Hey NBC, Fire Chuck Todd Today.

[kpete]

Somebody's getting an invitation to the RNC Christmas party:

A new ad by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) features NBC "Meet The Press" host Chuck Todd saying Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes "disqualified herself" by refusing to say in a recent interview if she voted for President Barack Obama.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/13/1336382/-Hey-NBC-Fire-Chuck-Todd-Today

A new ad by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) features NBC "Meet The Press" host Chuck Todd saying Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes "disqualified herself" by refusing to say in a recent interview if she voted for President Barack Obama.

The stumble last week led to pushback for Grimes, who is polling neck and neck with the Senate Republican leader


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/mcconnell-ad-grimes-chuck-todd-disqualified

[notadmblnd]

1. Fire whoever allowed that clip to be used by McConnell's campaign along with him.

[George II]

12. Unfortunately it's not something that NBC can prevent from being used...

...it was aired on a "news" program - fair game to be used as long as they say where it came from.

[Jack Rabbit]

20. That brings us back to why Mr. Todd should be handed his head

He's a partisan hack with no business hosting what is supposedly a news program.

If he wants that kind of work, set him free from his contract so hew can negotiate with FoxNews,

[1StrongBlackMan]

28. But what NBC ...

CAN DO is use their 24/7 platform to loudly protest mcconnell's use of the clip, as "indicative of everything that is wrong with political ads, today."

We will see.

[quakerboy]

72. why would they do that?

It would seem most likely that they fully agree with the use of that clip, and that their corporate leadership believe it is indicative of what all political ads should be today.

[1StrongBlackMan]

73. perhaps to maintain the appearance ...

Of being a non-partisan media outlet.

[quakerboy]

74. I think we are well past that

I guess that's just an opinion, and we all know what those are worth, but I think they are past the need to pretend, they are happy with just being able to control the message for their wealthy benefactors.

[marble falls]

2. She did fumble the question. And Chuck Todd has a poster of Chris Wallace in his office.

[jeepers]

5. Un American

Grimes should remind folks that in America we have secret ballots. They had no right to ask that question and Allison should remind Kentucky voters that they wouldn't want to be required to answer that question either.

[Jack Rabbit]

24. It's a silly remark for Todd to have made

I think it would be fair to assume that Ms. Grimes voted for President Obama twice. She's a politician and a member of the Democratic Party. I assume Senator McConnell voted for George W. Bush twice. While that shows extremely poor judgment, it isn't a surprise and wouldn't make a good campaign issue.

No one should care who Ms. Grimes voted for in 2008 or 2012. Her opponent is Mitch McConnel, and Barack Obama is still a better person than he is, and so is Ms. Grimes. That last point is the most important thing.

[Voice for Peace]

33. they are grasping.. she is a threat.

It's such a ridiculous issue. Chuck Tood is an ass.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

57. It wasn't "silly". Chuck did that to provide a soundbite for Mitch....

The only question I have is if he's actually being fed lines like that by the McConnell Campaign.

If so, he should be fired.

ESPECIALLY if he was PAID to do it.

[Politicalboi]

27. If these people don't realize Obama got them their

Healthcare they all love, then there is NO hope. She should be telling them where it came from, and who wants to take it from them. She shouldn't be ashamed to say she voted for Obama. Yes, the ballot is supposed to be secret, but that's old school. She's even pro coal. So in order to win, she has to be GOP lite and carry a gun. I hope she wins, but she needs to change. She had NO problem saying she voted for Clinton.

[tazkcmo]

47. That was her response in her debate. n/t

[riversedge]

51. In the video I saw of Grimes--she did speak of the secrecy of the ballot box

[1StrongBlackMan]

29. IMO, no she didn't ...

she said ... The sanctity of the secret ballot is to be respected. And I agree!

[Samantha]

42. She did not fumble the question

She literally, as do all other voters, has the right to protect the privacy of how she chose to cast her ballot. The fact that she is running for office does not deprive her of that right. That was a trap question the interviewer chose to pose, and the candidate chose not to step in it. Had she done otherwise, we would be hearing outcries as to her failure to properly handle that question. She appropriately mentioned her Constitutional right to protect the sanctity of how she chose to vote, or perhaps even not to vote -- neither of which choices is any of our business.

Chuck Todd, NBC's touted "political expert", evidently never studied basic civics. His "outrage" is both obviously faked and misplaced, and he did nothing but demonstrate he is a rank amateur in his field -- and a partisan hack to boot.

