Following Rick Santorum’s announcement late Wednesday that he will mount a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, CBS and NBC largely punted on news of a seventh Republican candidate entering the field with a combined 37 seconds of airtime on their Wednesday evening newscasts.
Over on the Spanish-language networks, however, the coverage was even less as there was zero mention of Santorum’s announcement on the Wednesday evening newscasts of MundoFox, Telemundo, and Univision.
On the CBS Evening News, fill-in anchor Charlie Rose described in a 22-second news brief how “[t]he field for the Republican presidential nomination grew today to seven” as Santorum entered the race following “his first run in 2012” when “he won 11 states, second only to Mitt Romney.”
Rose concluded by summarizing Santorum’s plan to paint himself “as a champion of the middle class” in addition to his proposals to abolish the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the current “tax code and replacing them with a flat tax.”
NBC Nightly News devoted even less time to the launch of Santorum’s 2016 campaign as interim anchor Lester Holt read the following news brief that lasted for just 15 seconds:
In the race for president, the runner up for a Republican nomination in 2012 says he's in. Rick Santorum making it official late today. That makes seven candidates declared on the GOP side with three more expected in the next week and up to 15 by July.
While CBS and NBC offered news briefs on Santorum, ABC’s World News Tonight ran a short segment that focused on both the former Pennsylvania Senator’s campaign launch and his ABC News exclusive interview with Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos.
Prior to a preview clip of the interview that will air on Thursday’s GMA, anchor David Muir informed viewers that “[a] familiar face join[ed] the Republican field” as Santorum sat down with Stephanopoulos to opine on “a possible face off with Hillary Clinton.”
In the lone question that was shown, the former Clinton administration official asked Santorum to give him a “30-second case for why you’re the best person to take Hillary Clinton on in 2016.” Santorum responded by citing his record on national security and debating Clinton on various topics while the two served in the U.S. Senate:
Well, number one, national security is key. I mean, the ability to go up there and debate Hillary Clinton with the track record, not going into a debate with your experience as a briefing book, but real experience is important. Number two, we've taken her on, we've taken her on on everything from – from moral and cultural issues on the floor of the United States Senate, debated her on those issues. We've taken her on in her political shop.
The full transcript of the segment from ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir on May 27 can be found below.
ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir
May 27, 2015
6:43 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: White House Run]
DAVID MUIR: Now, to the race for 2016. Tonight, an ABC News exclusive here. A familiar face joining the Republican field. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, telling our George Stephanopoulos that he's in. The Republican runner-up last time, tonight, weighing in now on a possible faceoff with Hillary Clinton.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS [TO RICK SANTORUM]: Right now, make the 30-second case for why you're the best person to take Hillary Clinton on in 2016.
RICK SANTORUM: Well, number one, national security is key. I mean, the ability to go up there and debate Hillary Clinton with the track record, not going into a debate with your experience as a briefing book, but real experience is important. Number two, we've taken her on, we've taken her on on everything from – from moral and cultural issues on the floor of the United States Senate, debated her on those issues. We've taken her on in her political shop.
MUIR: Former Senator Rick Santorum with our own George Stephanopoulos and George's entire interview first thing tomorrow morning on Good Morning America.
