On the September 14 edition of NBC's Today, co-host Matt Lauer asked why Democrats -- when faced with the argument that Republicans will “make you safer” -- “haven't come up with a better answer than, 'That's not a fair comment.' ” But Lauer entirely ignored the fact that, a week earlier, Senate Democrats had unveiled the "Real Security Act of 2006," which Democratic aides described as “a detailed homeland security and anti-terrorism package ... that significantly expands the size of U.S. special forces units used to track and combat terrorists, while also establishing a comprehensive transportation security plan and implementing the remaining security recommendations of the 9/11 commission,” according to Roll Call. Indeed, neither Lauer nor NBC's Nightly News has reported on the plan at all since the Democrats' September 7 announcement. Moreover, Lauer and Today previously ignored the national security platform released by the Democrats in March, as Media Matters for America noted.

On September 14, Lauer hosted a political discussion with Democratic strategist James Carville and conservative radio host Michael Smerconish. He first asked Smerconish if the Republicans' argument that they are stronger on national security will prove effective in the upcoming midterm elections. Smerconish replied by criticizing congressional Democrats, who he claimed “have not articulated an alternative plan,” despite the fact that Americans “are dissatisfied with this president and the administration.” Lauer then asked Carville to comment on the perception that “Democrats can't get their act together.” Carville predicted that the Democrats will “get a little more focused” on national security issues as the election nears. Lauer responded by affirming Smerconish's earlier claim that no substantive Democratic plan exists, asking Carville:

LAUER: I know. But on this particular issue of “Can we make you safer?” “Can we” -- you know -- “can we win the war on terror or can the Democrats?” Why haven't the Democrats come up with a better answer than, “That's not a fair comment?”

Carville countered that “there are a number of things they have talked about,” noting Democratic positions on port security, energy independence, and the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, among others. Indeed, Democrats have rolled out several national security proposals in the past year that, as Media Matters repeatedly noted, news outlets such as NBC have elected to ignore or underreport. The most recent is Senate Bill 3875 -- the “Real Security Act of 2006” -- introduced by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (NV) on September 7.

Following is an excerpt from the Democrats' press release announcing the legislation:

The Real Security Act of 2006 marks a major change from status quo Bush Republican policies that have left America less safe than it must be. Unveiled against the backdrop of a new White House media offensive, the legislation spells out the tough AND smart path to make America more secure and to deal more effectively with threats that confront America at home and abroad. From the Levin-Reed proposal to change course in Iraq, to the NSA domestic surveillance program, to bringing terrorists to justice in a manner consistent with the recent Supreme Court Hamdan decision, the Real Security Act of 2006 replaces the years of Bush Republican tough but empty rhetoric with a major investment in the tools our nation needs to give the American people the Real Security they deserve.

A September 7 Roll Call article (subscription required) described the plan's specifics:

Senate Democratic leaders will introduce a detailed homeland security and anti-terrorism package today that significantly expands the size of U.S. special forces units used to track and combat terrorists, while also establishing a comprehensive transportation security plan and implementing the remaining security recommendations of the 9/11 commission, Senate Democratic aides said Wednesday.

[...]

Today's Democratic proposal “builds on the 'Real Security Platform'” unveiled by House and Senate leaders earlier this year and is a “full soup-to-nuts way to fight the war on terror,” said a second Democratic aide familiar with the plan.

According to these aides, the Democratic plan will include the long-languishing intelligence authorization bill that was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee earlier this year, as well as an Iraq contracting proposal sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.); increased funding for democratization and outreach programs in the Middle East and other parts of the Islamic world; and two sense of the Senate provisions calling for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and for a continuation of federal wiretapping and financial tracking efforts so long as they comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

As for the issue of tribunals for Guantanamo Bay detainees, the Democratic bill will include a sense of the Senate provision endorsing the Armed Services Committee's bipartisan efforts to draft a tribunal system more in line with [Sen. John] McCain's [R-AZ] positions than those of the White House.

But despite the fact that Senate Democratic leaders had announced this detailed plan exactly a week earlier -- and re-emphasized it on September 13 -- Lauer suggested that the Democratic message on national security amounts to nothing more than recurring complaints about Republican tactics. Moreover, a Nexis search of both Today and Nightly News transcripts found that these NBC News programs have entirely ignored the Senate Democrats' proposal since the September 7 announcement.

When Democrats unveiled their new national security platform in March -- "Real Security: Protecting America and Restoring Our Leadership in the World" -- NBC similarly ignored the development, and Lauer repeatedly allowed his conservative and Republican guests to suggest that the Democrats have no “agenda” on the issue, as Media Matters noted.

After discussing recent comments by House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and public opinion of the Iraq war with Smerconish and Carville, Lauer announced the “lightning round” of the segment and asked his guests their opinions of the new season of CBS' Survivor and the recent separation of entertainers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown.

From the September 14 edition of NBC's Today:

LAUER: Let's talk about this strategy. Because it's worked for the Republicans in the past -- the “we can make you safer” idea. I mean, is this gonna work again, Michael?

SMERCONISH: Well, I think that the shortcoming on the part of the Democrats is that they have not articulated an alternative plan. The mood is restless out there in the country. Folks are dissatisfied with this president, with the administration, but they have not yet heard an alternative from the Democratic Party. Who's the spokesman? What's the plan?

LAUER: He's saying if you ever had an opportunity -- if you ever had an opportunity --

SMERCONISH: It's now.

LAUER: -- to take advantage of it, it's now. And the Democrats can't get their act together.

CARVILLE: Well, I mean -- first of all, we're in the middle of an election season, and we're a congressional party, and this NBC poll that everybody's out of breath -- because the president's up three points or whatever it is -- shows the Democrats among likely voters have an 11-point lead in the congressional election. So, some people are making decisions out there. Can the Democrats get a little more focused here? I think they will. I think that -- I think that as it unfolds, you're gonna see more specificity from them.

LAUER: I know. But on this particular issue of “can we make you safer?” “Can we” -- you know -- “can we win the war on terror or can the Democrats?” Why haven't the Democrats come up with a better answer than, “That's not a fair comment?”

CARVILLE: No, I think they have come up with a fair -- I think they've talked about implementing the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission. I think they have talked about port security. I think Democrats have brought any number of ideas on the table how we can get -- can lessen the mess we in in Iraq. I think Democrats have talked about the need for energy independence and how it affects us. I think Democrats have talked about cooperation and reaching out to other nations. So there are a number of things that they have talked about, Matt.

[...]

LAUER: All right, let me end on lighter subjects. This is my lightning round, you get like two seconds each on these answers, OK?

SMERCONISH: Oh boy.

LAUER: New season premier of Survival [sic], OK? They've separated the tribes by race and ethnicity. Good marketing or racism?

SMERCONISH: I've been going on in the prize fighting game for a long, long time. Heavyweight contest, black and a white, lot of interest. It's the same.

LAUER: James?

CARVILLE: Ah, you know, I don't -- I've never watched the show so I'll let it go.

LAUER: Come on. You know what it's about. Do you think it's a good --

CARVILLE: I know what it's about. I think -- I don't think it's very wise.

LAUER: All right, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown calling it quits. Is it the end of all fairy tales, James?

CARVILLE: Hold up.

LAUER: No?

CARVILLE: No, no.

LAUER: No, there'll be more?

CARVILLE: No, no. There must be better than that.

LAUER: Michael?

SMERCONISH: Britney Spears ended all fairy tales.