Sam

[bvf]

44. Good synopsis. n/t

[Puglover]

53. She fumbled it badly.

She should have said, "I'm a Democrat. Of course I voted for President Obama. Who BTW Kentuckians can thank for providing health care for more folks............

Or something like that. She came across as a pure politician.

That said the question was bullshit. But it happens and if you are going to step in the ring you had better be prepared.

What did Queen Anne say? "It's hard."

[AlbertCat]

62. She should have said

"Tell us who you voted for first, Todd, so we can tell whether that was a gotcha question or not."

[Puglover]

63. That would have been fine too.

But then she would have probably been accused of not being "nice".

[still_one]

77. Really? First of all isn't the ballot a private matter? It is representative of a incompetent

press. The question is not even relevant. Most people would assume if she is a Democrat she voted for the Democrat for president

[whathehell]

69. Well, there is this thing called "secrecy of the ballot box"..Who did Chuck Toad vote for?

A good question to throw back at anyone who tries to violate that.

[chillfactor]

76. sorry but our voting is by SECRET ballot

Grimes is very correct in refusing to answer the question and Todd is a toad..

[napi21]

3. I think Chuck is wrong and will be proven so when Allison wins!

I suspect Cuck is saying what NBC wants him to say. Why else would almost ALL the hosts of MTP have been speaking so similarly over the years?

I don't want him fired. I want to see him an all the other schmucks eat crow the day after the election!

[pacalo]

6. I agree...

I suspect C(h)uck is saying what NBC wants him to say. Why else would almost ALL the hosts of MTP have been speaking so similarly over the years?

That's why he won't be fired. I suspect the reason NBC was willing to offer the moon to Jon Stewart for the job was to keep a lid on any out-of-the-corporate-message-box information that Jon is so good at focusing on. I was proud of Jon for not selling out his integrity.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. Double Word Score, Pacalo.

So right on both counts.

[pacalo]

16. Thanks, Gidney...

[moondust]

4. I think Chuck disqualified himself. n/t

[spanone]

7. NBC owns that footage. they could have refused its usage.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. I'm not so sure. We have a similar issue now with a local NBC affiliate:

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/wmaq-excerpt-used-for-governor-pat-quinns-re-election-campaign-ad_b131292

With the midterm elections just a few weeks away, local stations are being bombarded with political ads. Chicago’s WMAQ is no exception, but the NBC-owned station is unhappy about it for a very specific reason.

On Friday, a new 30-second commercial began airing throughout Illinois for Governor Pat Quinn (D) in his re-election campaign against challenger Bruce Rauner (R). The ad uses excerpts from a WMAQ report about Rauner and includes the voice of political editor Carol Marin.

Chicago media reporter Robert Feder writes that the excerpt is based on a joint investigation by WMAQ and the Chicago Sun-Times, reported by Marin, Don Moseley and Dave McKinney, which delved into Rauner’s business practices.

WMAQ said it ‘strongly objects’ to the use of its news content in a political ad, but the station has no legal power to block it. The following statement was read on-air (and appeared online) last Friday at 10:00 p.m.:

“Starting today, the Quinn campaign began airing a television commercial using a portion of an NBC 5 investigative report.

“The story was reported by our political editor Carol Marin. NBC 5 strongly objects to use of our material in a campaign ad, and we asked the Quinn campaign to not use it.

“NBC 5 is required by law to air campaign commercials bought by bona-fide candidates for public office so you will see it on our air.

“We want to make clear that this commercial is not an endorsement of Governor Quinn by Carol Marin or NBC 5. We will continue to work hard to make sure we cover both candidates for governor fairly and objectively.”

Link to commercial:

[spanone]

19. interesting. you would think that they own their content...but, i'm not a lawyer or tv exec.

[lastlib]

31. I would think they would have a copyright on their own broadcast,

but I don't know how much protection it gives them against others using it if they cite the source.

[Logical]

35. Fair use! nt

[spanone]

45. fair use! wt

One of the rights accorded to the owner of copyright is the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords. This right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the copyright law (title 17, U. S. Code). One of the more important limitations is the doctrine of “fair use.” The doctrine of fair use has developed through a substantial number of court decisions over the years and has been codified in section 107 of the copyright law.

Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair.

The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
The nature of the copyrighted work
The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

The distinction between what is fair use and what is infringement in a particular case will not always be clear or easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission.

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

[BrotherIvan]

48. It is fair use because campaigns are not considered commercial

Any company can purchase the footage for editing and then claim fair use if they want to. They just can't resell it.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

39. NBC aired it over the public airwaves so it could be said that it became public domain.

[Wellstone ruled]

8. Ain't going to happen.

Who owns this POS of a network. Yes you answered your own question,Comcast,GE,and The Anshutz Group.

