…have some explaining to do.

In last night’s MSNBC pre-debate coverage, Tom Brokaw, Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews were discussing past debate flubs. Of course, Quayle/Bentsen came up regarding Bentsen’s now famous “you’re no Jack Kennedy” line. Here’s part of the exchange between the three where Brokaw lets loose a secret I had not heard before (emphasis mine):

TOM, I THINK THAT SHOWS THE POWER OF REACTION SHOTS. WE WERE WATCHING THAT OF POOR DAN QUAYLE OF TAKING THAT PUNCH FOR ALL IT WAS WORTH. DOES THAT TELL US THAT YOU CAN WIN OR LOSE A DEBATE BASED ON ONE MINUTE? >> I ACTUALLY ASKED THAT QUESTION. IT WAS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE ASKED HIM. IT WAS A VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN OMAHA, AND I HAD BEEN TOLD FROM HANDLERS DO NOT RAISE THE QUESTION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY. I REMEMBER AFTERWARD THAT SPENCER CAME OUT TO ME, BROKAW, YOU HAD TO ASK IT ONE MORE TIME. BECAUSE HE TRIED TO ASK IT IN TWO DIFFERENT ROUNDS. THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT OBVIOUSLY LLOYD BEN SON HAD A VERY GOOD NIGHT. THEN SEVERAL NIGHTS LATER MIKE BARNICLE GOT A CALL, AND HE SAID, MIKEY YOUR FRIEND TOM BROKAW ASKED THAT QUESTION, HE SAID JOHN KENNEDY WAS A FRIEND OF MINE. WE’VE GONE BACK INTO THE ARCHIVE, WE DON’T THINK HE EVEN KNEW JOHN KENNEDY. >

So, did Tom Brokaw and Mike Barnicle know that Lloyd Bentsen lied during the debate and not report it?