It didn’t take long for ABC to go back to ignoring Hillary Clinton’s growing e-mail scandal. A day after all three networks covered a “scathing” new report accusing the Democrat of violating federal rules, Good Morning America on Friday totally avoided the subject. In contrast, NBC’s Today and CBS This Morning both stayed on the story. But the two networks couldn’t agree whether Clinton was going on “offense” or staying on “defense.”
While GMA reporters couldn’t be bothered to cover the e-mail scandal, the show devoted the entire last half hour to a concert by singer Flo Rida. For those who like to read their TV news, ABC allowed the Clinton scandal to appear in the crawl at the very bottom of the screen. Quickly appearing (and then disappearing) across the screen were the words: “Hillary Clinton to ABC News about the e-mail controversy: 'If I could go back, I would do it differently.'”
On Today, a network graphic proclaimed, “Clinton Goes on the Offensive: Defends Private E-Mail Use Amid Report Fallout.” On CBS This Morning, reporter Julianna Goldman offered a different take: “Hillary Clinton played defense Thursday following the State Department inspector general's support which concluded diplomatic security officials did not and would not approve her exclusive reliance on a personal e-mail account.”
On Today, Welker offered this hopeful assessment, saying, “Hillary Clinton will try to turn the page today from the scathing inspector general report about her use of private e-mails.” However, later the segment, she seemed less optimistic: “Now that e-mail issue just isn't going away for Clinton. She's awaiting the results of an FBI investigation.”
On Thursday, the network morning shows saw the new inspector general report as “scathing” and “stark,” something that “undercuts” Clinton’s honestly. However, as ABC indicates, journalists will likely revert to ignoring the scandal. By that evening, ABC’s David Muir on World News worried that the candidate is not fighting back hard enough against Trump.
A transcript of the Today segment is below:
Today
5/27/16
7:10:45 to 7:13:12
2 minutes and 27 secondsNBC Graphic: Clinton Goes on the Offensive: Defends Private E-Mail Use Amid Report Fallout]
MATT LAUER: Hillary Clinton is going all out against Donald Trump at her rallies. She is also responding to the blistering new report on her e-mail scandal. NBC’s Kristen Welker is following the Clinton campaign. Kristen, good morning to you.
KRISTEN WELKER: Matt good morning to you. That’s right Hillary Clinton will try to turn the page today from the scathing inspector general report about her use of private e-mails. She's also wasting little time trying to capitalize on Donald Trump officially locking up the Republican nomination. With word that Donald Trump has clinched the GOP nomination, Hillary Clinton is taking every opportunity she can to sharpen her attacks.
HILLARY CLINTON: There is absolutely no way that we can let Donald Trump get anywhere near the White House. That means an unqualified loose cannon is within reach of the most powerful job in the world.
WELKER: And Clinton is also in full damage control mode, after the inspector general rebuked her use of a private e-mail server when she was secretary of state, going on a Trump-like phone-athon to defend herself, including with Chuck Todd on MSNBC.
CLINTON: The report makes clear that personal e-mail use when the practice under other secretary of state.
WELKER: And she tried to clarify a 2010 e-mail, where she didn't want the personal to be accessible.
CHUCK TODD: What was the accessible? What were you worried about, with the personal being accessible? Accessible by who?
CLINTON: Nobody wants their personal e-mails made public. You know, that is, I think, very common. If not a unanimous feeling among people.
WELKER: But the report found she did break the rules by not properly preserving her e-mails. It also slammed her for failing failed to ask permission to use a private server and for refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
CLINTON: I testified for 11 hours before the committee, the Benghazi committee. I have answered numerous questions.
WELKER: And as Clinton barnstorms in California, on Thursday, she laughed off word of a possible debate between Trump and Bernie Sanders.
CLINTON: I understood they said it was a joke, and I'm going to look forward to debating Donald Trump.
WELKER: Now that e-mail issue just isn't going away for Clinton. She's awaiting the results of an FBI investigation. Meanwhile, today, Clinton still fighting to lock up the nomination, will campaign here in California. Her opponent, Bernie Sanders, will, as well. Polls show it is shaping up to be a tighter race than, perhaps, anyone imagined.