Don't think any of these entities are going to support a Democratic candidate.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

9. Last I heard, we had 'secret' balloting.

Pretty sure you're allowed to refuse to say who you voted for or against, that so doing is the standard for voting.

It was a 'gotcha' question - either she says 'yes', which hurts her with Obama-haters, some of whom might still be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, or she says 'no', which hurts her with Dem party people, who already castigate her for not fully embracing the President. A true no win situation.

The best she probably could have done was simply to have said her votes as a citizen are private, and deserve to stay so, just like every other citizen, and that her votes as a Senator will be public, as they deserve to be.

[greatlaurel]

18. She did say exactly that about the secret ballot, but you do not get to see that on most news shows.

I just saw the entire clip and it was obvious the reporter was trying to do a "gotcha" moment on Grimes. She handled it as well as she possibly could. I was impressed by her composure and well thought out response. It is telling that Mr. Todd attacked her for her response. He is just following his marching orders from his Comcast/GE owners.

The right wing must be terrified that their boy McConnell is behind in the polls to start the dirty tactics from Mr. Todd and company.

[Cha]

10. In a sane world it would show what a complete repubCon job, Chucky Todd is.. him and his

big fat stupid mouth.

[Phlem]

13. Chuck Turd needs to go now!

I'm gagging.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

14. It'a plus for Grimes. Todd's mug isn't exactly a turn on.

[SCVDem]

17. One sound for Chuck.

Click!

AMF!

[Raine1967]

21. He should never say who or should be qualified unless

he is on a partisan show.

I think we know that MTP has made a clear choice.

[valerief]

22. Everything that comes out of his mouth sounds like a juicy fart to me. nt

[MontyPow]

23. Wouldn't it have been awesome if she had responded that certainly she didn't vote for Bush

And doesn't think any Kentuckian would want support a candidate that promotes the kind of policies that led to the economic meltdown of 2008.

[Logical]

37. She should've just answer the question truthfully. And been proud of it.

[MontyPow]

46. That, too. But too many Democrats in red states feel they must be Republican-ish.

An easy way to achieve that is to distance yourself from the party in a generic, non-policy specific way.

[edhopper]

25. Why would they fire him?

He is clearly doing the job they want.

[Seeking Serenity]

26. I'm sorry, but if you're running for office as a Democrat,

and you were a delegate from your state to the 2012 DEMOCRATIC National Convention, and you can't stand up and say, "Yes, of course I voted for my party's candidate," then something's wrong.

"I certainly did vote for the nominee of my party for president. NEXT?" and move on!

[Logical]

36. +1000, it was stupid for her not to answer! nt

[tomm2thumbs]

38. B I N G O -- it was weak to hesitate and ill advised to not say EXACTLY what you said

She needs to revisit it before it gets revisited in another ad

[Dollface]

60. But what if she didn't vote for Mr. Obama? Isn't she a Conservadem?

[Cosmocat]

65. Right - and Tood knows this and knows DEMOCRATS

will hide in a corner on these things while a republican would puff their chest and just flat out say HELL YEAH!

Makes democrats looks spineless and political and Rs look like stand up people.

[still_one]

78. yeah something is wrong, the people of KY believe that Obama wants to shut down their coal mines.

It would not be move on as you say, that would be the headlines in KY nauseam that Grimes voted for someone who wants to destroy your jobs. Not a brilliant thing to bring up in the 11th hour in a state where coal is its prime industry

[treestar]

89. I agree.

If she can only win by pretending not to be a Democrat, what's the point of running as a Democrat? I can understand blue dogs but this is stupid. At least run as a Democrat, even if you lose.

[GP6971]

30. Disqualified herself for skirting a question??

That idiot has to be joking. That means most elected officials have to be disqualified. Jeez

[still_one]

79. Then he disqualified himself when he interviewed the President and told him he hadn't mentioned

Syria when he just did a few moments ago in the interview.

[treestar]

86. Palin would be at the top of the list

[Laura PourMeADrink]

32. what? people are watching him? nt

[GP6971]

34. I know

I cancelled my series recording of the show a couple of years ago. Gregory or Todd.....they're not the "the press". How NBC has lost their way.

[delete_bush]

40. Guilty as charged, sort of...

I watched 15 minutes or so last Sunday and I have to say it WAS GREAT THEATER of the absurd. Not sure if there was a thread on DU about it, didn't find one, but Toad was SO out of control that it was a sight to behold.

