Critics Skewer Matt Lauer For Commander-In-Chief Forum Fails

“Today” show co-anchor Matt Lauer appears before the NBC Commander-In-Chief Forum held at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid, New York, Wednesday, Sept. 7, ... “Today” show co-anchor Matt Lauer appears before the NBC Commander-In-Chief Forum held at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid, New York, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) MORE LESS
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Democrats and political journalists made clear that they weren’t impressed with the way NBC News’ Matt Lauer moderated the Commander-In-Chief Forum Wednesday night.

The event focused on foreign policy and national security and featured questions from veterans. Many took issue with Lauer not pressing Donald Trump on false claims, like saying he didn’t support the Iraq War, and for asking Hillary Clinton several questions pertaining to her use of a private email server.

One of the most brutal takedowns of the evening was Jonathan Chait’s scathing headline at NYMag: Matt Lauer’s Pathetic Interview of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Is the Scariest Thing I’ve Seen in This Campaign.

Matt Yglesias at Vox had the take that “It’s not a great idea, in general, for journalists to let politicians get away with bald-faced, on-camera lies.”

The Huffington Post had the succinct breakdown: “Matt Lauer Failed The Moderator Test.”

And, as those unhappy with 2016 are wont to do, many took to Twitter to share their displeasure:

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for mcbain mcbain says:

    Hopefully other media figures take notes about what not to do when talking to Trump. Of course they won’t, but one can hope.

  2. The Today Show. Perhaps the most insipid show on television. Selling garbage to the rubes for decades, and Matt is its king.

  3. Avatar for pshah pshah says:

    So many problems with Lauer last night, but spending interminable minutes on the e-mails, then constantly interrupting her because he was running out of time was pathetic.

    And what do e-mails have to do with veterans anyway?

    You know it’s bad when people in your own news division don’t support you.

  4. Avatar for whiteb whiteb says:

    Lauer failed. The final straw was when he asked at the end “Nobody would expect you to know that much about foreign policy, but what are you doing to prepare yourself?” Uh…he’s running for President and this is a question.

  5. All the major media fully realize the POTUS election is already decided, which is a direct threat to their revenue stream.
    Answer: Gin up fake & disproven controversies about the winner of the election, and ignore the multitude of scandals of the HO loser.

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