Courtesy of Egberto Willies:
Chuck Todd does not get it. Once he becomes the news in this manner he has failed as a journalist. A few days ago Alison Lundergan Grimes was interviewed by the Louisville Courier-Journal editorial board. They asked her whether she voted for president Obama in 2008 and 2012. She justifiably refused to answer.
The talking heads and pundits claimed she was not prepared for the question. The lack of sophistication of the traditional media is astounding. It was evident that she was prepared for the question and she intended not to answer it. It was evident that her team likely thought the downside was worse if she answered.
How does Chuck Todd respond to this journalistic mistake? He blames the candidate. “I think that is one of those situations where she invited this on herself,” Chuck Todd said. “It feels like she had a lot of consultants whispering in her ear, ‘Whatever you do don’t give Mitch McConnell a line for a TV ad.'” Alison Lundergan Grimes did her part. Chuck Todd failed as a journalist. He became the news. He gave Mitch McConnell a line for a TV ad.
Exactly! Grimes understood that she was standing in a minefield and she stepped cautiously.
Todd on the other hand gave McConnell the gaffe that she was too intelligent to provide.
And then, as if that wasn't enough, he essentially blames Grimes for stepping around the traps that he carelessly stumbled right into. Pathetic!
I look forward to chuckles interviewing himself about this on Sunday, though I expect he'll probably handle his selfie-interview with kid gloves and avoid the tough questions.
ReplyDeletePlease don't get me wrong. I've very little use for Chuck Todd, never have had. But Grimes gave an excruciatingly calculated answer, one that all but screamed that yes, she did vote for Obama, while attempting to give herself political cover by refusing to answer such a very simple and basic question that she, as a political candidate, should, I'm sorry, be expected to answer.
ReplyDeleteBy trying to have it both ways, Grimes opened herself up to the kind of criticism that Todd couldn't wait to jump in with, but if it wasn't Todd, it would have been another opportunistic, empty suit "journalist." Grimes would have defused the question from the get-go if she had merely replied along the lines of, "Of course I voted for the president. I'm a Democrat, after all." But no, she took the cautious coward's way out. IMO it serves her right that she's been called on it, by Todd or anyone else looking to exploit her chickenshittedness for ratings.
I agree. She could have kept her answer, short, honest, and to the point. Do any of the republican voters in Kentucky seriously believe she might have voted for Romney? Would they suddenly decide to vote for her if she said she had voted for Romney? Would they have believed her if she said she had?
DeleteIf she had said she voted for the President (duh), McConnell might have run an ad saying so, but if most voters already assumed the Democratic candidate would have done so, it would have been wasted money for McConnell.
I hope for Kentucky's sake she wins, and her policies will undoubtedly be better than McConnell's, and she could be instrumental in keeping the Senate in Democratic hands, but I don't care for her.
While I agree with you, isn't it Chuck's role to be impartial? As a former Morning Joe viewer, I can't stand him.
DeleteI should have also said that Todd is a smarmy little weasel, is anything but a journalist (having said it is not his job to verify what he is told, which makes him nothing but a stenographer) and his question was stupid and unnecessary and his comment on her answer was asinine.
DeleteVoting has been by secret ballot since forever. No-one has the right to ask another person how they voted and everyone has the right to refuse to answer such a question.
DeleteChuck Todd should well know this & anyone attacking Alison Lundergan Grimes is, as usual in US media/politics, blaming the victim. She did not open herself to anything - she had every right to not answer the question.
Alison should have said yes and then told them in very clear terms why, starting with the wicked witch of the North and her glaring inadequacies.
DeleteM from MD
I would have been very happy had she said quite clearly that since we have secret balloting in this country it was none of his damned business! TS is perfectly on target.
DeleteAnd 5:21? if you think it is right for people to ask something like from a candidate, do you also believe candidates should be REQUIRED to respond to their religious affiliations? Or ANYTHING anyone deems a reasonable question?
That's quite a can of worms you are considering opening - especially since a lot of those questions would be technically illegal.
Oh, please. Have any of you been to Kentucky? She knows what she's doing with the answer & you can bet the President approves. He's much rather have her as a Senator than old awful Mitch!!!
ReplyDeleteSo tell us, how many voters did she convince to vote for her with her clumsy, evasive answer?
DeleteShe convinced the Independents. You're welcome.
Delete@ anon 6:14 am - Keep blaming Alison for the disgusting behavior of Todd, her opponent and the press. This is why democrats lose - they seem incapable of supporting their own.
DeleteWhile we are at it, Mr. Todd...who did you vote for in the last election?...and, while we are on the subject...please disclose your entire voting history. I think we need to know that now that you have chosen to make yourself part of the story as well as also-too creating a sub-story line featuring you. Your complete voting records please....
ReplyDeleteExcept Todd is not running for office.
Delete@6:15
DeleteSO WHAT?
