Megan Kelly once again and falsely claimed that Jeb Bush did not condemn the billionaire’s comments:
And one thing that was really apparent in Jeb Bush's reaction at Red State last night. He said, this is going to lose us the election. He didn't say that it was wrong. He didn't criticize Donald Trump on the merits, or defense of what he said.
Despite Mitchell’s assertion, Bush told Red State’s Erick Erickson that Trump’s comments were “wrong” and that he “ought to apologize” to Kelly for attacking her both on television and Twitter.
One wonders if Andrea Mitchell simply misspoke when she said Bush refused to condemn Trump or in her desperate attempt to promote Hillary she deliberately accused him of not opposing the billionaire’s sexist comments.
See relevant transcript below.
NBC’s Meet the Press
August 9, 2015
ANDREA MITCHELL: I think that Hillary Clinton in some ways, because the e-mail controversy was not really explored very adequately by the questioners, and also because of this focus on gender, is one of the beneficiaries of what happened ironically.
CHUCK TODD: And she should have been. I could have argued that with Marco Rubio and John Katsch seen as two strong performers, in a general election that’s scary to Hillary Clinton.
MITCHELL: But you know, I’m going to be in New Hampshire with her tomorrow. And you know, I’d be very surprised if at a town hall meeting this doesn't come up and she has a perfect opportunity to talk about Megyn Kelly.
TODD: David, general election messages, which really is what John Kasich had on that debate, which is why there is this universal, in the inteligencia going, hey, that’s pretty impressive but Republican primary voters didn't hear that.
DAVID BROOKS: He’s got a growth agenda, he’s got a heart agenda. Every time he deviates to the center he does it in the context of faith, appealing to religious voters so that’s smart. To me when all the dust settles, you
just go with who has the best political skills. You look at all these guys, and Carly, who has the best political skills? Right now that's Marco Rubio. He's the most talented politician in the field right now. I think we saw it in your interview. You asked him some tough questions, I think he handles them well. Maybe he's too polished, maybe he’s too young but you’ve got to think the upside there is higher than anybody else.
MITCHELL: And one thing that was really apparent in Jeb Bush's reaction at Red State last night. He said, this is going to lose us the election. He didn't say that it was wrong. He didn't criticize Donald Trump on the merits, or defense of what he said. I also agree that Marco Rubio is the most politically skilled actor on the stage. Whether or not he's the best general election candidate? I don't know. I think,I really think that Kasich showed some chomps and that it may not be with this kind of—
