NBC provided its first coverage of the Fast & Furious gun running scandal on Tuesday, providing a scant 30 seconds on Nightly News. In contrast, Thursday's NBC Today devoted a 37-second report to a video of "Obama Boy," a gay activist singing over his support for the President in 2012. [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Today news anchor Natalie Morales proclaimed: "Justin Brown's viral YouTube video focuses on the President's support for gay marriage." A long clip played of Brown musically professing he had a "crush on Obama" and wanting to the President "get hard on Romney in debate." Morales added: "Meanwhile, 'Obama Girl' says she loves the video. She hopes she and 'Obama Boy' can maybe get together for a duet."
As NewsBusters' Geoff Dickens reported on Wednesday, NBC correspondent Kelly O'Donnell first managed to squeeze in a brief explanation of Fast & Furious at the end of a Nightly News report on Senate Republicans grilling Attorney General Eric Holder about recent national security leaks.
Here is a transcript of the June 15 "Obama Boy" report:
NATALIE MORALES: And the internet's "Obama Girl" from 2008 campaign has been replaced by "Obama Boy." Justin Brown's viral YouTube video focuses on the President's support for gay marriage.
JUSTIN BROWN SINGING: I got a crush on Obama. Barry, you're the finest candidate. I can't wait to see you get hard on Romney in debate. Why don't you pick up your phone? Cause I got a crush on Obama.
MORALES: Meanwhile, "Obama Girl" says she loves the video. She hopes she and "Obama Boy" can maybe get together for a duet.
