ABC, CBS, and NBC's Friday evening newscasts all barely mentioned former Texas Governor Rick Perry suspending his second bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Altogether, ABC's World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News set aside 54 seconds to Perry's announcement. By contrast, the Big Three news programs devoted 6 minutes and 11 seconds to Vice President Joe Biden's Thursday appearance on CBS's Late Show. NBC's Peter Alexander touted how Biden was still "riding a wave of emotion" after his son Beau's death in May 2015.
Substitute anchor Jim Axelrod gave a 10-second news brief on former Governor Perry on CBS Evening News: "The Republican field is getting smaller. Late today, former Texas Governor Rick Perry decided to suspend his campaign. Most polls put his support at two percent or less." This mention followed a two minute and 24-second segment that featured three clips from Biden's Late Show appearance.
Axelrod led into the Democrat's soundbites by hyping that "Vice President Joe Biden is still struggling to decide whether to enter the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. He's still mourning the death of his son, Beau, who passed away in May." He continued that "the Vice President spoke from the heart on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert."
The CBS journalist then turned Face The Nation host John Dickerson and remarked that the interview was "moving stuff," and contended that "it certainly doesn't look like he's going to make that run." Dickerson underlined that "it does look...like he won't, because the pain is so real and just below the surface."
On NBC Nightly News, fill-in anchor Kate Snow led into a report from correspondent Peter Alexander by noting that "Rick Perry is suspending his campaign. The former Texas governor has been struggling in the polls, and failed to build much momentum for his second bid for the White House." She continued by asserting that "there is much buzz tonight about whether the Democratic field will grow – after Vice President Joe Biden gave his most emotional remarks yet about whether he will run."
Alexander picked up where Snow left off with his "riding a wave of emotion" line. He also spotlighted how "Biden [is] still grieving the loss of his son Beau to brain cancer....even as sympathy and support for a 2016 run grows." The correspondent did point out that "Hillary Clinton's lead is shrinking, with both Bernie Sanders and Biden gaining steam."
The NBC journalist concluded his report by pointing out, "With Rick Perry bowing out, it's worth noting that he was the front-runner this time four years ago before a bad debate performance – emphasizing just how much is at stake for these Republicans heading into next week's debate." NBC Nightly News's total coverage of Perry's announcement was twice that of ABC, but still only 21 seconds. Vice President Biden got six times that amount on the newscast, with two minutes of air time.
ABC's World News Tonight just barely surpassed NBC's air time devoted to the outgoing Republican presidential candidate – 23 seconds. Anchor David Muir led into a 2016 campaign report from correspondent Cecilia Vega by highlighting the "word of someone else who is now not running – dropping out – the first key Republican to bow out, Rick Perry."
Moments earlier, Muir hyped the "emotional 24 hours for Joe Biden, an unannounced visit today to a firehouse here in New York City, where they lost half their ranks on 9/11. It comes after that candid conversation on late night TV last night, talking about the loss of his son Beau. His every word, of course, under the microscope now for signs, will he run?"
Vega closed her report by noting that Perry's campaign "last just 97 days. But look, he struggled from the beginning with polling and fundraising. Just last month, he ran out of money and stopped paying his campaign staff. That Republican field, David, down to 16 people. Perry is the very first person in the race for 2016 to drop out so far."
It should be pointed out that CBS Evening News stood out for airing a two minute and 43 segment on correspondent Major Garrett's interview of Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson. Axelrod spotlighted how "the story of the Republican presidential campaign so far has been Donald Trump's durability. The latest poll has Trump at 27 percent in Iowa. But another anti-politician is now surging as well: neurosurgeon Ben Carson is at 21 percent – up from just 10 percent in July."
Back in June 2015, the Big Three networks's evening newscasts also minimized their coverage of former Governor Perry's announcement of his presidential run. ABC set aside just 15 seconds of air time, NBC devoted 22 seconds, and CBS surpassed both with 42 seconds.
The transcripts of Jim Axelrod's segment with John Dickerson on Biden and his news brief on Perry from Friday's CBS Evening News; Cecilia Vega's report from ABC's World News Tonight; and Peter Alexander's report from NBC Nightly News:
JIM AXELROD: Vice President Joe Biden is still struggling to decide whether to enter the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. He's still mourning the death of his son, Beau, who passed away in May.
Last night, the Vice President spoke from the heart on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN (from CBS's The Late Show With Stephen Colbert): You know you're a success as a parent when you turn and look at your child, and realize they turned out better than you. I was a hell of a success. My son was better than me – and he was better than me in – in almost every way.
A couple months before he died, I was at his house, and he said, 'Dad, sit down. I want to talk to you' – with Halle, his wife – incredible kid – and he said, 'Dad, I know how much you love me, so you've got to promise me something. Promise me you're going to be all right – because no matter what happens, Dad, I'm going to be all right. Promise me.'
I don't think any man or woman should run for president unless – number one, they know exactly why they would want to be president. And two, they can look at the folks out there and say, 'I promise you: you have my whole heart; my whole soul; my energy; and my passion to do this.' And – and I'd be lying if I said that I knew I was there.
AXELROD: John Dickerson is our CBS News political director, and the moderator of Face The Nation. So John, that's moving stuff. We know that the Vice President has instructed advisers to at least look into the possibility of a run. But if you're watching The Late Show last night, it certainly doesn't look like he's going to make that run.
