The “big three” networks of ABC, CBS, and NBC offered on Wednesday night more analysis of the first 2016 Democratic presidential debate from the night before that can only be summed up a complete lovefest for Hillary Clinton for having “command[ed] the stage” and “retaken control of the conversation” as she goes “on the offensive.”
Not surprisingly, NBC Nightly News had the most voluminous material praising Clinton that began right in the first tease from anchor Lester Holt: “Tonight, for the win. A big night for Hillary Clinton. Her campaign claiming a resounding debate victory. Did she do enough to secure her spot at the top and box Joe Biden out of the race?”
Holt continued after the show’s opening sequence with this gushy lead-in to Clinton correspondent Andrea Mitchell’s report that would have made disgraced liberal ex-anchor Brian Williams jealous:
For months, her campaign has been in response mode in the face of what even she admitted was a drip, drip of controversy. Today, however, for this moment, Hillary Clinton is appearing to have retaken control of the conversation. Her debate performance last night in which she mocked and framed Republican attacks against her and stood toe-to-toe with her opponents may give nervous supporters a reason to breathe easier and rivals and critics a reason for pause.
If that wasn’t sufficient, Mitchell hyped that dear Hillary was “commanding the stage last night and today, campaign advisers tell NBC News, they are preparing for what they think is a bigger hurdle: Next week's Benghazi hearing.”
Describing her takedown of Republicans as being “telegraphed last night” that she “dismissed” their concerns over her e-mail scandal and Benghazi as “pure politics,” Mitchell again hyped that “Kevin McCarthy’s comment is a gift that keeps on giving.”
ABC’s World News Tonight also couldn’t help but add their own accolades toward Clinton. Clinton correspondent Cecilia Vega touted the Clinton camp’s moves on the day after the big debate: “While Hillary Clinton takes a post-debate victory lap, tonight, her team on the offensive. Her campaign chairman saying, ‘at this point, Joe Biden needs to make up his mind.’”
Referring to the debate itself, Vega proclaimed that Clinton was receiving “high marks for her center stage performance, revealing a campaign strategy to come...[b]y trying to shift the focus” from her e-mail scandal “with that assist from her rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.”
Vega additionally gave Clinton kudos for how she handled the debate’s final question about having enemies in which Clinton named half the country in the Republican Party as her enemies: “Hoping to solidify her standing in the polls, she's trying to show a likeable side, even when she's talking about people who don't actually like her.”
Not to be left out, CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley did his best to run defense for Clinton before correspondent Nancy Cordes’s piece by offering Vice President Joe Biden some unsolicited advice: “Today, Vice President Joe Biden said he is proud of last night's Democratic presidential debate, but if he was looking for a reason to jump into the race, he likely didn't find it. Hillary Clinton dominated.”
Over on the Wednesday morning network newscasts, the trio repeatedly applauded Sanders for his defense of Clinton on her e-mails with Clinton Foundation donor and Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos described the debate as the former secretary of state’s “best day” of the campaign.
The relevant portions of the transcript from October 14's NBC Nightly News can be found below.
NBC Nightly News
October 14, 2015
7:00 p.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: For the Win?]
LESTER HOLT: Tonight, for the win. A big night for Hillary Clinton. Her campaign claiming a resounding debate victory. Did she do enough to secure her spot at the top and box Joe Biden out of the race?
(....)
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: New Momentum]
HOLT: For months, her campaign has been in response mode in the face of what even she admitted was a drip, drip of controversy. Today, however, for this moment, Hillary Clinton is appearing to have retaken control of the conversation. Her debate performance last night in which she mocked and framed Republican attacks against her and stood toe-to-toe with her opponents may give nervous supporters a reason to breathe easier and rivals and critics a reason for pause. That said, an already tough month for Clinton is about to get harder. Here is Andrea Mitchell.
ANDREA MITCHELL: Hillary Clinton commanding the stage last night and today, campaign advisers tell NBC News, they are preparing for what they think is a bigger hurdle: Next week's Benghazi hearing.
(....)
MITCHELL: Her strategy telegraphed last night dismissed the inquiry as pure politics.
CLINTON: If this committee is basically an arm of the Republican National Committee. It is a partisan vehicle as admitted by the house Republican majority leader Mr. McCarthy, to drive down my poll numbers.
MITCHELL: Kevin McCarthy's comment is a gift that keeps on giving.
(....)
The relevant portions of the transcript from ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir on October 14 can be found below.
ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir
October 14, 2015
6:31 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Showdown in Vegas]
DAVID MUIR: And we begin here with the showdown in Vegas and on this night after, so many eyes on Vice President Joe Biden. The Clinton camp tonight saying it is time for him to decide. Some asking, did he lose his opening given Hillary Clinton's performance? The high stakes debate, the most-watched Democratic debate ever. Hillary Clinton getting unexpected help from her closest opponent, Bernie Sanders....We begin with ABC's Cecilia Vega in Las Vegas.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Race for 2016; Clinton Team to Biden; Time to Make Up Your Mind]
CECILIA VEGA: While Hillary Clinton takes a post-debate victory lap, tonight, her team on the offensive. Her campaign chairman saying, “at this point, Joe Biden needs to make up his mind.”
CNN’s ANDERSON COOPER: Hillary Clinton.
VEGA: Other top Democrats thinking the same, as Clinton gets high marks for her center stage performance, revealing a campaign strategy to come. How she'll address that lingering e-mail controversy? By trying to shift the focus, last night with that assist from her rival Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
(....)
VEGA: Hoping to solidify her standing in the polls, she's trying to show a likeable side, even when she's talking about people who don't actually like her.
COOPER: You've all made a few people upset over your political careers. Which enemy are you most proud of?
CLINTON: Well, in addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians, probably the Republicans.
MUIR: And Cecilia Vega with us live tonight and, Cecilia, I want to take viewers back to that image, that moment in the debate, because you were right there in the hall. Bernie Sanders saying Americans are sick and tired about hearing about those e-mails, but tonight, word that moment isn't just helping Hillary Clinton?
VEGA: Oh, it's not. The senator's campaign took a clip of that soundbite and sent it out in a fund-raising e-mail. Within minutes, they say they shattered fund-raising records, raising more than a million dollars in the first few hours, but the Sanders camp not the only one claiming victory. Hillary Clinton's team is calling yesterday's debate the best day of the campaign so far.
