In separate reports on Tuesday’s NBC Today, correspondents Peter Alexander and Kristen Welker accused Donald Trump of employing “scorched-earth” political tactics by promising his supporters that he would continue to investigate Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal if elected.
At the top of the morning show, Alexander proclaimed: “Last night the Republican nominee showing no intention of backing off the pressure he’s putting on both Hillary and Bill Clinton....In front of packed house in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump practicing scorched-earth politics....Egging on his supporters who believe Hillary Clinton should be behind bars.”
The reporter continued: “In the wake of Trump's lewd comments about women, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Clinton opening up a double-digit lead. With nothing to lose, the Republican nominee now threatening more Clinton attacks.”
At the top of the 8 a.m. ET hour, Welker appeared on the program to repeat the accusation: “His poll numbers dwindling, Donald Trump intensifying his scorched-earth campaign....Again vowing to send Hillary Clinton to prison over her e-mails, doubling down on his promise to appoint a special prosecutor if he wins.”
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She proceeded to scold the GOP candidate for also “ramping up his efforts to try to cast Clinton as an enabler to her husband's alleged indiscretions, after bringing some of Bill Clinton’s accusers to Sunday’s debate.” Welker warned: “It's a risky strategy that could alienate key women voters, just as Clinton opens up a double-digit lead in the race.”
At no point did either correspondent mention the nasty attacks routinely launched by Clinton campaign.
Here is a full transcript of Alexander’s October 11 segment:
7:00 AM ET TEASE:
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: More to come? Donald Trump doubles down on his attacks against the Clinton family.
DONALD TRUMP: If they want to release more tapes saying inappropriate things, we'll continue to talk about Bill and Hillary Clinton doing inappropriate things.
GUTHRIE: And Clinton not backing down.
HILLARY CLINTON: If he wants to talk about what we've been doing the last 30 years, bring it on.
GUTHRIE: Her lead now the widest it's ever been in our new poll. With exactly one month to go, can Trump rebound?
7:01 AM ET SEGMENT:
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Four weeks from today, it’ll be Tuesday election day.
MATT LAUER: If the next four weeks are anything like the last seven days, we're in for a bumpy ride.
GUTHRIE: It’s gonna be a rocky one. This is the state of the race today, 28 days to go. Donald Trump once again going after Hillary Clinton over her e-mails.
DONALD TRUMP: Okay, here's one, just came up – “Lock her up” is right. We are going to get a special prosecutor to figure this deal out.
LAUER: Our newest polling shows Clinton now up double digits among likely voters, 11 points in a four way race. Now that lead grows to 14 points in a head-to-head match-up. The numbers there, 52% to 38%.
GUTHRIE: And both candidates are in the battleground of Florida today. Trump holds a rally in Panama City Beach, while Clinton will be heading to Miami. She’ll be joined on the trail for the first time by former Vice President Al Gore. Lots to get to. Let’s go to national correspondent Peter Alexander, who’s a few blocks away from us at Trump Tower this morning. Hey, Peter, good morning.
PETER ALEXANDER: Hey, Matt and Savannah, good morning. Donald Trump has significant ground to make up in this race and he has only four weeks to do it. Last night the Republican nominee showing no intention of backing off the pressure he’s putting on both Hillary and Bill Clinton. But right now he's also mired in a renewed showdown with members of his own party.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Clinton Up Big in New Poll; Trump Rips Into Opponent as Numbers Sink]
ALEXANDER: In front of packed house in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump practicing scorched-earth politics.
TRUMP: Is there any more fun to be than a Trump rally, in all fairness?
ALEXANDER: Egging on his supporters who believe Hillary Clinton should be behind bars.
TRUMP: “Lock her up” is right.
CROWD: Lock her up! Lock her up!
ALEXANDER: And without citing any evidence, warning the crowd the race might be rigged.TRUMP: We have to make sure that this election is not stolen from us and is not taken away from us.
ALEXANDER: In the wake of Trump's lewd comments about women, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Clinton opening up a double-digit lead. With nothing to lose, the Republican nominee now threatening more Clinton attacks.
TRUMP: If they want to release more tapes saying inappropriate things, we’ll continue to talk about Bill and Hillary Clinton doing inappropriate things.
ALEXANDER: In Ohio late Monday, Clinton touting her own record crowd and unloading on Trump.
HILLARY CLINTON: He is an equal-opportunity insulter if there ever was one.
ALEXANDER: And challenging the businessman even further.
CLINTON: On the day that I was in the Situation Room watching the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was hosting Celebrity Apprentice. So if he wants to talk about what we've been doing the last 30 years, bring it on.
ALEXANDER: Trump's defiance is also leaving many Republicans between a rock and a hard place, where both sticking with him or denouncing him could produce career-ending consequences. Senator John McCain dumping Trump, now saying he won't vote for either candidate.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: GOP Split Over Trump; Trump Spars With House Speaker Paul Ryan]
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN [R-AZ]: I might right in Lindsey Graham, he’s an old good friend of mine and a lot of people like him.
ALEXANDER: North Carolina Senator Richard Burr is standing by Trump.
SEN. RICHARD BURR [R-NC]: If we don't allow somebody to be forgiven, who’s going to forgive us?
ALEXANDER: But Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, fending off challenger Russ Feingold, is ripping a page from Trump's playbook.
SEN. RON JOHNSON [R-WI]: I won't defend Donald Trump's despicable words, they're indefensible. But I don't know how Senator Feingold can support Hillary Clinton’s actions.
ALEXANDER: And House Speaker Paul Ryan on Monday saying he won't defend Trump or campaign for him, suggesting he doesn't think Trump can win the White House. Trump on Twitter demonstrating his disapproval, saying, “Ryan should spend more time on balancing the budget, jobs and illegal immigration and not waste his time on fighting the Republican nominee.”
With just four weeks to go, Trump pausing to show his softer side.
TRUMP [HOLDING TODDLER]: Do you want to go back to them or do you want to stay with Donald Trump?
BOY: Trump.
[CHEERS]
ALEXANDER: Throughout the course of this campaign, Donald Trump has repeatedly touted that the evangelicals love him. But this morning, there is a powerful editorial in "Christianity Today," a mainstream evangelical magazine, that calls on evangelicals not to be silent about what it describes as Trump's “blatant immorality.” Here’s what it says, in part, quote, “He wantonly celebrates strongmen and takes every opportunity to humiliate and demean the vulnerable. He shows no curiosity or capacity to learn. He is, in short, the very embodiment of what the Bible calls a fool.” Matt and Savannah, I just reached out to the campaign for any response to that new editorial and haven't yet heard back.
GUTHRIE: Alright, Peter Alexander with the very latest this morning, thank you.
