O'Donnell left unchallenged Bush Cabinet member's suggestion that Obama was responsible for rumors about Palins

Summary: On MSNBC Live, Norah O'Donnell did not challenge Transportation Secretary Mary Peters' claim that if Sen. Barack Obama really stood by his denunciation of any public discussion of Gov. Sarah Palin's children, "he would put a stop to everything that's going on in the liberal blogosphere." O'Donnell did not ask Peters how Obama "would put a stop" to what is being written by people unconnected to his campaign, nor did she note that commenters on McCain's own website have posted falsehoods and smears about Obama.

During the September 2 edition of MSNBC Live, anchor Norah O'Donnell did not challenge a claim by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters that if Sen. Barack Obama really stood by his denunciation of any public discussion of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's children, "he would put a stop to everything that's going on in the liberal blogosphere." O'Donnell did not ask Peters how Obama "would put a stop" to what is being written by people unconnected to his campaign. Nor did O'Donnell point out that commenters on McCain's own website have falsely claimed that Sen. Barack Obama is a "closet muslim," that he will "implement Sharia law," that Obama is the "anti-Christ," and that "Obama = Hitler." Some of those comments have remained on McCain's website for months.

From the 11 a.m. ET hour of the September 2 edition of MSNBC Live:

O'DONNELL: Secretary, as you know, this has really ignited, in some ways, a debate across this country: one, about this teenage pregnancy; two, whether children of politicians are off-limits. I understand you have a personal story related to this as well. Tell us about that.

PETERS: Yeah, Norah, absolutely. First and foremost, a candidate's family, a candidate's children, should be strictly off-limits. And I think if the Obama campaign truly believed that was the case, as Barack Obama said yesterday, he would put a stop to everything that's going on in the liberal blogosphere.

But let me get to my personal story: you know, I was married when I was 17 years old, had my first baby when I was 18 years old. I'm very pleased to have just celebrated my 42nd wedding anniversary with my husband, and that daughter is now a wonderful, beautiful 40-year-old mother, professional. And so I think that we need to afford Bristol Palin and the Palin family the privacy to work through this challenge in the privacy of their own family, and not to have it, as The New York Times did, three times on the front page of that paper today.

O'DONNELL: You know, it's interesting, Secretary, and I'm so glad you're joining us as someone who is now a secretary of transportation, and who had a child at a young age. One of the things that's come up, and I think with Governor Palin because she has five children, one of them who is pregnant, and a four-month old who has Down syndrome, is what's on the front page of The New York Times today, this new twist in the debate over mothers.

—J.H. & D.C.P.