On Friday's The Daily Rundown on MSNBC, host Chuck Todd posed this question to guests Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post and Jonathan Martin of Politico: "Is this the single best week in the Obama re-election effort?"
Todd elaborated on his hyperbolic question by announcing: "The argument I've already heard from team Obama is yesterday that they were giddy that the first line of attack from team Romney [against Newt Gingrich] was Paul Ryan." Todd explained: "So they're sitting there going this is great because Romney is moving to the right to try to stop Newt. And so, even if he becomes the nominee, he's got like a longer path back."
Cillizza agreed and added: "Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, all those states have lots of older voters. Where if you start talking about fundamentally reforming Medicare [as the Ryan plan calls for], we've seen what's happened in the past."
Earlier in the exchange, Martin asserted that the Obama campaign attacks against Romney "have had some real impact."
Cillizza concluded: "I think it's a good week for Obama." Answering his own question, Todd excitedly proclaimed: "I agree. It's been their best week, perhaps in two years....And they haven't done anything. Right? It's just been Republican on Republican crime."
On Friday's Today, Todd puffed up Obama [1] by remarking on how the President would "love" to debate Republicans on foreign policy in the wake of the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
Here is a transcript of the December 9 exchange:
9:20AM ET
(...)
CHUCK TODD: Let me ask you this. Is this the single best week in the Obama re-election effort?
JONATHAN MARTIN [POLITICO]: Look, I think it is fair to say that their efforts, since that Dartmouth debate in October, to take down Mitt have had some real impact. And, yeah, they would obviously prefer to run against Newt Gingrich. Although, I think they have been sort of caught, like a lot of folks have, surprised at Newt's surge here.
TODD: But the argument I've already heard from team Obama is yesterday that they were giddy that the first line of attack from team Romney...
CHRIS CILLIZZA [THE WASHINGTON POST]: Paul Ryan
TODD: ...was Paul Ryan. That of all the-
CILLIZZA: Yeah. Oh, no question. No question.
JONATHAN MARTIN: It's a great day.
TODD: So they're sitting there going this is great because Romney is moving to the right...
MARTIN: Outflanking-
TODD: ...to try to stop Newt. And so, even if he becomes the nominee, he's got like a longer path back.
MARTIN: And on immigration, too.
CHRIS CILLIZZA: And I would say, on an issue – on an issue with Medicare that Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, all those states have lots of older voters. Where if you start talking about fundamentally reforming Medicare, we've seen what's happened in the past.
TODD: Though, some national Republicans say, "You know what? If you just bring it back to ObamaCare," that if you fight back on the Ryan plan with ObamaCare...
CILLIZZA: Maybe, Chuck, maybe. But we know...
TODD: ...that you Neutralize it. That that's how you have to say it, you have to call it that. But that that's how you fight it.
CILLIZZA: We know what the danger of talking about fundamentally reforming Medicare does politically. We don't know if the answer works yet.
TODD: No, we don't.
CILLIZZA: But we certainly know part A, and that's why I think it's a good week for Obama.
TODD: I – look, I agree. It's been their best week, perhaps in two years.
CILLIZZA: Best of not a lot of good ones.
TODD: And they haven't done anything. Right? It's just been Republican on Republican crime.
MARTIN: Somebody else – somebody else helping them out.
CILLIZZA: Yeah.
(...)
- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here [2] to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.