JOHN DICKERSON: It – it does look, Jim, like he won't, because the pain is so real and just below the surface. But based on conversations I've had with those who know the Vice President, they explain that the emotion works both to pull him back and to spur him on. Biden talked in that interview with Stephen Colbert about the lessons he learned from his parents – that you have to soldier on; you have to get up, as the Vice President put it, no matter what blow you've taken. And that's not just some aphorism for him. It's what Biden did successfully after his wife and daughter died. So when his son, Beau – who asked the Vice President to run – asked Biden to promise that he'd be all right after he was gone. One way to fulfill that promise, Jim, is by being all right enough to run for president.
AXELROD: So still nothing definitive. John Dickerson, thank you.
06:45 pm EDTJIM AXELROD: The Republican field is getting smaller. Late today, former Texas Governor Rick Perry decided to suspend his campaign. Most polls put his support at two percent or less.
09/11/2015
06:37 pm EDT
ABC – World News TonightDAVID MUIR: Now to the race for 2016 tonight and an emotional 24 hours for Joe Biden, an unannounced visit today to a firehouse here in New York City, where they lost half their ranks on 9/11. It comes after that candid conversation on late night TV last night, talking about the loss of his son Beau. His every word, of course, under the microscope now for signs, will he run? Tonight, you'll hear from Biden in his own words. And late today, word of someone else who is now not running – dropping out – he first key Republican to bow out, Rick Perry.
ABC's Cecilia Vega, covering the campaign.
CECILIA VEGA (voice-over): Today, Joe Biden offering condolences and hugs to 9/11 first responders and their families – grief he knows all too well.
VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: What people don't understand, anniversaries are bittersweet. Man, it all comes back.
VEGA: A Vice President, a father, still mourning his son, Beau – who died in May of brain cancer.
BIDEN: We have what most people long for: the love and the memory that is so cherished and so profound that it makes every other thing in our life worth doing.
VEGA: Even as he considers a run for the White House, his own sadness on full display last night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
BIDEN (from CBS's The Late Show With Stephen Colbert): He had this enormous sense of empathy – and I'm not making this up. I know I maybe sound like a father, I hope I – anyway, but, but it's real.
STEPHEN COLBERT: It sounds like you love him, sir.
BIDEN: Oh, geez. I mean, I, uh-
VEGA: A sharp contrast from just days earlier. Biden looking like a candidate – but now, he's not so sure.
BIDEN: I'd be lying if I said that I knew I was there.
MUIR (live): So, Vice President Joe Biden not ready yet either way. And in the meantime, Rick Perry, late today saying no longer in.
VEGA: A campaign that last just 97 days – but look, he struggled from the beginning with polling and fundraising. Just last month, he ran out of money and stopped paying his campaign staff. That Republican field, David, down to 16 people. Perry is the very first person in the race for 2016 to drop out so far.
MUIR: Alright, we'll be watching you anchor this broadcast this weekend. Cecilia, thanks.
09/11/2015
07:09 pm EDT
NBC Nightly NewsKATE SNOW: Late word tonight in the race for president: Rick Perry is suspending his campaign. The former Texas governor has been struggling in the polls, and failed to build much momentum for his second bid for the White House.
And while the crowded GOP field just shrunk by one, there is much buzz tonight about whether the Democratic field will grow – after Vice President Joe Biden gave his most emotional remarks yet about whether he will run.
NBC's Peter Alexander has more.
VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: You're better than I am.
PETER ALEXANDER (voice-over): Joe Biden, riding a wave of emotion, today, observing 9/11 with first responders in New York.
BIDEN: We always rise up as a nation. We always ride on.
ALEXANDER: Last night, on 'The Late Show,' again confessing doubts about whether he has the heart for another presidential bid.
BIDEN (from CBS's The Late Show With Stephen Colbert): Nobody has a right, in my view, to seek that office unless they're willing to give it 110 percent of who they are. I'd be lying if I said that I knew I was there.
ALEXANDER: Biden still grieving the loss of his son Beau to brain cancer-
BIDEN: He said, 'Dad, I know how much you love me. So you've got to promise me something. Promise me you're going to be all right.'
ALEXANDER: Even as sympathy and support for a 2016 run grows.
BIDEN: (audience chanting, "Joe") Be careful what you wish for. (laughs)
ALEXANDER: Hillary Clinton's lead is shrinking, with both Bernie Sanders and Biden gaining steam. A new national poll shows Clinton beats her Republican rivals – including Donald Trump and Jeb Bush.
Ben Carson, who's quietly surging, today, met with community leaders in Ferguson, Missouri.
BEN CARSON, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIATE: We need to de-emphasize race, and we need to emphasize respect.
ALEXANDER: In a race already marked by surprises, in Iowa, Scott Walker's now dropped to tenth place, after leading the field just a few months ago – Trump and Carson on top today – the billionaire joining the late-night circuit with Jimmy Fallon tonight.
Another shake-up: Carly Fiorina will join the top-tier candidates at next Wednesday's Republican debate – today, taking a jab at Trump.
CARLY FIORNIA, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In the world I come from, talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words.
ALEXANDER (on-camera): With Rick Perry bowing out, it's worth noting that he was the front-runner this time four years ago before a bad debate performance – emphasizing just how much is at stake for these Republicans heading into next week's debate. Kate?
SNOW: How quickly things can change – Peter Alexander reporting tonight, thank you.
