The same George Stephanopoulos who gave $75,000 to Hillary Clinton hosted the political segment of ABC’s Tuesday night special The Year: 2015, where jokes about conservatives got ugly, but jokes about Hillary were off limits.
After running the usual criticisms of Trump’s campaign, ABC brought in comedian and former Current TV personality Brett Erlich to bring some “humor” to the segment. “He’s like a baby,” Erlich said of Trump, “He’ll do something, and people will clap, so he’ll just do it again, but louder.”
Erlich’s next quip was directed at Carson – and oddly dismissive of neurosurgery. “The normal folks are so bad, we will literally vote for anybody else. We’ll vote for a guy who cuts brains open for a living, has never ever really been part of the political process, and once attacked his mom with a hammer.” ABC followed this up with a clip of Carson admitting to trying to stab a friend when he was in grade school.
Jeb Bush provided the next target. “Jeb want downhill when he put an exclamation point at the end of his name.” Erlich said. “Like, JEB! Is that how you’re gonna, like, negotiate nuclear non-proliferation treaties? Like, stop making nukes! Jeb!”
But when the topic of Hillary’s emails came up, Erlich was quick to turn his focus back to the Republicans. “If you are asking to see someone's e-mails, you are like an annoying jealous boyfriend. That's what they sound like.”
Although the segment had been critical of GOP candidates, the tone changed as soon as it was time to talk about the Democrats. When Stephanopoulos led with “The Democrats have had their fair share of drama this season,” he wasn’t talking about Benghazi or any of the other scandals plaguing that party and its front-runner. Instead, he was talking about how Sanders was unexpectedly doing so well that he was giving Hillary a run for her money. “Hillary Clinton started out inevitable then came the Bern.”
ABC brought in Donna Brazile, the Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation at the DNC (who they introduced as an ABC News Contributor) to praise Sanders. “Bernie Sanders has been value added in terms of bringing more people into the process and really exciting the democratic party. Those crowds you see all across the country. Those crowds are real.” The rest of the political segment was a montage of clips of Sanders and Larry David, followed by Hillary’s appearance on Saturday Night Live and a Trump appearance on Jimmy Fallon.
There was bias in the amount of time spent on each party too. While 3 minutes and 49 seconds were spent on Republicans, only 1 minute and 5 seconds were spent on Democrats. The remaining (and final) 36 seconds of the segment was a montage of Hillary and Trump clips.
STEPHANOPOULOS: The Democrats have had their fair share of drama this season. Hillary Clinton started out inevitable then came the Bern.
RALLY: Bernie! Bernie!
DONNA BRAZILE (Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation, DNC): Bernie Sanders has been value added in terms of bringing more people into the process and really exciting the democratic party. Those crowds you see all across the country. Those crowds are real.
LARRY DAVID (Comedian): We're doomed!
SANDERS: I thought it was.
DAVID: We need a revolution!
SANDERS: Pretty.
DAVID: And we gotta do it now!
SANDERS: Pretty good!
DAVID: Ah!
STEPHANOPOULOS: Dogged by questions of trust and honesty the former secretary of state courted scandal with her private e-mail account the FBI now investigating.
DAVID MUIR (ABC Anchor): Did you make a mistake?
CLINTON: I did. I do take responsibility for having made what is clearly not the best decision.
CONGRESSMAN JIM JORDAN(R-OH): You tell the American people one thing, you tell your family an entirely different story.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Parrying hours of GOP questioning over Benghazi, Clinton got a political gift from her Progressive rival at their first debate.
SANDERS: The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails.
CLINTON: Thank you. Me too, me too!
ERLICH: If you are asking to see someone's e-mails, you are like an annoying jealous boyfriend. That's what they sound like.
