Appearing on Monday's NBC Today, Bloomberg Politics managing editor Mark Halperin saw problems for Hillary Clinton running unopposed for the 2016 Democratic nomination: "...the Republicans are running in a field of thirteen or fourteen, she's running against herself and right now she's kind of losing."
Halperin cited the former secretary of state's recent e-mail scandal: "She's doing well in the polls but all these questions about her e-mails, about whether she should face a nomination fight, means that Democrats are worried."
He explained: "They're putting all their chips on one horse, Hillary Clinton, and if she ends up having problems now, they're saying maybe she should be tested now by a Democrat rather than risk sending her into a general election without having had debates and the kind of scrutiny you get when you have a contested fight."
Halperin made the comments at the end of a segment discussing the declared 2016 candidacy of Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Despite Halperin's brief mention of Clinton's e-mail controversy, the NBC morning show failed to report the latest developments in the story.
On ABC's Good Morning America, news anchor Dan Harris informed viewers in a 21-second brief:
Meanwhile, new questions this morning about Hillary Clinton's use of private e-mail while she was secretary of state. The New York Times saying this morning that a review of hundreds of Clinton e-mails found that Clinton's top aides sometimes corresponded with her about State Department business from their person e-mail accounts. Clinton has said she made it a practice to e-mail aides at their government addresses so the messages would be saved.
CBS This Morning co-host Norah O'Donnell noted the same Times report in a 29-second news brief, but skipped the revelation that Clinton aides were using private e-mail:
The New York Times reports that Hillary Clinton's e-mails on the Benghazi attacks offer a rare glimpse at her concerns. Some 300 of Clinton's private e-mails were turned over last month to a House committee investigating the 2012 attack. Senior government officials tell the Times the e-mails show Clinton and her aides closely monitored the fallout from the deadly attack. The newspaper says the incident threatened to damage her image and reflect poorly on the State Department. The e-mails did not provide evidence that Clinton ordered a stand down to stop American forces responding to the violence.
Here is a transcript of Halperin's March 23 comments about Clinton on Today:
7:05 AM ET
(...)
GUTHRIE: Meanwhile, the Democratic side is as lonely as the Republican is crowded. Where do you think Hillary Clinton comes down on announcing her run?
HALPERIN: The next couple weeks. Right now, look, the Republicans are running in a field of thirteen or fourteen, she's running against herself and right now she's kind of losing. She's doing well in the polls but all these questions about her e-mails, about whether she should face a nomination fight means that Democrats are worried. They're putting all their chips on one horse, Hillary Clinton, and if she ends up having problems now, they're saying maybe she should be tested now by a Democrat rather than risk sending her into a general election without having had debates and the kind of scrutiny you get when you have a contested fight.
GUTHRIE: Alright, Mark, I'm sure we'll see you lots in these next 596 days.
HALPERIN: Great to see you guys.
GUTHRIE: Thank you so much.
HALPERIN: Thanks.
