Matt Lauer was recently announced as host of the very first presidential candidate forum this election season. This officially signaled the end of “Taco Bowl” and “Weiner” portion of the election and launches the country into debate season and the home stretch. There are still so many questions to answer. Will Trump negotiate his way out of the debates like he did during the primaries? Will Hillary Clinton be able to stay awake for a night time debate? Will there be pillows for her to sit on?
Lauer is an interesting choice to host a presidential debate forum, not because he’s a host of a kooky NBC morning show, or because he’s a part-time Charlie Brown LARPer. Lauer is also listed as a “Notable Past Member” of the Clinton Foundation. Yes, that same Clinton Foundation currently under FBI investigation, as well as the subject of emails released last week that appear to show foreign donors trading contributions for personal favors from then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
As reported last year by Mediate and updated yesterday, Lauer was listed on the foundation’s home website as a contributing member along with several other possible moderators to-be. Martha Raddatz, now confirmed as a debate moderator, while not listed as part of the Clinton Foundation, was honored to have Barack Obama attend her wedding, a valid concern for the GOP, had they not, you know, nominated someone who had Hillary Clinton at his wedding (and donated to her foundation also). Sweet.
CNN host and Kathy Griffin’s New Years Eve partner Anderson Cooper (who will be co-hosting the 2nd Presidential debate) was also listed on the foundation’s website, along with names such as Thomas Friedman, Christina Amanpour, Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric, Fareed Zakaria, Judy Woodruff, and former Clinton aide and foundation donor George Stephanopoulos.
And if you’re still somehow not convinced the Clinton Foundation is some secret global shadow Spectre-like organization, several media parent companies have donated as well, including Viacom, Time Warner, HBO, Bloomberg, Turner, and Reuters. So, finding any unconnected debate moderator would be quite the task this election.
You can’t of course see this link, however, because (like several thousand emails) this portion of the foundation’s webpage has since been deleted.
Also of note, Chelsea Clinton collected a six-figure paycheck from NBC for interviewing a cartoon gecko as a correspondent for Most Interesting Man in News Brian Williams’ now cancelled NBC show (Don’t worry, he’s getting another now on MSNBC premiering next week). Williams’ replacement on NBC Nightly News, Lester Holt will be moderating the first debate.
But Lauer, in particular, has had a long relationship with Hillary Clinton. Lauer purchased Richard Geer’s Hamptons mansion, a place Politico declared “felt like home” to the Clintons. She recently partied there at a fundraiser with elderly celebs.
Youngsters may not remember that it was Lauer who conducted that famous interview in 1998 in which Hillary suggested a “vast right wing conspiracy” was stirring false rumors about her philandering husband.
I’m sure that, putting that all aside though, Lauer can be a fair and impartial forum host. Just please leave the creepy Lucy costume at home.
Stephen Miller is a digital media designer and contributor. He also publishes and produces The Wilderness, which focuses on viral politics and culture media .
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