On Today, Lauer and Gregory discussed Pelosi's "PR" problem over plane, not that media, GOP are causing it
Referring to the Republican accusation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has requested a much larger military aircraft to fly her between her home district and Washington, D.C., than prior Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) had used, co-host Matt Lauer suggested on the February 8 edition of NBC's Today that both Pelosi and Republicans are "spin[ning]" on the issue but then asked NBC chief White House correspondent David Gregory: "[D]oes it just look bad [for Pelosi] from a PR standpoint?" Apparently ignoring the media's role in reporting baseless, often anonymous GOP allegations on the subject, Gregory responded: "Well, I think that's the problem." Then, without offering any examples of impropriety on the part of Pelosi, Gregory added: "This is a Democratic leader who is promising to clean up Washington."
As Media Matters for America has noted, NBC News correspondent Mike Viqueira reported that the "recommendation to Pelosi is that she have a plane that can get her to San Francisco nonstop," but that there is "no evidence" Pelosi had actually requested a Boeing 757 aircraft, a C-32 (the military version of the 757), or any other specific aircraft, as Republicans have reportedly alleged. Viqueira added that Pelosi said that, if she could not get a nonstop plane, she would "rather fly commercial ... without all the security."
Subsequently, a February 8 National Review Online article posted at 2:12 p.m. titled "Pelosi Air" quoted House Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX) claiming that if Today covered the Pelosi story, then it must be important:
In response to Pelosi's accusations, House Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling told National Review Online: "I don't think that's the case. The American people know government waste and extravagance when they see it, and Speaker Pelosi is dealing with the repercussions of that."
Hensarling added: "The Today Show wouldn't be broadcasting this to millions of American families unless it resonated. Requesting such a special plane, one that is typically used by the president, vice president, and secretary of State, is rather disingenuous after campaigning for a year on fiscal responsibility and the most moral congress in history."
From the February 8 edition of NBC's Today:
LAUER: Hey, David, before I let you go, let's talk about the size of the plane that Nancy Pelosi has requested from the Pentagon. Depending on the spin you want to believe here -- either -- either the speaker says it's to travel efficiently back and forth to her home district, the Republicans are saying it's an abuse of power. Either way, does it just look bad from a PR standpoint?
GREGORY: Well, I think that's the problem. This is a Democratic leader who's promising to clean up Washington. It's worth remembering post-9-11 the House Speaker gets private air travel by the Air Force to go back to his or her home district. Dennis Hastert went back to Chicago. Nancy Pelosi's going back to San Francisco. She wants the ability to be able to go direct and not have to refuel along the way and have some family members travel with her. None of that is -- is untoward, but the Air Force is saying, the military is saying, "Look, we can't guarantee you a 757," which is essentially what she wants. It depends on availability. The Republicans are saying, "Look, bottom line here, this is more than just efficiency, this is extravagance."
LAUER: Right, and if you were a PR firm, you know, kind of giving guidance to the speaker, you'd probably say, "Take the refueling stop and smile, right?"
GREGORY: Right, right. And it's something she's going to have to grapple with, I think, in the days to come.
Completely non-issue...and likely completely fabricated.
Not to mention, if if were up to the Republicans, Pelosi would be on a Greyhound. The fact that Republicans have the stones to even mention extravagance is nauseating. The current state of our media is pathetic.
Phyllo,
Tell the truth now,
it should be a non- issue but the Speaker is wrong in this one. just take a refuel stop and be done with it.
She is elected after all and not royalty, right?
Tell it to the House sargeant-at-arms. He's the one who made the request, not Pelosi.
" something she's going to have to grapple with, I think, in the days to come."
What exactly is she to grapple with? There's nothing there.
Except for the pure stupidity and gullibility of the msm. Even the most minimilist research shows only baseless republican allegations. What's interesting is that if the spin machine can get the msm to report the allegations and endlessly opine about the allegations, the proof of the allegations are in the reporting of the allegations. Yeah now there's something to grapple with.
Its apparent that NBC and all of the MSM are going with a non story and trying to make it into a story. Who the hell is responsible for vetting these "reports" before they make the air waves? Apparently no one. It is really sad that "news" for the msm is nothing more than half truths and one sided, usually the Republacts side of the story.
In the New York Times it is reported that: "Bill Livingood, sergeant-at-arms, said in a statement that the practice began with Mr. Hastert, and that he requested that Mrs. Pelosi receive similar security travel arrangements, and that he was the one who asked for her travel to be on nonstop flights. “I regret that an issue that is exclusively considered and decided in a security context has evolved into a political issue,'’ Mr. Livingood said.
Should not the msm also have included this information that would show that this issue that the Speaker of the House has to deal with now has nothing to do with what she wants in the first place.
I hope this doesn't put a wrench into 'Where in the Hell is Matt?.'
This is digusting. But I must commend NBC Nightly News later that day for airing Speaker Pelosi's response and Brian Williams clarifying that the accusations came from Republicans without any basis in fact. As well as clarifying that the inquiry about the jet was from the House Sgt at Arms and not Pelosi. Didn't hear anything like that on any other news outlet except Keith Olbermann
When we can not get the republican's to talk about the war where our soldiers are getting killed every day they want to change the subject and are happy to talk all day long.
I hope it bits them in the ass
Shame on David Gregory for buying into this crap and not looking into the truth. I guess he really just wants to be a fluffer like Matt Lauer (who no one with a brain takes seriously unless its a cookie recipe) instead of a hard news guy. Too bad he's flushing any credibility he had appearing on the today show, hope the paychecks worth it Dave!!