The Democratic Party in Pennsylvania should be sending MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell a basket of mini-muffins for her deft handling of a potentially devastating gaffe one week before the mid-term elections.
Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA), Chariman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party, was on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell this morning. He was explaining how the Philadelphia machine was working to ensure Joe Sestak’s victory in the closely watched Senate race in Pennsylvania. Ms Mitchell asked, “What is the secret here to turn out? In the old days, the old machine days, what we called ‘walking around money,’ handing out money to get people to vote. Is it still the case? What do you do, what is the magic in Philadelphia?”
Rep. Brady (who looks and sounds like he came right out of central casting for the part of shady, party boss) shockingly acknowledged that the cash-on-the-streets strategy is not an antiquity but still part of the Democratic Machine’s playbook in 2010: “We still have the street money and we’re very knowledgeable,” he said.
Rather than follow-up on this damaging revelation, Ms. Mitchell continued on with her scripted questions for several minutes until the very end when she decided to follow-up on the inflammatory statement. But, instead of trying to nail him and make him squirm (as one would expect a reporter to do with a politician in the midst of a serious gaffe) she threw him a safety line.
Why the delay in following-up on that statement? Is it possible Ms. Mitchell had a little suggestion planted in her ear by a producer who saw what kind of damage Rep. Brady had just done?
Does anybody believe Ms. Mitchell or any of her colleagues at MSNBC would have force-fed a clarification like this from a Republican Party official who just announced that they plan on getting out the vote with lots of “walking around money”?
Another banner day for journalism at the official network of the Democratic Party. Lean forward, indeed.