Despite a tragic shooting at Fort Hood, a major Supreme Court ruling and developments on Benghazi, all three morning shows on Thursday devoted time to Bill Clinton's discussion of aliens on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Yet, NBC's Today, ABC's Good Morning America and CBS This Morning ignored a profoundly dumb question from the comic regarding Clinton running for vice president. [See video of the question below. MP3 audio here.]
Instead, GMA's Amy Robach enthused, "And finally, former President Bill Clinton isn't ruling out a possible alien invasion here on Earth. He visited Jimmy Kimmel last night and revealed that he did, in fact, look into the possibility when he was president." Talking to co-host and former Democratic operative George Stephanopoulos, she wondered, "George, was it the common topic of conversation in the Clinton administration?"
On Today, Natalie Morales enthused, "When he was asked about aliens, well, Clinton said the science seems to point in one direction." She then helpfully noted, "Clinton later said he enjoys being called America's first black president but said that President Obama actually deserves that title." CBS This Morning also played clips of the ex-President on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
None of the morning shows played this rather uniformed question from Kimmel:
JIMMY KIMMEL: Now, I know you won't say or you can't say whether or not your wife will run for president. Will you run for vice president?
BILL CLINTON: I don't really think it's constitutional. Well, in theory, it is. But in practice it's not...If you become vice president, you might be president and I think it would violate the spirit, if not the meaning of the 22nd Amendment. So, I don't believe I could do that.
A transcript of the April 3 GMA segment is below:
8:04
AMY ROBACH: And finally, former President Bill Clinton isn't ruling out a possible alien invasion here on Earth. He visited Jimmy Kimmel last night and revealed that he did, in fact, look into the possibility when he was president. Even ordering his aides to research Area 51.
BILL CLINTON: If we were visited some day, I wouldn't be surprised. I just hope that it's not like Independence Day.
JIMMY KIMMEL: You and Bill O'Reilly would be hiding in a bunker together.
CLINTON: Yeah. Old Bill O'Reilly. He'd repeat every mean thing he ever sent about me. I'd say, "I don't care. Look at that."
ROBACH: After checking out all the reports about UFOs in New Mexico, he admitted there's no actual evidence of any current alien activity. But he said that alien invasion might be a good thing because it would unite us all. I'm just curious, George, was it the common topic of conversation in the Clinton administration?
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Not common. But, I mean there was a little research into Area 51. It's true.
ROBACH: People want to know.
STEPHANOPOULOS: We know he said he didn't find any. For now.
