Kelly O'Donnell highlighted McCain's overseas trip “to pump his international image,” ignored misstatements, fundraiser

Written by Tom Allison

Published

In a report on Sen. John McCain, NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell referred to McCain's “statesman-in-waiting trip overseas last month to pump up his international image,” but did not note that, during the trip, McCain made the admittedly false claim, more than once, that “Al Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq.” O'Donnell also did not mention that the trip included a fundraiser in London.

On the April 2 edition of NBC's Today, during a report on how Sen. John McCain is spending his time on the campaign trail, Capitol Hill correspondent Kelly O'Donnell stated: "[J]ust how well has McCain done with his head start? McCain packs his schedule with fundraisers, but donations remain a fraction of the Democrats' haul. ... And there was that statesman-in-waiting trip overseas last month to pump up his international image." However, O'Donnell did not mention that during the “trip overseas” to “pump up his international image,” McCain made an admittedly false claim, more than once, that Iran was training Al Qaeda members to go back to fight in Iraq. It was only after Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who traveled with McCain, whispered something in his ear that McCain corrected himself, saying: “I'm sorry. The Iranians are training extremists, not Al Qaeda.” O'Donnell also did not note that the “statesman-in-waiting trip” included a fundraiser in London.

From the April 2 edition of NBC's Today:

O'DONNELL: But just how well has McCain done with his head start? McCain packs his schedule with fundraisers, but donations remain a fraction of the Democrats' haul.

VIN WEBER (Republican strategist): We have a job to do in the Republican Party to build that enthusiasm.

O'DONNELL: Going for big laughs and broader exposure, McCain stopped to see David Letterman last night.

McCAIN: You look like the guy who the neighbors later say, “He mostly kept to himself.”

O'DONNELL: And there was that statesman-in-waiting trip overseas last month to pump up his international image. At home, McCain still relies on a lean team and is just beginning to expand staff.