Yesterday on “MTP Daily,” host Chuck Todd had a senior advisor to the Clinton campaign as his guest. Todd was asking about the recent controversy over the Clinton Foundation, and Joel Benenson wasted no time letting the MSNBC host know that he was doing nothing more than parroting right-wing theories:
“Nobody, Democrat or Republican, raised a question about Neal Bush, the second President Bush’s brother, remaining on the board of the Points of Light foundation because these foundations are charitable organizations that are helping people who aren’t getting help from other places. What is going on here? We are so politicized that we’ll listen to fringe elements like Steve Bannon, and the stuff he’s peddling to Donald Trump.”
Todd replied:
“Joel, it was Democrats — people working for President Obama — that were concerned of the optics. As Dick Lugar said, it’s not about the good intentions of President Clinton and Secretary Clinton. But the person giving the money may think it gives them something regardless, and that’s a bad thing.”
Notice that Todd quoted Dick Lugar, the former Indiana Senator, who is a lifelong Republican. Benenson rightly steered the host in another direction:
“Let’s talk about transparency and openness and go down the block from your studio in New York, where Donald Trump owns a building a short walk from where I’m sitting. He’s in debt from banks in China, from Goldman Sachs. That is a clear conflict. This man is running for president and he’s saying he’ll just give the buildings to his kids.”
There are times when I think Chuck Todd is a passable representation of a journalist, but most of the time he’s just a whiny talking head who is attempting to play ball in the big leagues. And he keeps striking out.
Featured Image Via MSNBC Screengrab
