In a report for Thursday’s NBC Today about Bill Clinton saying he would stop giving paid speeches if Hillary was elected president, correspondent Andrea Mitchell lamented: “The charity has been lauded for its good works but both Clintons are being hounded by questions about potential conflicts of interest from donors and high-dollar speeches.”
Mitchell touted the former President’s denials of corruption: “Clinton also denied doing favors for foreign governments or other donors to the foundation, telling CNN, ‘No one has ever asked me for anything. And I don't think Hillary would know either. I never saw her study a list of my contributors, and I had no idea who was doing business before the State Department.’”
Mitchell then wondered: “Will that be enough to quiet critics?” A soundbite followed of former Obama adviser and NBC New senior political analyst David Axelrod declaring: “This issue won't go away because the Republican Party won't allow it to go away. And I suspect we'll be hearing about it from now until the election.”
The implication being that the issue was merely a partisan attack rather than a legitimate controversy that journalists should keep investigating. No Republicans were featured in the segment.
Wrapping up the report, Mitchell gushed: “Bill Clinton will be a key surrogate for his wife, who has yet to do an interview since declaring her candidacy. In his interview with CNN, Bill Clinton described Hillary Clinton warmly, saying, ‘Whenever I had trouble she was the rock in the family.’” Co-host Savannah Guthrie added: “Alright, well she's got his vote, that’s for sure.”
ABC’s Good Morning America completely ignored Bill Clinton’s comments about the Clinton Foundation. CBS This Morning only briefly noted the development and touted the former President “defending his family’s foundation.”
Here is a full transcript of the June 11 segment:
7:17 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And now to politics. The race for the White House and former President Bill Clinton opening up about what he would and would not do as first gentleman should his wife be elected president. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell’s following this story this morning. Andrea, good morning to you.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: What Will Bill Do? Says No More Paid Speeches if Hillary Wins]
ANDREA MITCHELL: Good morning, Savannah. Bill Clinton speaking out about how he will deal with potential conflicts of interest should his wife become president. An unprecedented challenge for a couple still facing questions about their finances and their family charity.
HILLARY CLINTON: Thank you all! I’ll be back!
MITCHELL: If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination and the White House, would first spouse Bill Clinton give up the family foundation? He told Bloomberg television:
BILL CLINTON: That will be not be an easy decision, should she be elected president. I mean, she'll have to decide what’s my highest and best use. Including being around a to buck her up every morning, you know?
MITCHELL: The charity has been lauded for its good works but both Clintons are being hounded by questions about potential conflicts of interest from donors and high-dollar speeches. Bill Clinton said he would stop speaking for money – sometimes as much as $500,000 per speech – if Hillary were elected.
CLINTON: I don't think so. I don't think that because once you get to be president, then you're just making a daily story.
MITCHELL: Clinton also denied doing favors for foreign governments or other donors to the foundation, telling CNN, “No one has ever asked me for anything. And I don't think Hillary would know either. I never saw her study a list of my contributors, and I had no idea who was doing business before the State Department.” Will that be enough to quiet critics?
DAVID AXELROD [NBC NEWS SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST]: This issue won't go away because the Republican Party won't allow it to go away. And I suspect we'll be hearing about it from now until the election.
MITCHELL: And can Bill Clinton avoid the slips that plagued his own campaign?
BILL CLINTON: When I was in England, I experimented with marijuana a time or two and I didn't like it and didn't inhale and never tried it again.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE EVENT]: There are not very many commodities that you can plant, Mr. President, a acre of and get a million bucks.
BILL CLINTON: Dear Lord, that's all I need. One more story right?
[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]
MITCHELL: Remember all that? Bill Clinton will be a key surrogate for his wife, who has yet to do an interview since declaring her candidacy. In his interview with CNN, Bill Clinton described Hillary Clinton warmly, saying, “Whenever I had trouble she was the rock in the family.” Savannah and Willie?
GUTHRIE: Alright, well she's got his vote, that’s for sure. Andrea Mitchell, thank you very much.
