On Wednesday evening, both Fox News and CNN held interviews with presumptive Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton and they really held her feet to the fire. The ‘Golden God’ also allowed the “big three” network broadcasters to interview her as well, but in stark contrast their interviews were slow pitch softball games.
In what seemed like a scene out of Disney’s The Lion King, ABC’s David Muir led Clinton over to a window to show her the excited crowd below. “I just want to show you this. This is the crowd that is waiting for you,” Muir said presenting the crowd to her. “They're chanting your name and they have no idea you’re up here looking at them. Will you talk about your mother tonight,” asked the World News Tonight host.
Muir dedicated mere seconds to Clinton’s many controversies, only asking one question about the FBI’s ongoing investigation into her E-Mail practices. “Can you assure the American people … that there isn't anything coming from this FBI investigation that's going to change the course of your campaign,” from there Muir quickly moved on to talking about the memory of Clinton’s mother.
CBS’s Scott Pelley also chose to give the controversies a wide berth on Evening News. He instead chose to grill Clinton on how historians would analysis her future running mate. “Do you think we will look back on your choice of a running mate as conventional or unconventional,” Pelley asked with a grin on his face.
On NBC’s Nightly News, host Lester Holt’s idea of a tough question was asking her to say something nice about Bernie Sanders:
You gave him kudos in your speech last night for igniting a part of the party, a part of the electorate out there. What ideas -- can you name one idea that he's put forward that you want to embrace, that he's really changed your position on?
Partial transcripts below:
ABC
World News Tonight
June 8, 2016
6:33:00 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: Back here at home this evening, and to history made. Eight years ago, she lost the nomination to Barack Obama. Eight years later, it's her turn. Hillary Clinton, the first woman to land a nomination for a major political party for president. And overnight, we were the only team allowed hind the stage before Secretary Clinton gave her historic speech.
Right there, that’s the first time she saw the crowd waiting. After our interview, she delivered that speech. To thunderous applause she walked out on to that stage thanking her supporters. But also aware of the history, and aware of a difficult battle ahead.
Tonight, we ask her about Donald Trump, is she ready? About the FBI investigation into her e-mail, is anything coming? About the VP list, and about the very personal, her late mother.
[Cuts to video]
I just want to show you this. This is the crowd that is waiting for you.
HILLARY CLINTON: Oh, my gosh. Look at that. Oh.
MUIR: So, this is eight years ago to the day that you conceded and tonight you will be out there —
CLINTON: That's right.
MUIR: For a very different reason.
CLINTON: That's right. It's almost hard to take in. It really is.
MUIR: Is it sinking in?
CLINTON: Oh, this is sinking it in, I can tell you that. It's — it's an overwhelming feeling, David, really.
MUIR: I've heard you were editing the speech right up until 30 seconds ago.
CLINTON: That's right. Exactly.
MUIR: Do you feel go about it?
CLINTON: I do.
MUIR: She tells me she will embrace the history.
CLINTON: I'm trying to capture that without just completely, you know, getting overwhelmed by the emotion of it.
MUIR: They're chanting your name and they have no idea you’re up here looking at them. Will you talk about your mother tonight?
CLINTON: I will. I’m going to yeah.
...
MUIR: Can you assure the American people, and the Bernie Sanders supporters who you now have to court, that there isn't anything coming from this FBI investigation that's going to change the course of your campaign?
CLINTON: Absolutely.
MUIR: You're confident?
CLINTON: Absolutely. Yes.
...
CBS
Evening News
June 8, 2016
6:32:10 PM EasternSCOTT PELLEY: Well, five months from today, American voters will elect the 45th president of the United States. It will be a choice between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Clinton claimed the democratic nomination last night, and she talked with us today from her home town of Chappaqua, New York.
[Cuts to video]
There was a moment last night that you stopped to take it all in. You stretched your arms out wide, and I wonder, what was going through your mind at that moment?
HILLARY CLINTON: I wasn't really thinking. I was just feeling the moment. I-- I was so overwhelmed by the energy and the excitement of the crowd, and I knew how many thousands and millions of people had made that moment possible. So I was especially just wanting to feel it because it was historic for me, but I think it was a historic milestone for so many others, as well.
...
PELLEY: Do you think we will look back on your choice of a running mate as conventional or unconventional?
CLINTON: I don't know because I have no idea yet. You know, I'm looking broadly and widely, and I'm going to begin to really, you know, dive in to thinking hard about this. So I'm going to be looking, first and foremost, as to who I believe could fulfill the responsibilities of being president and commander in chief.
...
NBC
Nightly News
June 8, 2016
7:01:14 PM Eastern...
HOLT: You gave him kudos in your speech last night for igniting a part of the party, a part of the electorate out there. What ideas -- can you name one idea that he's put forward that you want to embrace, that he's really changed your position on?
CLINTON: It's not that so much as the passion that he brought to the goals that his campaign set. I share the goals. We have different approaches about how to get there, but we are going to get to universal health care coverage. We are going to raise the national minimum wage. We are going to make college affordable. And we're going to crack down on abuses in the financial markets that might harm Main Street again.
...
