The President of the United States, and leader of the Democratic Party, Barack Obama endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president Thursday, and the liberal media couldn’t get enough of it. “Just when it looked like Democrats were on the verge of their own unity crisis, President Obama stepped in today to try to bridge the divide saying, “I'm with her,”” touted NBC’s Lester Host on Nightly News.
It seemed to be match made in liberal media heaven. “We begin tonight with a message almost unthinkable eight years ago when this country watched two candidates battle it out to make history,” opined ABC’s David Muir on World News Tonight. “President Obama now determined to help her make history this time,” he continued with a grin.
“She was once his bitter rival. Now he says she's better prepared for the job than he was,” added ABC’s Jonathan Karl in his report.
Host of CBS’s Evening News, Scott Pelley also had glowing things to add about the president’s endorsement saying, “Today President Obama passed the torch to the person he hopes will succeed him.” Pelley also threw her challenger, Senator Bernie Sanders, a bone commenting, “But Democratic Don Quixote Bernie Sanders is not letting go of his impossible dream.”
In addition to touting Obama’s endorsement, NBC’s Lester Holt brought on Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd to gloat about the unity within the Democratic Party:
Well, the comparison, I mean there really is no comparison. The Democrats appear very orderly about this. It's clear where this is headed. You can almost envision the Sanders-Clinton joint event that will likely take place probably in some rust belt battleground state in the next ten days.
Nothing that orderly on the Republican side. Right now, he's got to hope he can keep the party together long enough so that he doesn't have an insurrection at his convention and that is going more and more likely if he's not careful.
The Spanish-language networks had a more even handed approach to reporting on the event. They simply reported that the endorsement happened and left it at that, zero fanfare.
Partial Transcripts below:
NBC
Nightly News
June 9, 2016
7:01:21 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening. Just when it looked like Democrats were on the verge of their own unity crisis, President Obama stepped in today to try to bridge the divide saying, “I'm with her.” Publicly endorsing Hillary Clinton for president right after a heart to heart meeting with her democratic opponent Bernie Sanders. Yet tonight, Sanders remains in the race with plans to join Clinton on the campaign trail. NBC's Kristen Welker has late details.
[Cuts to video]
KRISTEN WELKER: Once a team of rivals, tonight teaming up. President Obama announcing his endorsement of Hillary Clinton in a videotaped Tuesday but released this afternoon.
BARACK OBAMA: I know how hard this job can be. That's why I know Hillary will be so good at it. In fact, I don't think there has been anyone so qualified to hold this office.
WELKER: Clinton telling Bloomberg, “we've gone from fierce competitors to true friends.”
...
CHUCK TODD: Well, the comparison, I mean there really is no comparison. The Democrats appear very orderly about this. It's clear where this is headed. You can almost envision the Sanders-Clinton joint event that will likely take place probably in some rust belt battleground state in the next ten days.
Nothing that orderly on the Republican side. Right now, he's got to hope he can keep the party together long enough so that he doesn't have an insurrection at his convention and that is going more and more likely if he's not careful.
...
ABC
World News Tonight
June 9, 2016
6:31:13 PM Eastern [3 Minutes 16 Seconds]DAVID MUIR: Good evening, and we begin tonight with a message almost unthinkable eight years ago when this country watched two candidates battle it out to make history. Hillary Clinton back then hoping to be the first woman president. Barack Obama hoping to be the first black president. It was bruising. Hillary Clinton of course lost. But soon after threw her support behind him and then saying yes when he asked her to be the secretary of state, two rivals suddenly partnering. And tonight? Partnering again. President Obama now determined to help her make history this time, and Donald Trump is already firing back. We begin with ABC's Jonathan Karl.
[Cuts to video]
JONATHAN KARL: On the sidelines no more. President Obama is all in for Hillary Clinton.
BARACK OBAMA: Tens of millions of Americans have made their voices heard. Today, I just want to add mine.
KARL: She was once his bitter rival. Now he says she's better prepared for the job than he was.
OBAMA: In fact, I don't think there's ever been someone so qualified to hold this office. She's got the courage, the compassion, and the heart to get the job done. And I say that as somebody who had to debate her more than 20 times.
KARL: In the slickly produced video endorsement, he even gives Mrs. Clinton some credit for the single most celebrated decision he made as president.
OBAMA: From the decisions we made in the situation room to get bin Laden, to our pursuit of diplomacy in capitals around the world, I have seen her judgment, I have seen her toughness, I've seen her commitment to our values up close.
KARL: Now, in essence, passing the baton.
...
MUIR: Jonathan Karl with us now from the White House. And Jon, back to the images we just saw there. We heard Hillary Clinton describe that moment in the situation room saying, just recently, it was the president and the president alone who made that decision on bin Laden. But we heard the president when he said we made that decision. How big of a gift was this endorsement for Hillary Clinton?
KARL: David, this was a presidential sized gift. Cause it wasn't just an endorsement. The president is going to be out there campaigning hard for Hillary Clinton beginning next week, Wednesday, in Green Bay Wisconsin.
...
CBS
Evening News
June 9, 2016
6:31:15 PM EasternSCOTT PELLEY: Today President Obama passed the torch to the person he hopes will succeed him, endorsing Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. The president, the outgoing head of the party, would like to clear the field for Clinton before the July convention. But Democratic Don Quixote Bernie Sanders is not letting go of his impossible dream. Here’s Nancy Cordes.
[Cuts to video]
BARACK OBAMA: I'm with her. I am fired up
NANCY CORDES: In a three-minute love letter to the presumptive nominee, President Obama called Clinton the most qualified person ever to run for the White House.
