[More in the cross-post on the MRC's NewsBusters blog.]
ABC, CBS, and NBC ballyhooed former Defense Secretary Robert Gates's attacks on President Obama and other high government officials on their newscasts the evening of 7 January 2014 and the morning of 8 January 2014. NBC's Brian Williams and CBS's Norah O'Donnell also trumpeted the former Cabinet official's "devastating critique" of the President in his upcoming memoir. All three networks also played up Gates's self-identification as a Republican.
NBC's Today and CBS This Morning brought on former Obama administration officials on Wednesday morning. Both guests did their best to counter their former colleague. Matt Lauer touted David Axelrod's "important perspective" on the issue, and asked, "Did you get a sense that he was a guy who...was disgruntled in any way?" The CBS morning show turned to former chief of staff Bill Daley, who slammed Gates for going public:
BILL DALEY, FMR. OBAMA CHIEF OF STAFF: ...[T]his rush to do books by people who leave an administration, while the administration is ongoing, I think is unfortunate. It's one thing as historians look back on an administration – but in the middle of it, when you're pursuing a war at the same time – and one that is very controversial with the American people and has been very difficult on our military – I think it's just a disservice, to be very frank with you.
