MSNBC's Hall didn't challenge Pfotenhauer's claim that Obama "fought funding" for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan

Summary: MSNBC's Tamron Hall failed to challenge the assertions of Nancy Pfotenhauer, an adviser for Sen. John McCain, that Sen. Barack Obama "fought funding for our troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan over a year ago" and was "withholding funds for our troops who are in combat in Iraq and in Afghanistan." Hall did not note that Obama has cast several votes for war-funding legislation, nor did she note that McCain himself has voted against legislation funding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

On the July 21 edition of MSNBC Live, anchor Tamron Hall failed to challenge the assertions of Nancy Pfotenhauer, a senior policy adviser for Sen. John McCain, that Sen. Barack Obama "fought funding for our troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan over a year ago" and was "withholding funds for our troops who are in combat in Iraq and in Afghanistan." Hall did not note, as Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz wrote, that "Obama has frequently voted to finance the war but was one of 14 Senate Democrats to oppose a war-funding bill last year -- after Republicans removed troop withdrawal deadlines -- saying he did not want to be 'validating the same failed policy in Iraq.' " Nor did Hall note that McCain himself has voted against legislation funding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

From the 11 a.m. ET hour of the July 21 edition of MSNBC Live:

HALL: Nancy Pfotenhauer, senior policy adviser for the McCain campaign. So Nancy, this story is happening fast, and we're getting so many details.

PFOTENHAUER: Right.

HALL: But right now, we had an Iraqi official on tape saying that they're looking at the year 2010. What is the McCain campaign's response to that?

PFOTENHAUER: What it has always been, which is we should be able to draw down troops as soon as conditions on the ground make that the right, safe thing to do. And, of course, a number of people have to contribute to that -- contribute to that assessment, probably most importantly our military leaders who are on the ground. And so it's -- it's great news that the surge strategy is succeeding, but the crucial thing is that it -- the -- this assessment be made based on conditions, not based on politics. And I think the proof in the pudding there in whether you are motivated based on conditions or politics is when you call for it. And one point I would like to make is that Senator Obama is -- I think, motivations are political because he called for this -- he fought the surge, he fought funding for our troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan --

HALL: Nancy, let me ask you real quick --

PFOTENHAUER: -- over a year ago.

HALL: -- because you said "playing politics." And I know you're referring to Senator Obama, but let me ask you, do you believe the Iraqi leaders, including Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, are playing politics here? Because their timetable is essentially the same thing of what we're hearing from Senator Obama, so are they playing with the political system here?

PFOTENHAER: Well, I -- I couldn't -- certainly couldn't question their motives. I'm just saying that -- that Maliki over time has been consistent in saying that any withdrawal needed to be based on conditions on the ground. So when he comes forward and makes this statement, it's got a lot of credibility. But if someone was calling for withdrawal, troop withdrawal, a year ago or two years ago when they were fighting the surge, withholding funds for our troops who are in combat in Iraq and in Afghanistan, those motives are questioned. I mean, it's interesting that Senator Obama's able to safely visit these places in part because the strategy that he fought was put in place and has succeeded.

HALL: Some people are asking, Nancy, this morning, where does this leave Senator McCain? You have the end of the work week. Senator -- I mean the current president, of course, George Bush saying that there's a time horizon. That they're reached an agreement, the White House and the Iraqi officials have reached an agreement on time horizon. Then we wake up this Monday morning with this timetable, the year of 2010 that Iraqi officials say they're looking at. Where does this leave Senator McCain? Is -- is -- as some people describe, they're saying he -- he's kind of in a box here. He's got to come out and he's got to be more definitive about what he thinks is happening and -- and what should happen next.

—M.G.