without criticism.

I don't like Chuck Toad (R-MSNBC), but at least he did ask the question.

My disappointment is with the Democrat who wouldn't say "HELL YES, the MF has blood on his hands"

Then the headline would have been, "Joe Biden says Donald Trump has blood on his hands." Todd would have ginned up a controversy, and all the attacks would have been directed at Biden, not Todd. As it is, Todd is the one catching hell now for asking the question.

I think Biden did the politically smart thing not falling into Todd's trap. We can all think Trump has blood on his hands, but a presidential candidate saying so on Meet the Press would have created a strong backlash among a certain group of voters. It wasn't worth it.

and no doubt that, as you say, he was trying to bait Biden into saying something outrageous that could be used for controversy and sensationalism.

But by now, every democratic politician should know that is what Chuck Toad, and a lot of other tv hosts, are about. They should be ready for it, and have remarks prepared for an opportunity to make clear to the country that MF45 IS responsible, including for deaths. Obviously not phrased the way I would want to say it, but still making the point without giving the hoped-for sound bite. What happens now is they often work so hard to avoid any soundbite that they also fail to make the point clear.

Like how only recently have tv news people started to use the word "lie". And still don't use it often enough.

The time for tiptoeing around an unpleasant truth is long past. In this case, instead of the public discussion being Donald tRump's responsibility, it is about Chuck Toad asking a bad question. Which he will not do again, leaving MF45's blood-covered hands to again escape scrutiny or responsibility.