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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

In Defense of Andrea Mitchell

Posted by: Matt Lewis at 8:26 AM

As you probably heard, John McCain's campaign manager sent a tersely-worded missive to NBC News president Steve Capus, complaining about "unsubstantiated, partisan claims" made by NBC's Andrea Mitchell regarding the "cone of silence."

Following is Mitchell's controversial comment from Sunday's "Meet the Press":

"The Obama people must feel that he didn't do quite as well as they might have wanted to in that context, because that — what they're putting out privately is that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama.... He seemed so well-prepared."

In my estimation, Mitchell acted appropriately. She merely reported that the Obama campaign was making accusations -- which was no doubt true. Analysts (and bloggers, for that matter) are paid to report the behind-the-scenes grumblings of campaigns. But reporting something does not mean you endorse it or believe it.

My guess is the McCain campaign has other reasons for picking this fight. But in regards to this specific incident, I can't see where Mitchell did anything inappropriate ...

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Xrlq writes:	Tuesday, August, 19, 2008 10:59 AM
repeating someone's libel is still libel
Sorry, Matt, not buying it. By repeating unfounded accusations as though they were a viable theory, Mitchell has defamed McCain every bit as much as the Obama campaign did by cooking up the defamatory rumors in the first place. There is no "I'm just reprinting someone else's libel or repeating someone's else's slander" defense to a libel or slander charges. The only reason McCain can't sue Mitchell and her network is the same reason he can't sue the Obama campaign: McCain is a public figure, so it's almost impossible (legally, not factually) to defame him.
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sloandog writes:	Tuesday, August, 19, 2008 10:11 AM
Mitchell threw it against the wall
Just to see if it would stick.Some thing both camps are doing ,except Obama has the advantage of having the MSM in the bag and McCain's protest is just a brush back pitch to let Obama know where the line is drawn.It's going to get a lot worse than this but at least McCain now seems up to the task.
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ScarletPimpernel writes:	Tuesday, August, 19, 2008 9:51 AM
ridiculous
I thought they were paid to investigate whether it is true. So far, the old stream press just reports whatever the Dem/libs tell them to. Sorta like some TH paid bloggers.
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Roger writes:	Tuesday, August, 19, 2008 9:16 AM
Mitchell's comment
may have been legitimate, but one has to be sceptical. Given the way the MSM swoons over every flatulence from The Great Obama, the burden of proof is on her. It is true that she is "paid to report the behind-the-scenes grumblings of campaigns", but she also has an obligation to determine the facts before spreading rumors. Given the way the News Media buried the Edwards affair - which actually happened - but went front page about a rumored McCain affair - that didn't happen, sour grapes seems like a more plausible explanation than good reporting.
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Joe, Don't Hate Me 'Cause I'm Right writes:	Tuesday, August, 19, 2008 9:01 AM
Michael Moore starts to sweat
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/22249602/how_the _democrats_can_blow_it_in_six_easy_steps/print Acutally he probably sweats all the time, but now more than ever. He is worried about the Dems snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
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Joe, Don't Hate Me 'Cause I'm Right writes:	Tuesday, August, 19, 2008 8:32 AM
Andrea is in the bag for Obama
Which is why it was percieved as sour grapes immediately.
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