Andrea Mitchell: GOP Would 'Sully' Susan Rice with 'False Flags'

Cross posted to the MRC's NewsBusters blog

On her eponymous afternoon program, MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell on Monday fretted that Republicans would "try to sully" former Obama administration official Susan Rice over the Benghazi scandal and the Mike Flynn investigation as she covered for her by declaring that it would be a "complete false flag" to hit her over those issues.

She also only vaguely touched on the controversy around California Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass's history of expressing pro-Fidel Castro sentiments while not getting into the specifics.

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Mitchell brought up the topic of Biden's search for a running mate with NBC News correspondent Mike Memoli, who began by vaguely recalling:

MIKE MEMOLI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I think the candidate that we saw on the defensive the most was, of course, Karen Bass. … The vetting began a little bit later, and we're seeing obviously some of the issues coming out -- her past comments -- her travels to Cuba, first and foremost among them. Republicans -- the Trump campaign seizing on them over the weekend. Also questions about remarks she gave at a Church of Scientology event in her district.

He soon brought up Biden's relationship with Rice and the possibility that he would choose her:

And then, of course, Susan Rice, you know, Andrea, the relationship there that they forged in the Obama White House so critical. They worked in the trenches together, but the question there is how much of a campaign issue they allow to be brought in, the issues of Benghazi and, of course, the unmasking debate which the President and his team have really wanted to jumpstart the conversation.

Mitchell preemptively defended Rice as she responded: "Well, the unmasking debate was a complete false flag, but -- and as well as Benghazi -- but she has not run for elected office, but they will try to -- they will try to sully anyone who is chosen of course."

The MSNBC host soon turned to contributor Michael Steele and vaguely alluded to Bass's Cuba controversy as she asked if she would be hurt by it in Florida:

MITCHELL: And, Michael, how seriously do you think they should take concerns about Florida reacting to Karen Bass's -- not her more recent background because there was a huge congressional delegation on that trip with Kerry for Obama for normalization with the flag opening of the embassy -- but back in the '70s and some of her comments about Fidel Castro? How seriously concerned should they be about how that would impact Florida?

By contrast, on Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace actually showed viewers a quote of Bass praising Fidel Castro in 2016 after the former communist dictator passed away, calling it a "great loss" for Cuba.

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This episode of Andrea Mitchell Reports was sponsored by Kardia Mobile and Sleep Number. Their contact information is linked.

Below is a transcript of the relevant portions of the Monday, August 3, Andrea Mitchell Reports on MSNBC:

12:19 p.m. Eastern

ANDREA MITCHELL: I want to ask you, from our reporting at the end of the week, it seemed to be (Kamala) Harris, (Susan) Rice, and Karen Bass moving up, What is your take after this weekend about the strengths of each and potential drawbacks?

MIKE MEMOLI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I think the candidate that we saw on the defensive the most was, of course, Karen Bass. She was late to the vice presidential search process. The vetting began a little bit later, and we're seeing obviously some of the issues coming out -- her past comments -- her travels to Cuba, first and foremost among them. Republicans -- the Trump campaign seizing on them over the weekend. Also questions about remarks she gave at a Church of Scientology event in her district. Kamala Harris, of course, has always been the betting favorite since even before both individuals got into the vice presidential race.

There's a seeming natural chemistry between them -- a relationship that goes back. But the test that's being applied not just to Kamala Harris, but to everyone in this process, is a question of whether or not they can be seen as a team player. We've seen questions raised about her ambition from Biden that's provoked charges of sexism. The campaign very concerned about that, and we saw the campaign manager weigh in saying all women of ambition win and that the former Vice President will choose somebody who is an ambitious woman in the end.

And then, of course, Susan Rice, you know, Andrea, the relationship there that they forged in the Obama White House so critical. They worked in the trenches together, but the question there is how much of a campaign issue they allow to be brought in, the issues of Benghazi and, of course, the unmasking debate which the President and his team have really wanted to jumpstart the conversation.

MITCHELL: Well, the unmasking debate was a complete false flag, but -- and as well as Benghazi -- but she has not run for elected office, but they will try to -- they will try to sully anyone who is chosen of course.

(…)

MITCHELL: And, Michael, how seriously do you think they should take concerns about Florida reacting to Karen Bass's -- not her more recent background because there was a huge congressional delegation on that trip with Kerry for Obama for normalization with the flag opening of the embassy -- but back in the '70s and some of her comments about Fidel Castro? How seriously concerned should they be about how that would impact Florida?

MICHAEL STEELE, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it becomes a very important concern, particularly in a state like Florida, because of the Cuban and Hispanic population there and how that's going to resonate with them. Again, this is all part of the narrative that they've got to go through. I don't know if you get an exact feel from the polling on that. It really will matter to who they're talking to on the ground in Florida to assess her narrative against those voters and how they look at this ultimately at the end of the day. They may look past it because it was so long ago. And, given what Donald Trump has said and on, it pales in comparison for voters.

MITCHELL: Indeed.