Claire McCaskill Crushes Chuck Todd's Lazy Criticism Of Joe Biden's Cabinet Picks

By Aliza Worthington — December 9, 2020

Oh, Chuck. Why don't you just come out and say Joe Biden is only picking the wominz and the Blackz and the brownz to be politically correct? And that he wouldn't otherwise choose them for cabinet positions because, I mean, WHO WOULD? When are you going to just come out and complain about the thing that bothers you, which is that not enough mediocre white men like yourself are getting appointed to those high-level positions of power in the Biden administration? Are you having that widdle sadz? Are you not getting enough attention? 45 out of 46 white male presidents not enough for you to feel secure in your place of dominance?

Tell us where it hurts, Chuckie.

TODD: Overall, I do find -- what do you make of what is clearly a pattern here? There are people that Joe Biden can't be talked out of and there is clear, you can tell where his picks are his picks, and then you can tell the ones where they feel like they have to placate. It's a little obvious which positions they view as "placate political constituencies," versus ones that the president-elect says, "No, no, no. You're not talking me out of this." Look. I read one anecdote about General Austin and Beau biden, and I was like, "Yeah. No way Ron Klain is gonna talk him out of it." How bad of a look is it that it's this obvious which cabinet posts are the ones you placate for politics and which you don't?

First of all, it's "How bad a look," not "How bad OF a look..." Okay? Good.

Second of all, your complaint is that the new president-elect is compromising on Cabinet picks? Dancing with the ones that brung him? Keeping his promise to surround himself with the diversity that reflects America's population, and the many regions of the nation that gave him 81 million votes? THAT'S your problem? You think THAT'S a bad look?

Our woman Claire McCaskill was kinder than I would have been in putting you in your place.

McCASKILL: I gotta tell you, this is one of those moments where I'm out here in the middle of the country and I think you're being way too cynical. I get it that it doesn't appear Joe Biden... I mean, he really wanted Austin, I think, because they worked together. This is not, you know --

TODD: totally agree.

McCASKILL: By the way, this is an amazing respected figure within the military and he and Joe Biden have a long-time relationship. You know, what president doesn't want someone like that in an important position? I think all of the people he selected -- I don't think Joe Biden is being forced to take anybody that he is not comfortable with. There may be some he is closer to than others, but that's true for all presidents. But I gotta tell you, I do think that all of us that do this 24-hours a day trying to read the tea leaves, we maybe working too hard reading the tea leaves, here. I think he is trying to find good qualified people and have his cabinet look like America.

TODD: Right. But, at the same time, it does seem as if you could tell, look. You can make a political argument on some, but he is not listening on all of them is my point.

First of all, that's not a point, Chuck.

Second of all, even if it were, it wasn't YOUR point. Your point was that it looks bad when Biden appoints someone he thinks will make his constituents happy. As if that also means that person won't do a great job or be a great pick. Why not both? Did you want a president who went into the job not taking anyone's advice? Or taking everyone else's advice even if it means ignoring his own inner counsel? Perhaps a combination of the two might be best.

Your point was to complain. To try to create a problem where there actually was none. To make President-elect Biden look bad and weak for whatever GOP reasons you harbor.

Thankfully, Claire McCaskill was there to squash your insipid, unearned pretension like a bug.