The Today Show Blatant Bush Backer of the Day

[Chiyo-chichi]

Friday, December 02, 2005
installment #1 - SILENCE THE BUSH CRITIC

Yes, I watch the Today Show. Don’t ask me why.

Even though I only watch the first 15—30 minutes, and even though I’m always rushing to get ready for work and get my kids ready for school during that same time, I generally find some reason to yell at the hosts or reporters for their pro-Bush or pro-Republican bias. The worst occasion was during the ’04 campaign when, during a piece on Bush, the Today Show decided to insert 9-11 footage of New Yorkers fleeing smoke and debris of the Trade Center for NO APPARENT REASON other than to support Bush’s constant invocation of 9-11. There was no quote, no sound bite… nothing at all in that story about 9-11. It was nothing but a Today Show producer’s attempt to slip in a Bush commercial.

I’ve decided to start this thread where I will chronicle the Blatant Bush Backers who comprise the Today Show staff. If anyone cares, feel free to pile on.

Today’s Today Show Blatant Bush Backer of the Day is….. (drumroll, please)… KATIE COURIC!

Katie did a segment with CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer this morning. Katie stood in front of a “Holiday Rally” graphic. She told us that the Dow is flirting with 11,000, that personal income is up, and that new home sales & consumer confidence are up. Cramer pulled topics out of a Santa hat and commented on them. Along the way he encouraged people to buy Wal-Mart stock (but that was not the most egregious moment of the segment.)

Now, Cramer was trumpeting good economic news throughout this segment, but at the end he criticized Bush for not trumpeting it himself. Katie didn’t like it one bit. She talked over Cramer and all but put her hand over his mouth.

Here’s my transcript of the last part of the segment:

CRAMER
It’s a pretty good economy. The President is really in a bunker. It’s a pretty good story that he could tell, but he doesn’t seem to be that adept at it any more. But the economy’s growing… jobs are growing. I know, I sound like such a … I’m a gladhander for the economy right now.

KATIE (laughs, huge smile)
That’s OK.

CRAMER
Look, if it was bad, I’d be knocking it. But we’re in good shape. Job growth’s good, inflation’s coming under control. Don’t forget that housing bubble, we picked that first, that’s been pricked… It’s not bad out there, Katie. I… Look, believe me… I was a stock trader for years. I’d love to be gloomy if it would make me money. It won’t make me money!

KATIE
I think it’s great. OK, good. And you think President Bush is going to take advantage of this good news…(Notice I didn’t use a question mark. Her inflection was such that this was not fully a question. At best it was a leading question. “Of course you agree” was implied by her tone.)

CRAMER
Nah, I don’t think he knows how. I mean, he oughta give me a call…

KATIE
All right, OK. (stopping him. Katie continued to talk over Jim as he said…)

CRAMER
I mean, the guy is like… if you listen to him, it’s not good…

KATIE (still talking over him. Extends her hand toward him in a gesture indicating for him to stop.)
Thanks, Jim… thank you.. thank you, Jim Cramer.

I wish I could provide a link, but if you want to see it, you’ll have to go to the MSNBC/Today Show page (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3032633/)& search for the clip. Put “Jim Cramer” in the search box. Play the first hit, "Jim Crames Discusses the US Economy." It’s worth doing, if only for the look on Cramer’s face when Katie “asked” if Bush will take advantage of this good economic news. (Unfortunately, I can't snag the image, either.)


For talking over someone who deigned to express a negative opinion about her pal, George Bush, Katie Couric is today’s Today Show Blatant Bush Backer of the Day!