After Vieira claimed “political advertising suspended” for McCain campaign, dozens of NBC affiliates ran McCain ads during Today

Written by Matt Gertz & Dianna Parker

Published

On NBC's Today, Meredith Vieira said of Sen. John McCain: “His campaign on hold, political advertising suspended, and he's asking his rival to postpone tomorrow night's debate.” However, according to a Media Matters search of the TVEyes.com database, dozens of NBC affiliates ran McCain ads during the hour prior to, or following, her statement on Today.

Opening the September 25 edition of NBC's Today, co-host Meredith Vieira said of Sen. John McCain: “His campaign on hold, political advertising suspended, and he's asking his rival to postpone tomorrow night's debate.” But according to a Media Matters for America search* of the TVEyes.com database, several NBC affiliates ran McCain ads during the hour prior to her statement on Today. Further, following her statement, dozens of NBC affiliates -- including flagship station WNBC in New York -- aired McCain ads during Today.

Media Matters has included video from WHO in Des Moines, Iowa, at approximately 7:30 a.m. ET.

From the September 25 edition of NBC's Today:

VIEIRA: Good morning. Crisis mode: President Bush, warning our economy is in danger, urges Congress to pass that $700 billion bailout package -- and fast -- while John McCain takes a dramatic step.

McCAIN [video clip]: I'll suspend my campaign and return to Washington.

VIEIRA: His campaign on hold, political advertising suspended, and he's asking his rival to postpone tomorrow night's debate. But Obama says, no way.

OBAMA [video clip]: It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once.

VIEIRA: Now, both candidates are headed to the White House for an extraordinary emergency meeting with the president as Congress tries to hammer out a deal to prevent an even bigger meltdown. Today, Thursday, September 25, 2008.

ANNOUNCER: From NBC News, this is Today, with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, live from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza.

* Media Matters searched the TVEyes.com database for “I'm John McCain and I approve this message” from 6:00 a.m. ET to 11:00 a.m. ET.