After NBC News spent a week hyping President Obama's response to
Hurricane Sandy as a major boon for his re-election campaign, on
Thursday's Today, political director Chuck Todd completely dismissed Republicans citing the event as one reason for Mitt Romney's defeat: "Believe
it or not, that Sandy finger-pointing is something that is being pushed
around...when you look at the entire scope of this election and the
demographics...it's a pretty absurd idea."
Moments later, co-host Matt Lauer grilled former Mississippi Governor
Haley Barbour on some in the GOP being critical of New Jersey Governor
Chris Christie praising Obama's handling of the storm. Barbour
explained: "Hurricane Sandy saved Barack Obama's presidency....But
that's not Chris Christie's fault. Now, I do think the news media made a much bigger deal out of it, that made it sound like Christie was almost endorsing Obama. All Christie said was, is the President's trying to be a good partner."
Backing up Barbour's observation, from the day the storm hit on October 29, through the week that followed, a long list of NBC News hosts and reporters pushed Sandy as a big political win for Obama:
Morning Joe Duo: Hurricane Will Halt Romney’s Momentum, Make Obama Look Presidential [1]
NBC: Obama Shows 'Empathetic Side' After Sandy; Romney 'Trying to Balance' Storm and Campaign
[2]
NBC Touts Bloomberg Helping Obama, Wonders if Christie Hurting Romney [3]
NBC's Gregory Gushes Over 'Indelible Images' of Obama During Sandy; Is it an 'October Surprise'? [4]
Here is a portion of Todd's November 8 report:
7:13AM ET
(...)
CHUCK TODD: Meanwhile, Romney's loss has prompted hang-wringing and a blame game among Republicans.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Decision 2012: The Fallout; GOP Infighting Over Why Romney Lost Election]
CHARLIE COOK: I think it's going to be a circular firing squad for the next six months in the Republican Party.
TODD: Exit polls showed Republicans lost by a wide margin among Latinos, African-Americans, Asian Americans, and women.
RUSH LIMBAUGH: Don't tell me the Republican Party doesn't have
outreach, we do. But what are we supposed to do now? Are we supposed to –
in order to get the Hispanic or Latino vote, does that mean open the
borders and embrace the illegals? If we're not getting the female vote,
do we become pro-choice? Do we start passing out birth control pills? Is
that what we have to do?
COOK: If the Republican Party were a business, you would say that they have a flawed business model for the future.
TODD: And there are even a few Republicans quietly pointing a finger at
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for praising the President's
handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy last week.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: My activity with President Obama was just another
chapter in the leadership I've tried to show in this state, which is
people care more about getting things done than they care about
partisanship. And I'm going to continue to conduct myself that way.
TODD: Believe it or not, that Sandy finger-pointing is something that
is being pushed around, this idea among a lot of Republicans,
particularly close to the Romney campaign. But I'll tell you, when you
look at the entire scope of this election and the demographics, Matt,
it's a pretty absurd idea. This was almost exclusively about
demographics.
Here is a portion of Lauer's November 8 exchange with Barbour:
7:18AM ET
(...)
MATT
LAUER: Let me do this before I let you go, I really do want to get your
take, because I think you have a very interesting perspective. You were
governor of Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina comes – came through.
You know what you had to do in terms of working with the federal
government. A lot of heat on Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey,
for being seen touring his state with President Obama and praising his
leadership. In your opinion, did Governor Christie break some unwritten
rule?
HALEY BARBOUR: Look, the Governor, whether it's governor of Mississippi
or New Jersey, is supposed to do what's in the best interest of his
state and his people. And when you have a big disaster like this, a
governor knows that – not for the next few weeks or months, but for
years – the federal government's going to be their partner. You know,
it's very interesting to me, when I didn't criticize George Bush after
Katrina, the press attacked me for not criticizing, saying I was
partisan. I did just exactly what Chris Christie did, in this sense, I
was taught criticize in private – praise in public, but criticize in
private. And besides that, the federal government did a whole lot more
right than wrong. For Christie and for New Jersey, their relationship
with the federal government is just starting.
LAUER: So Chris Christie should not be held to blame for any part of this election loss on Mitt Romney in your opinion?
BARBOUR: Hurricane Sandy saved Barack Obama's presidency. It broke – it
broke the momentum that Romney had coming in at the end of October. But
that's not Chris Christie's fault. Now, I do think the news media made a
much bigger deal out of it, that made it sound like Christie was almost
endorsing Obama. All Christie said was, is the President's trying to be
a good partner.
LAUER: Governor Haley Barbour, it's nice to have you here, sir. I really appreciate your time this morning.
BARBOUR: Thank you, Matt.