CNN lived up to its nickname of the "Clinton News Network" on Wednesday, as New Day played up how Hillary Clinton checked off an apparent "debate check list with surgical precision," as John Berman put it. Chris Cuomo hyped that viewers "got to see Hillary Clinton at her best." Berman also glossed over the liberal politics in the Democratic Party by underlining Clinton's "appeal to the grassroots and pragmatic wings of the party." [video below]
Cuomo and co-anchor Alisyn Camerota exclaimed, "What a night!" as they led the morning-after coverage of the Democratic presidential debate. The brother of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo continued with his "Hillary Clinton at her best" line. Camerota added that "Jim Webb and Lincoln Chafee also had some really compelling moments."
Berman led his report by underlining that "before last night, the five Democratic candidates had done a combined total of 25 presidential debates between them. Hillary Clinton accounted for all twenty-five; and to an extent, that really showed last night." He then spotlighted Clinton's supposed "debate check list:"
BERMAN (voice-over): It may have been the first Democratic debate, but it was clear it was not Hillary Clinton's first rodeo – running down a debate check list with surgical precision.
HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from CNN Democratic presidential debate): I would not ask anyone to vote for me based on my last name.
BERMAN: Her name, check; her appeal to the grassroots and pragmatic wings of the party, check, check.
CLINTON: I'm a progressive, but I'm a progressive who likes to get things done.
BERMAN: Her gender – check, check, check.
CLINTON: I think being the first woman president would be quite a change from the presidents we've had up until this point. (audience cheers and applauds)
BERMAN: Even apparently joking about an extended trip to the bathroom during commercial.
CLINTON: You know, it does take me a little longer. That's all I can say.
ANDERSON COOPER: (laughs) That's right.
BERMAN: But on what might have been the biggest must-do on her list – addressing the question surrounding the use of her private e-mail for national business – she had a surprising assist from her leading opponent, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails! (audience cheers and applauds)
CLINTON: Thank you – me too; me too! (laughs)
Later in the segment, the CNN correspondent did note that "Sanders, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist, touted his battle against income inequality." He closed out his report by again highlighting Mrs. Clinton:
BERMAN: Perhaps the most telling moment – maybe aspirational – was when Hillary Clinton was asked to list her enemies.
CLINTON: Well, in addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians (audience laughs) – probably, the Republicans. (Clinton laughs) (audience cheers & applauds)
(...)
BERMAN: And, of course, every time she could in the debate, she turned her focus from those on stage with her towards the Republicans – again, perhaps, looking ahead more than any other candidates. No one mentioned one name, though – and that's Joe Biden. And you do have to wonder what he thought while he was watching that debate.
CUOMO: He was thinking, what a game. I hope the Mets close it out. (Camerota laughs) That was a very good piece.
This was the second straight day of praising Clinton for the CNN morning newscast. On Tuesday's New Day, anchor Michaela Pereira and guest John Avlon touted Clinton's "very storied career," and asserted that she was a "formidable" candidate.
