This week's mainstream media scream is a tearful one, at least for the Today show's Matt Lauer.

On Friday, after Andrea Mitchell reported on Vice President Joe Biden receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in an emotional surprise by President Obama, Lauer said that he burst out in tears as Biden also teared up.



Said Lauer, "I'm glad there were no cameras in my apartment yesterday because I was sitting there just weeping."

Co-host Meredith Vieira added, "Oh, crying, right. So beautiful."

Lauer: "I just burst out crying when I saw that moment. It was incredible. Andrea, thank you very much."

Media Research Center Vice President of Research Brent Baker explains the pick: "Really? A grown man, a media veteran of decades of covering deadly tragedies, admitted to bursting into tears when one politician gave an award to another politician? The elite media may well be more emotionally invested in Obama and his team than anyone imagined."

Rating: Four out of five screams.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com