On Sunday’s Nightly News, Kristen Welker, NBC News White House Correspondent, scolded the GOP over their criticism of the Obama administration’s handling of the Ebola crisis.
The NBC reporter maintained that “with public fears spreading faster than the disease itself, some Republican candidates eyeing wins in the upcoming midterm elections are stoking public fears.”
The segment began with anchor Lester Holt declaring “now to the decision to add a military response to the Ebola threat in the U.S. as the debate intensifies over some drastic measures being proposed, all in the context of the impending midterm elections.”
The NBC anchor then turned to Welker to frame the debate as a GOP who is “stoking public fears” versus an Obama administration that is trying to calm the public:
KRISTEN WELKER: The Obama administration hoping to avoid more scenes like this one, today announced the military is preparing a 30-person team of nurses, doctors, and infectious disease experts who could be dispatched on short notice in the U.S. But Republicans and some Democrats continue to insist the president hasn't done enough and should impose a ban on travel from the effected countries.
TED CRUZ: The biggest mistake that continues to be made is we continue to allow open commercial air flights.
WELKER: The Obama administration counters that a travel ban will only make matters worse.
ANTHONY FAUCI: The fact is it would be very, very difficult if you lost control of easily tracking people.
The NBC reporter continued to promote the idea that Republicans are trying to scare the public over Ebola as the midterm election approaches:
On Meet the Press today, Republican Senator Roy Blunt acknowledged some of his party's rhetoric has been over the top but said the president also shares the blame.
Welker then played a clip of President Obama scolding the GOP and proclaimed that he “was back on the trail today for Maryland’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate where he brushed aside the criticism.”
Welker concluded her report by speaking to Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the political newsletter the Rothenberg Political Report, who argued that GOP-created public fear over Ebola might hurt Democrats in November:
It’s more front page hysteria. A sense that things aren't going well in the country. Maybe that the president isn't in charge. That’s a bad environment for Democrats running.
See relevant transcript below.
NBC Nightly News
October 19, 2014
LESTER HOLT: Now to the decision to add a military response to the Ebola threat in the U.S. as the debate intensifies over some drastic measures being proposed, all in the context of the impending midterm elections. NBC’s Kristen Welker has that part of the story.
KRISTEN WELKER: The Obama administration hoping to avoid more scenes like this one, today announced the military is preparing a 30-person team of nurses, doctors, and infectious disease experts who could be dispatched on short notice in the U.S. But Republicans and some Democrats continue to insist the president hasn't done enough and should impose a ban on travel from the effected countries.
TED CRUZ: The biggest mistake that continues to be made is we continue to allow open commercial air flights.
WELKER: The Obama administration counters that a travel ban will only make matters worse.
ANTHONY FAUCI: The fact is it would be very, very difficult if you lost control of easily tracking people.
WELKER: With public fears spreading faster than the disease itself, some Republican candidates eyeing wins in the upcoming midterm elections are stoking public fears.
BLAKE FARENTHOLD: Every outbreak novel or zombie movie you see starts with somebody from the government sitting in front of a panel like this saying there is nothing to worry about.
WELKER: On Meet the Press today, Republican Senator Roy Blunt acknowledged some of his party's rhetoric has been over the top but said the president also shares the blame.
ROY BLUNT: Now this health concern is more real than it would be if there wasn't a sense that the government is just not being managed in a way that people would want it to be managed.
WELKER: The president has admitted there have been mistakes, and on Friday appointed Washington insider Ron Klain to coordinate the response. He also canceled two campaign trips this past week to deal with the issue but was back on the trail today for Maryland’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate where he brushed aside the criticism.
BARACK OBAMA: The only play they’ve got right now is to make you so afraid, so discouraged, to tell you, to remind you everything that’s not working right. That’s their plan is to just make people feel like government can’t work.
WELKER: Still Ebola could be one more challenge as Democrats fight to keep the Senate.
STUART ROTHENBERG: It’s more front page hysteria. A sense that things aren't going well in the country. Maybe that the president isn't in charge. That’s a bad environment for Democrats running.
WELKER: Klain, that point person has begun meetings at the White House and officially starts this week. Meantime the 30-person medical support team will start training in about a week. The administration stressing there are no plans for them to be dispatched overseas. Lester.
HOLT: Kristin Welker tonight, thanks.
— Jeffrey Meyer is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Jeffrey Meyer on Twitter. [1]