David Axelrod and Joe Scarborough were at each other's throats and this did not seem in any sense appear to be staged. The Toad COULD NOT take control of his own show.

He's doomed.

[Mister Nightowl]

41. I totally support getting rid of Chuckles

But Grimes did harm her chances by evading that question.

[ErikJ]

43. She should have said, "I voted the Dem ticket...and here's why". nt

[kentuck]

49. Exactly what the Grimes campaign was trying to prevent...

They knew that McConnell's campaign wanted some video footage they could use to attack Alison with in the last few weeks of this campaign. Alison's campaign did not fall for the trap. So Chuck Todd did their work for them.

In just a few short weeks, Chuck Todd has become totally out of touch with politics in this country - especially in Kentucky. Alison is trying to defeat the possible Majority Leader of the Republican Party. McConnell's campaign is getting as much mileage out of this issue as they possibly can. They would have gotten much more if it had come out of Alison Grimes own mouth. In Kentucky, that would probably have lost the race for her, considering how Mitch McConnell was planning to use it.

Call it a "fumble" or whatever you want, but she did what she thought was necessary to stay in this race. We have a very good chance at winning this race, in my opinion. Alison Grimes has traveled the state and has recruited new voters all over. The polls are not picking them up. This race could determine whether or not Democrats maintain control of the US Senate.

She has no "duty" to do what the Republicans or Chuck Todd want her to do. She has every right to refuse, under pressure, to divulge who she voted for in the last election. Those that are critical of her decision are naive to a fault. She owes Barack Obama nothing.

I don't agree with her closeness to the Clintons - she is going to meet with Hillary in Louisville this week - but her family and the Clintons have been close friends for many years, going back to when her father was in politics. Considering that she was just a baby when Reagan came into office, Bill Clinton is the logical Democratic hero for her. She is a lot like Bill Clinton in a way. She is an expert politician.

[still_one]

80. I have to wonder if people outside of KY realize how important coal is to that state, and how many

believe, rightly or wrongly, that Obama is a threat to the coal industry

[BlueCaliDem]

84. Apparently, not many around here. eom

[still_one]

85. apparently

[JonLP24]

50. My initial thoughts

I'm more bothered if she did dance around the question but I know why she did it but don't understand why it would disqualify her since there are people everywhere playing political games.

Doing what it takes to win leads to compromised office holders worried about the next election, the higher seat, etc. It so obvious what each side is doing but neither side points it out. If I were Grimes, I'd say "His campaign strategy is to lump me with Barack Obama (& recently Harry Reid) and make that stick as much as possible". If I were McConnell, I'd say "Her campaign strategy is to distance herself as much as possible from Obama. Appeal to conservatives by mentioning coal & EPA and commercial with a gun".

On edit - After Brewer was hammered by Goddard in a debate she said no more debates, while widely criticized was the right political move to avoid the potential pitfall in a race she was heavily favored to win and enough time to between the debate and the election that many would forget or wouldn't be as fresh in their minds if it was closer to the date. With that, how has Grimes "disqualified herself" by not mentioning that sort of political maneuvering?

[get the red out]

52. Yes

He has disqualified himself as an impartial interviewer.

[Dawgs]

54. Face it folks. Alison Grimes is not the answer we needed to get rid of McConnell.

The only reason she's doing so well is because of how much he's disliked.

[Spazito]

55. Todd knew exactly what would happen to his comments when he made them...

it was an 'in kind' donation to McConnell. For that donation, Todd has "disqualified" himself not Grimes, imo.

[Maineman]

56. Todds' comment was totally inappropriate. Is he an opinionated pundit or a reporter?

[DFW]

58. He is an active Republican operative who has infiltrated the press.

It wouldn't surprise me to hear that NBC is frantically searching for someone credible to take the show, and can't find anyone, because the show itself has been so discredited by now, serious journalists probably consider it a career graveyard.

NBC killed the goose that could have laid golden eggs for decades to come.

[still_one]

81. he is an opinionated idiot, and has never been a reporter

[blkmusclmachine]

59. ,

,

[AlbertCat]

61. Has Todd told us who he voted for?

So we can decide if he's "qualified"?

