Meet The Press’s Chuck Todd defended his attack on Alison Lundergan Grimes by calling it “political reality.” Todd’s defense centered around his belief that he is smarter than his critics.
Nine days ago Todd appeared on Morning Joe, and claimed that Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes had disqualified herself from office because she refused to say who she voted for in 2012, “Even to say you regret your vote would almost be as disingenuous, but that is if Kentuckians expect her to cast a tough vote on anything. Is she ever going to answer a tough question on anything? You want to be a U.S. Senator? If you can’t say, if you can’t find a way to stand behind your party’s president. You can disagree with him, but you can’t answer that basic question, and come across looking that ridiculous. I think she just disqualified herself.”
Todd’s attack on Grimes became the centerpiece of a McConnell campaign ad:
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A credible journalist might view the McConnell ad as a sign that they crossed the line, but not Chuck Todd.
During a recent Facebook Q & A, Todd first used the excuse of the talentless:
The call them like I see them excuse is the favorite tactic of the talentless. The proclamation of honesty is a tactic that people who are dishonest and untalented frequently turn to. Real analysis involves depth and thinking. The call it like I see it defense is an excuse for those who try to pass off opinion as fact.
Todd also let the world know that he is the judge of political reality:
When you think Chuck Todd is being biased, he is just describing political reality. Todd’s answer makes it clear that he thinks anyone who disagrees with him doesn’t get “political reality.” Political perceptions are subjective. Voting and democratic participation are influenced by subjective opinions that each person holds.
There is no such thing as a uniform political reality. Politics is dynamic. The political world is constantly changing as events unfold. There is no static reality. Chuck Todd was defending his electioneering for Mitch McConnell based on the belief that he is superior to regular people. Chuck Todd has been gifted insight into “political reality.” Everyone who criticizes him, just doesn’t get it.
The real reason Todd is trying to help McConnell is that he is part of the D.C. media’s symbiotic relationship with powerful politicians. Todd needs to suck up to the powerful because he is so lost in the Beltway political culture that he can’t see why Kentucky voters would want to dump Mitch McConnell.
Todd’s obliviousness to the world outside of D.C. is why he won’t be able to turn around Meet The Press. Viewers rejected David Gregory for being an arrogant inside the Beltway host, and they are doing the same to Chuck Todd.
Chuck Todd isn’t a journalist. What’s dangerous is that he plays one on TV.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
