On Wednesday's Today show, NBC's Chuck Todd touted President Obama's
"swiftness" in dealing with the controversy surrounding General Stanley
McChrystal comments in Rolling Stone magazine as a "
commander-in-chief
moment," and hinted that it was a blessing in disguise, given the
executive's tanking approval ratings.
Todd led the 7 am Eastern hour with his report on the President
appointing General David Petraeus to replace General McChrystal, who was
relieved of command following the Rolling Stone interview. The NBC
White House correspondent remarked that with the Petraeus appointment,
"the President signaled to his team, no more firestorms like this one
will be tolerated." After playing a clip of Mr. Obama stating that he
"won't tolerate division," he continued that "the President's aides
don't expect there will be much division in the Senate, either, where
some are predicting Petraeus will have the fastest confirmation in
history, and the praise is bipartisan."
Later in the report, Todd used his "commander-in-chief moment" term
as he emphasized the apparent good timing of the controversy and
detailed the public's decreasing confidence in the President, according
to NBC's own poll:
TODD: Still, the swiftness of the President's action
is a commander-in-chief moment, at a time when the public is having
doubts about his ability. According to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal
poll, just 45 percent approve of the job he's doing as president.
Forty-four percent believe he's firm and decisive in his decision
making. That's down from 63 percent 18 months ago. And just under half
the country, 49 percent, believe he has strong leadership qualities.
That's down a whopping 21 points from the month he took office. And as
the list of domestic problems, like unemployment and the oil spill, pile
up on the President's desk, some say it was vitally important the
President buy time on Afghanistan.
An on-screen graphic further described that President Obama's
disapproval rating was at 48%, though the correspondent didn't
specifically mention this statistic.
Almost a day earlier, Todd
lauded the chief executive just as the Petraeus
appointment was being made: "Politically, in this town, it's going to be
seen as a brilliant choice by the President."
The full transcript of Chuck Todd's report from Thursday's Today
show:
MEREDITH VIEIRA: Let us begin with the change in command
in Afghanistan. Chuck Todd is NBC's chief White House correspondent.
Good morning, Chuck.
CHUCK TODD: Good morning, Meredith. Well, after a rare swift set of
personnel moves by this White House, the President is now back focused
on trying to make his complicated Afghanistan strategy work, rather than
fixated on who's going to implement it.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: This is a change in personnel, but it is not a
change in policy.
TODD (voice-over): With General Petraeus by his side, and General
McChrystal headed out a side door, the President signaled to his team,
no more firestorms like this one will be tolerated.
OBAMA: I've just told my national security team that now is the time
for all of us to come together. I welcome debate among my team, but I
won't tolerate division.
TODD: The President's aides don't expect there will be much division
in the Senate, either, where some are predicting Petraeus will have the
fastest confirmation in history, and the praise is bipartisan.
SENATOR CARL LEVIN: I admire him and others that respond to that kind
of a call from the President. I don't think he even had a chance to
talk to his wife.
SENATOR LINDSAY GRAHAM: Dave Petraeus is our best hope. If things
don't change, nobody can pull it out in Afghanistan.
TODD: But the hearings are expected to re-ignite the very divisive
debate among the two parties about the question of a timetable for
withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, scheduled to begin next July.
SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: Whether that is, quote- etched in stone, as the
President's spokesperson, Mr. Gibbs, stated, or whether it will be
conditions-based.
TODD: Still, the swiftness of the President's action is a
commander-in-chief moment, at a time when the public is having doubts
about his ability.
According to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, just 45% approve of
the job he's doing as president. Forty-four percent believe he's firm
and decisive in his decision making. That's down from 63% 18 months ago.
And just under half the country, 49%, believe he has strong leadership
qualities. That's down a whopping 21 points from the month he took
office. And as the list of domestic problems, like unemployment and the
oil spill, pile up on the President's desk, some say it was vitally
important the President buy time on Afghanistan.
RETIRED GENERAL BARRY MCCAFFREY: It does give the President cover and
a strategy, and it does buy him time. He's putting a leader out there
that will not be questioned.
TODD (live) Today, the focus stays on foreign affairs, as the
President meets with the president of another country who's familiar
with a quagmire-like situation in Afghanistan. Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev visits the White House today. The two will hold a joint press
conference, and Afghanistan is likely to come up, Matt.
MATT LAUER: All right. Chuck Todd at the White House this morning.
Chuck, thank you very much.
-Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You
can follow him on Twitter here.