[dawn frenzy adams]

64. The Democratic Party is pathetic.

Candidate Obama revived the Democratic Party from its near death state, after the Clinton's destroyed it. There was massive amounts of money being raised for Democrats on Obama's back. However, the Democratic Party was still loyal to the failing ideology of the Clinton's. They took the enthusiasm of the Obama presidency and squandered every bit of it. The Democratic Party is so inadequate that they sat idly by and allowed the Republicans to nullify the Obama Presidency. Not once, has the top tier of the Democrats condemned the absolute obscene manner the president and his family has been treated by the Republican Party. The vulgarity of the right-wing media as well as the Mainstream Media have not been challenged once by the Democratic Party. That's because they feel more loyalty to being white. Sorry if this offends you. But this is why you saw Bill Clinton chuckling up on a panel with George W, Bush a few days ago. This is why Clinton told Paul Ryan to call him for advice. This is why the Clinton's stooped to the almighty low and played the race card during the primary election.

When President Obama was elected I thought then his greatness obstacle would be the cowardice of the Democrats, and the typical whining of the Left. Grimes said she was a Clinton Democrat. McConnell has supported all of the failing policies of the Republicans. He should be the one put on the spot. Yet Grimes was to afraid that she supported the President. That says a lot about the Democratic Party.

[IL Lib]

75. Great post n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

83. Great post, DFA. eom

[treestar]

88. +1

Republicans would never do this - run from one of their Presidents. What is with these Democratic candidates doing it - is it really true someone would lose votes for admitting to being a Democrat and voting for a Democratic President and supporting his/her policies - that state is redder than red.

[calimary]

66. Well? Are we just gonna sit around here and grumble amongst ourselves?

And not try to take it anywhere?

I posted this back in late September.

Sounds like we need to start a PR offensive via Facebook etc. and elsewhere online. Plus emails and a few paper letters too. Paul Begala once said "100 paper letters can change the course of a newsroom." That's because more weight is STILL given, I think, to the hard-copy correspondence. If somebody takes the trouble to write and send an actual letter, that's usually read as a louder voice from the viewership or listenership. I may do it myself.

Here's what I wrote on one MSNBC link http://www.msnbc.com/speak-out :

I think you should start over with "Meet the Press." Chuck Todd does NOT make it. WHY did you move from Slants-GOP with David Gregory to STILL-Slants-GOP with Chuck Todd? WHEN ARE WE LIBERALS GOING TO GET RESPECT - AND PRIORITY with you folks? If I want republi-CON talking heads on Sunday (and I don't!), there are legions of alternatives. WHERE 'S MINE???????????????

More links:

http://www.msnbc.com/speak-out

https://www.facebook.com/msnbc

https://twitter.com/msnbc/

http://msnbc.tumblr.com

http://www.nbcnews.com

http://www.nbcnews.com/info/contact-us
This one has snail-mail address in NYC: NBC News, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10112
Email: [e-mail]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5597387

[whathehell]

71. Good idea -- thanks for the links. n/t

[polynomial]

67. McConnell and Todd are a couple of asshats

I just received my mail in vote document. This round I will vote early by mail. Its going to be all Democratic and I am a Republican… McConnell and Todd are a couple of asshats.


It is a forbidden issue expecting to know that very important private vote taken by the individual. I agree that why it’s called a secret ballet.

From my view there is no stumbling here, more like a state of shock that a so called top gun Journalist as Chuck Todd illustrated the example pure complicity or comradery.

Now we understand that Chuck Todd is Baptized into the right wing party. Chuck Todd just disqualified his self by asking such an inappropriate question to anyone.

When I read that line “She Stumbled” sort of like reminds me that Chuck Todd already has his resume out there for the entertainer of the moment.

Likely as a guest who will eventually have to admit to all the anonymous names and blogs Todd has been trolling on.

Anyone who asks a politician who they voted then sees a reeling face expression should expect it.

Why would Todd want to go into weirdo land. Heck, one of the main reasons we all use a handle on the internet is to prevent corporate retaliation or retribution.

But Todd knows that, and so does MSNBC. People he probably got two bonus checks for that interview one from the station and one from McConnell.

[HoosierCowboy]

68. Was anybody paying attention? She answered the question..

Todd: "who did you vote for in the last Presidential Election?"
Grimes: "Barack Obama.....is not running in this election"

OR ARE YOU ALL DUMBASSES?

[still_one]

82. I am waiting for the toad to suggest they water board her to find out

[Octafish]

70. Such a tireless defender of democracy...

...he's not.

[Supersedeas]

87. We are talking about Chuck Todd--that's all he cares about

[Paladin]

90. No amount of whining about Grimes' shortcomings as a campaigner excuses what Todd did.

He should be without a job right now.

[ProfessorGAC]

91. Still An Atwater Acolyte, Chuckie?

This shouldn't surprise anyone given his background.