NBC Touts China Slamming U.S. 'Hypocrisy' on 'Torture'; Ignores Crackdown on Hong Kong Protests

Wrapping up a report on Friday's NBC Today about CIA Director John Brennan reacting to the Senate Democrats' "torture report" during a Thursday press conference, chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell highlighted: "The unveiling of the brutal tactics gave American adversaries a chance to accuse the U.S. of hypocrisy – on International Human Rights Day, no less."

Mitchell continued: "China and Russia mocked the U.S. for hypocrisy. China's state-run media saying, 'We advise the U.S. side to reflect on and correct its own human rights problems and stop their unwarranted attacks on China.'" That parroting of propaganda came as NBC ignored [1] China's totalitarian regime cracking down on democracy protests in Hong Kong on Thursday.

At the end of her report on Thursday's NBC Nightly News, Mitchell made sure to quote Russian talking points on U.S. "torture" tactics: "Tonight, that has given adversaries like Russia the chance to crow. Moscow is saying it is 'shocked' by 'gross...human rights violations by the American authorities.'"

Mitchell never bothered to point out the blatant hypocrisy of routine human rights abusers China and Russia trying to claim moral high ground.  

Only NBC thought the outlandish statements from America's detractors deserved air time, neither ABC nor CBS mentioned such international criticism during coverage of Brennan's press conference on Thursday and Friday.

Here is a full transcript of Mitchell's December 12 report on Today:

7:05 AM ET

MATT LAUER: In the wake of this week's damning torture report, the CIA's director is now vowing that the Agency is done using so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. NBC's Andrea Mitchell is in Washington with more on that story. Hi, Andrea.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: CIA Director Speaks Out; Defends Agency But Questions Some Tactics]

ANDREA MITCHELL: Hi, Matt, good morning. Well, John Brennan acknowledged mistakes but also forcefully rebutted some of the key conclusions of that Senate torture report, and he refused to do what President Obama has done, called what happened torture.

The secretive CIA opened its doors to reporters and cameras for its first live press conference as John Brennan tried to turn the page on that explosive Senate torture report.

JOHN BRENNAN: My fervent hope is that we can put aside this debate and move forward to focus on issues that are relevant to our current national security challenges.

MITCHELL: Calling the period after 9/11 "a difficult time," Brennan said CIA did a lot of things right to keep the country safe, but he admitted some of the tactics in the Agency's interrogation program were "abhorrent." Would they ever to use such brutal tactics – which he calls EITs for enhanced interrogation techniques, not torture – again?

MITCHELL [TO BRENNAN]: Waterboarding, near drowning, slamming people against the wall.

BRENNAN: We are not contemplating at all getting back into the detention program, using any of those EITs.

MITCHELL: But Brennan rejected the Senate's finding that these harsh practices did not help find Osama Bin Laden.

BRENNAN: It is our considered view that the detainees who were subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques provided information that was useful and was used in the ultimate operation to go against Bin Laden.

MITCHELL: From Capitol Hill, Senate Intelligence chair Dianne Feinstein offered a real-time rebuttal, live tweeting in part, "Study shows it IS knowable: CIA had info before torture. #ReadTheReport." Later, Feinstein issued a statement mostly praising Brennan, saying he "showed that CIA leadership is prepared to prevent this from ever happening again – which is all-important."

But there's already been damage done. The CIA director acknowledged what the President has also said, that foreign intelligence services and other allies are concerned about this report. Some Democrats have called for Brennan to be fired, but the President is defending him. While Brennan seeks to return the Agency to its clandestine roots.

BRENNAN: I think there's more than enough transparency that has happened over the last couple days. I think it's over the top.

MITCHELL: The unveiling of the brutal tactics gave American adversaries a chance to accuse the U.S. Of hypocrisy – on International Human Rights Day, no less. China and Russia mocked the U.S. for hypocrisy. China's state-run media saying, "We advise the U.S. side to reflect on and correct its own human rights problems and stop their unwarranted attacks on China." Matt.

LAUER: Alright, Andrea Mitchell in Washington. Andrea, as always, thanks very much.