On Monday, NBC Nightly News featured a full report on the letter signed by 47 Republican Senators to the leaders of Iran concerning its negotiations with the Obama administration over its nuclear program, but took the step of describing the letter as one that “patronizes Iranian leaders.”
In addition, the report by NBC national correspondent Peter Alexander gave three times the airtime to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Obama than Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton (who authored the letter).
Interim anchor Lester Holt led into Alexander’s story by noting that “Senate Republicans did what some might call an end around” by writing “a letter directly to Iranian letters, warning any potential deal may not stick.” Holt also said that “[n]ow, the White House is accusing the GOP of interfering.”
Alexander started by telling viewers that “President Obama ridiculed Senate Republicans for reaching out to one of America's enemies” and aired a nine-second clip of Obama’s comments.
Turning to the letter itself, Alexander hyped that it “patronizes Iranian leaders for not understanding the U.S. Constitution, and warns that any nuclear deal reached with the President and U.S. allies could be undone if it isn't approved by Congress.”
Following two excerpts from the letter, Alexander played a small, seven-second soundbite from Cotton before turning to a portion of Zarif’s interview with NBC’s Ann Curry from last week that went on for 12 seconds. Combined with the clip of the President, NBC News devoted 21 seconds to important figures against the GOP letter to only seven seconds to someone in favor of it.
Over on the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, a soundbite from Cotton lasted for double the time that he received on NBC to the tune of 14 seconds. Like NBC, however, Cotton was outnumbered as clips from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and President Obama opposing the letter combined for 23 seconds.
ABC’s World News Tonight only featured a summary of the letter from anchor David Muir and a live report from ABC News chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl who highlighted the feelings of both the White House and Cotton regarding the letter.
The relevant portion of the transcript from March 9's NBC Nightly News is transcribed below.
NBC Nightly News
March 9, 2015
7:10 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Nuclear Fallout]
HOLT: With a deadline fast approaching for a nuclear deal with Iran, Senate Republicans did what some might call an end around. They wrote a letter directly to Iranian letters, warning any potential deal may not stick. Now, the White House is accusing the GOP of interfering. NBC's Peter Alexander tells us more.
PETER ALEXANDER: In the Oval Office this afternoon, President Obama ridiculed Senate Republicans for reaching out to one of America's enemies.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I think it's somewhat ironic to see some members of Congress wanting to make common cause with the hardliners in Iran.
ALEXANDER: Today, this letter signed by 47 Republican Senators, was sent to leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but its message was directed at the White House. The letter, patronizes Iranian leaders for not understanding the U.S. Constitution, and warns that any nuclear deal reached with the President and U.S. allies could be undone if it isn't approved by Congress. “The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen,” they wrote, “and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time.”
REPUBLICAN SENATOR TOM COTTON (Ark.): This letter is about nothing more than stopping Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. The United States and our allies cannot live with a nuclear Iran.
ALEXANDER: In an exclusive interview with NBC News last week, Iran's foreign minister said he would not interfere in U.S. politics.
IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF: I read the American constitution. I believe the executive has the prerogative over foreign policy and for any foreign government it has to be with the executive. That's the only way that you can have international affairs.
ALEXANDER: And tonight, Zarif called the letter from Republican Senators “a propaganda ploy.” White House aides say it's just the latest in a partisan strategy to undermine the President's ability to conduct his foreign policy.
