On Monday's 
NBC Nightly News, correspondent Peter Alexander played up comments Mitt Romney made at a fund-raiser in Florida about cutting government programs as if the GOP presidential candidate's proposals were politically damaging, with the NBC correspondent asserting that Romney's remarks "out of the view of cameras have caused a stir." Alexander also suggested that the Romneys had been deceptive in their handling of Democratic strategist Hilary's Rosen's recent attack on Ann Romney as never having "worked a day in her life."
Alexander began his report:
The former Massachusetts governor was chatting up fans this afternoon in the Boston heat, but it was his comments during a private fund-raiser this weekend in Florida out of the view of cameras that have caused a stir. While he's resisted offering specifics publicly, Mitt Romney says one of his top priorities as President would be cutting the size of the federal government.
He continued:
But he revealed more details to donors Sunday, comments overheard by an NBC News producer standing in an area approved by police. Romney said he might cut, quote, "things like Housing and Urban Development, which my dad was head of. That might not be around later."
After noting a few more proposals by Romney eliminate tax deductions, the NBC correspondent tried to undermine the Romneys on the Hilary Rosen issue:
At the time, Romney supporters insisted they were offended, but this weekend, Mrs. Romney, who turned 63 today, cast the gaffe in political terms. "It was my early birthday present for someone to be critical of me as a mother," Mrs. Romney said, "and that was really a defining moment, and I loved it." Her husband called the episode a "gift."
-Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center