NBC Provides Gauzy Puff Piece on First Family, Obama's 'Strongest Base of Support'
On Wednesday's NBC Today, correspondent Andrea Mitchell provided a gushing profile of the First Family winning four more years in the White House: "Obama's
family is key to his success....Like the Kennedys, the Obamas swept
into their first term on the promise of hope....And now with four more
years ahead, the First Family continues to be the President's strongest
base of support." [Listen to the audio]
Set to various musical scores, Mitchell's report looked at the Obamas
and past first families: "For generations of Americans, the Kennedy
White House is the iconic standard for the First Family. Young and
beautiful, their two-child home represented a timely American
portrait....Ron [Reagan] was a striking contrast to his father's rugged
conservative image, making headlines with a risque appearance on Saturday Night Live."
Turning back to the Obamas, Mitchell gushed over the First Lady: "Mrs. Obama has delivered as a motivated campaigner in the battle against childhood obesity and promoting the cause of military families." Following the taped segment, Mitchell told co-host Savannah Guthrie: "In their first term, the Obama children were protected from overexposure. That is easier to do when the girls were younger. But now the President has to deal with something that all parents can relate to, adolescence."
Here is a full transcript of the November 7 report:
8:13AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Back now at 8:13, and with President Obama winning
re-election, what can we expect from the First Family over the next four
years? NBC's Andrea Mitchell is back with more that. Andrea, good
morning again.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The 2012 First Family; How Will 4 More Years Impact the Obama Legacy?]
ANDREA
MITCHELL: Good morning again to you. And for the privilege of living at
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the residents of the White House endure
intense spotlight and publicity, but they can often serve as one of the
President's best assets. The family is an effective connection to the
voting public.
It's pursuit costs almost a billion dollars, and now the most exclusive
house in the world will be home to the Obamas for four more years.
Early this morning, President Obama began his victory celebration with
his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha on stage with him.
Their appearance was brief but significant. Like all presidents, Obama's
family is key to his success. For generations of Americans, the Kennedy
White House is the iconic standard for the First Family. Young and
beautiful, their two-child home represented a timely American portrait.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Sort of a sense of hope was always depicted and
portrayed by those many, many photographs of the children playing.
MITCHELL: As the space age took off, Jackie Kennedy stood at the
forefront of the worlds of fashion and arts and culture. Her grace
softened the hard edge of some of President Kennedy's toughest
adversaries, like the Soviet Union's Nikita Khrushchev. In the tragedy
of her husband's death, Jackie Kennedy's strength led the country
through its grief, her son providing a heart-rending tribute, more
eloquent than any choice of words.
Other first families have found themselves in the thick of both policy and symbolism.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I just want to thank you for making kids say no to drugs.
MITCHELL: Nancy Reagan championed the anti-drug "Just Say No" campaign.
Her son Ron was a striking contrast to his father's rugged conservative
image, making headlines with a risque appearance on Saturday Night Live.
As First Lady, Hillary Clinton led a bold attempt at health care
reform. Her daughter Chelsea served as a steady presence through the
highs and lows of eight years in office. Away from the political arena,
the first families have always provided welcome opportunities to see the
commander-in-chief as just a husband and a dad.
MITCHELL: Like the Kennedys, the Obamas swept into their first term on
the promise of hope. Mrs. Obama has delivered as a motivated campaigner
in the battle against childhood obesity and promoting the cause of
military families. And now with four more years ahead, the First Family
continues to be the President's strongest base of support.
MICHELLE OBAMA: When we sit down to dinner, he is there for me, he is
there for Sasha and Malia and he's there as a dad and that's one of the
many reasons why I love him so much.
MITCHELL: In their first term, the Obama children were protected from
overexposure. That is easier to do when the girls were younger. But now
the President has to deal with something that all parents can relate to,
adolescence. Savannah.
GUTHRIE: Teenagers. Andrea Mitchell...
MITCHELL: Teenagers.
GUTHRIE: ...thank you so much.