I call it goosey goosey gander. Tit for Tat. And besides, if this crap keeps up, it will be perfectly legitimate for someone to ask what the candidate's favorite sexual position is! Or whether they like anal sex!
I'm in my 70's and have never seen a candidate asked to disclose how they voted in any prior election.
DeleteIt's pure bullshit and Grimes did not, nor does not, have to utter a word about it. The ballot we cast is private and has always been!
....of course asking for the toadster's voting history is ridiculous, as is any asking anyone else for theirs...kind of sorry sauce coming from the whiner side of the constantly screaming, "they'er taking our freedoms" table.
DeleteThe point is not Grimes's answer to the question. Her answer was a political decision, right or wrong. The point is Todd supposedly being part of the MSM should not be giving his opinion on who is qualified to hold office.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bill, I said as much above.
DeleteWhere did he do that?
Delete6:16-
DeleteTodd did. Watch the turtles commercial for yourself.
Such a hypocrite.
ReplyDeletePalin raked over the hot coals in 2008 when asked "what newspapers do you read?" ( how stupid was that question since hard copy newspapers have become antiquated and most people hit various news sites on the net for the information) but this bitch can't answer a simple question of did you vote for Obama?
Doesn't Dundergan Slimes know that Dem voters are her base in Kentucky and they will blindly follow Obama into a black hole if they had to? Meaning, they likely won't care if she voted for him or not.
So stupid. She'll lose and it is her own damn stupid fault.
What's the matter, Chuck Todd shouldn't have reported this? Oh right, any left winger who isn't 100% in the tank for the DNC and Obama is a traitor.
7:44
DeleteHow interesting. I do believe the New York Times or The LA Times or the London Times or any of hundreds of newspapers (if not thousands) around the world might take issue with with your first paragraph. Besides, it IS a legitimate question because it gives the viewer a foundation of understanding why a candidate thinks such and such or so and so. The SOURCE of one's information can make a critical difference in how a person reacts.
Take your ignorance elsewhere, please.
Sorry, but the Couric interview of Palin brought out the fact she was no where near ready to be in a national office.
DeleteAnd, since then, many more facts came to the surface about her and her family members that will never allow her to be elected (or chosen to run) for any office on the national, state or local levels! Just for a starter, Alaska wants nothing to do w/her or her family!
She is inept and a fraud!
There's a big difference between these two women. One was plucked to hold the second most powerful position in the country, and couldn't name ONE thing she's read to prepare her to hold office. Couric did NOT lob "Gotcha questions" at Sarah Palin, and she SHOULD have.
DeleteI used to really like Chuck Todd-i thought he was well spoken and intelligent. I don't know when i noticed the change, probably around Obama's re-election campaign. Its been downhill for Chuckie since then.
ReplyDeleteAnd MTP thought they were getting something better than David Gregory and boost their ratings...i guess THAT was an epic fail.
-Ayerishgrl
Todd was showing this side when he was announcing from the White House. I've not trusted him for eons! He'll drive MTP into the cellar and we'll no longer see it on the air - betcha!
Delete7:51-
DeleteI totally agree. I think todd used to be "better" but something definitely changed.
"Grimes understood that she was standing in a minefield and she stepped cautiously."
ReplyDeleteGreat defense. Could have said the same thing for Palin in the Couric interview with her newspaper question. But the hypocrisy of the left knows no bounds. I mean, we're dealing with sheeple here.
See my response to 7:44, please.
DeleteI still wish Jon Stewart would have taken that gig. Todd is NOT the guy for the job.
ReplyDeleteChuck Todd is horrible and will eventually go down on his show!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed folks are asking Grimes if she voted for President Obama. It's none of their damned business. No one has to disclose how they voted for a damned thing and that's been the rule forever.
I stand w/her and hope to hell Kentuckians vote for her and get turtle face out of the U.S. Congress. All he has done is obstruct and degrade our POTUS!
The Republicans keep saying that polls show they will overtake the Senate, but remember how the polls showed Mitt Romney was going to win? Big failure and it will be again!
Americans are sick and tired of the white, fat assed Republicans currently serving in the U.S. Congress. It's way past time for young, new faces with fresh ideas that will work for Americans!
If he does what your first sentence says, it'll either get him fired or give him a raise.
DeleteCharley Turd, failed French Horn player, finds work as a political tool.
ReplyDeleteYour check is in the mail, Poop Boy.
I didn't watch because David Gregory pulled the same sloppy journalism and thought Chuck would do better, but apparently I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis question was a tightrope question for Grimes and she should have expected it, but then if your vote is supposedly private, why aren't journalists asked whom they voted for before interviewing candidates? I know the fear on her part was losing "independent" voters, but she'd have served herself better had she said yes, and here's a list of why ..... then spouting off half his accomplishments.
Maybe they'll pull the plug on MTP and try something new, different or at least funny. How about interviewing people while hooked up to a lie detector? Have the guests ask the host questions. or have discussions on the headlines in world papers.
Do anything but raise the bar on journalism because that's hard work.