On Sunday night, NBC Nightly News covered First Lady Michelle Obama’s busy campaign schedule with just over one week to go until Election Day. Unfortunately, in their rush to play up her midterm efforts, the network ignored the Democrat’s numerous gaffes on the campaign trail.
Anchor Lester Holt introduced the report and noted how “First Lady Michelle Obama is taking on a key role that she's played before. She's going out on the campaign trail in hopes her high approval ratings can help Democrats maintain control of the Senate.”
The NBC anchor then turned to Kristen Welker, NBC News White House Correspondent, who pointed out that “with control of the Senate hanging in the balance, it’s been First Lady Michelle Obama heading into the closest Senate races while the president is largely sitting on the sidelines.”
Welker went on to declare that “with campaign stops this month in Iowa, Colorado, and Georgia, Democrats hope Michelle Obama will fire up the same coalition that swept her husband into the White House twice.”
While NBC was quick to detail Mrs. Obama’s extensive midterm campaigning, the network conveniently ignored two recent gaffes the First Lady made during campaign stops for Democratic candidates in Iowa and Colorado.
Two weeks ago [1], Mrs. Obama campaigned for Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) in his race for the United States Senate and repeatedly referred to the candidate as Bruce Bailey.
Just last week [2], the First Lady campaigned for Senator Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and got his biography wrong when she referred to the Colorado Democrat as a “fifth-generation Coloradan” when in fact Udall’s Republican challenger Cory Gardner is the fifth-generation Coloradan.
For her part, the NBC reporter did note that Republicans look poised to take control of the Senate but Welker made sure end the report by casting doubt on whether there was a GOP wave heading into the November election:
Now polls also show voters are fed up with both parties heading into this election. It is unclear whether they will punish the president and Democrats or if they’ll take out their frustration on incumbent candidates. The first lady stumps for the Governor of Connecticut on Thursday.
See relevant transcript below.
NBC Nightly News
October 26, 2014
LESTER HOLT: Back in this country, it’s now just nine days until Election Day and First Lady Michelle Obama is taking on a key role that she's played before. She's going out on the campaign trail in hopes her high approval ratings can help Democrats maintain control of the Senate. Here is NBC's Kristen Welker.
KRISTEN WELKER: With control of the Senate hanging in the balance, it’s been First Lady Michelle Obama heading into the closest Senate races while the president is largely sitting on the sidelines.
MICHELLE OBAMA: I want to see lines around the election polls. I want to see you all lined up.
WELKER: Campaigner in chief is the role her husband usually takes on but with his low approval ratings many Senate candidates are keeping their distance.
CAROLYN RYAN: First Ladies by definition have less baggage. They’re seen as less political.
WELKER: With campaign stops this month in Iowa, Colorado, and Georgia, Democrats hope Michelle Obama will fire up the same coalition that swept her husband into the White House twice.
RYAN: Two of the constituencies that the Democrats are targeting are women and African-Americans and that’s where they have her directing most of her efforts.
WELKER: Presidents in their sixth year in office are historically unpopular. A moment often returned to as the six year itch and it’s not clear that first ladies can swing the close races.
STUART ROTHENBERG: I can't think of a First Lady that has had a dramatic effect on an election. First ladies normally don’t turn a tide if there’s a tide out there.
WELKER: With nine day ‘til the midterms it’s down to the wire. An NBC News/Marist poll out today has Republicans inching closer to taking control of the Senate with single digit advantage in three of the hardest fought contests, Iowa, Colorado and Arkansas. North Carolina is a dead heat.
ROTHENBERG: There are a whole bunch of races that could go either way but given the national environment, the president's popularity the dissatisfaction among the voters, I would much rather be the Republican in each of these races than the Democrat.
WELKER: Now polls also show voters are fed up with both parties heading into this election. It is unclear whether they will punish the President and Democrats or if they’ll take out their frustration on incumbent candidates. The First Lady stumps for the Governor of Connecticut on Thursday. Lester?
HOLT: Kristen Welker, thank you.
— Jeffrey Meyer is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Jeffrey Meyer on Twitter. [3]