With the advent of many polls showing a tightening race in key battleground states as Election Day comes into view, ABC and NBC both started off their evening news casts Wednesday by glorifying Hillary Clinton’s surrogates on the campaign trail. “Clinton boarding that cross-country flight, knowing her squad of surrogates is swarming the battlegrounds,” hyped ABC’s Cecilia Vega on World News Tonight, “In North Carolina, long lines. People waiting hours to see President Obama.”
Vega mentioned that the president tried to appeal to key demographic for his election victories, millennials and African Americans. “Back in 2008, I won North Carolina by 14,000 votes,” he informed the crowd, “That's about two votes per precinct. If just two votes per precinct went the other way I would have lost North Carolina.” “In Florida, Vice President Joe Biden turning the focus back to Donald Trump… And vouching for Clinton,” Vega continued.
The ABC reporter even showed off how Clinton’s supporters are already excited for her perceived win. “With just six days to go, some Clinton supporters already looking ahead to the history should could make as the nation's first female president,” she stated. Soon after, they continued their effort to discredit FBI Director James Comey by playing up Obama’s shamming of him on Now This.
It was similar on NBC Nightly News as reporter Kristen Walker touted Clinton’s “good news,” “new polls showing her with leads in the key states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania… And with just six days until Election Day, Clinton is sharpening her attacks.”
Welker also seemed to hype Clinton’s “rare flash of anger” against all Trump supporters, which was triggered by a protestor. “I am sick and tired of the negative, dark, divisive dangerous vision and behavior of people who support Donald Trump,” Clinton shouted to the rally attendees.
In addition to touting Clinton, NBC brought on political analyst Nicolle Wallace who declared that Donald Trump’s efforts are pointless because, “The best-case scenario, if they do everything right, they lose with 266 electoral votes.” She also stated that the damage from the FBI’s investigation has already run its course, with little effect on Clinton.
In stark contrast, the third network in the “Big Three” (CBS) lead off CBS Evening News reporting the cowardly ambush and murder of two police officers in Des Moines, Iowa.
Transcripts below:
ABC
World News Tonight
November 2, 2016
6:31:17 PM Eastern...
CECILIA VEGA: Hillary Clinton mobbed today in Florida. She cheering on early voters during an unannounced stop at a polling place. Hillary Clinton is leaving one battleground state, she is headed to another. Nevada first, and then Arizona. A Democrat hasn't won there in 20 years. Clinton boarding that cross-country flight, knowing her squad of surrogates is swarming the battlegrounds. In North Carolina, long lines. People waiting hours to see President Obama.
BARACK OBAMA: You know what, she's not flashy. As a consequence, sometimes she's underappreciated here at home. But she made me a better president.
VEGA: The president today with a direct appeal to young and African-American voters.
OBAMA: Back in 2008, I won North Carolina by 14,000 votes. That's about two votes per precinct. If just two votes per precinct went the other way I would have lost North Carolina. How can you say your vote doesn't count? Each of you could swing an entire precinct for Hillary, if you vote.
VEGA: In Florida, Vice President Joe Biden turning the focus back to Donald Trump.
JOE BIDEN: This guy's got a fixation. Have you ever heard anybody, ever, talk as much about, and be so preoccupied with women's bodies? This guy doesn't deserve to be president by any count. He really doesn't.
VEGA: And vouching for Clinton.
BIDEN: We've been friends a long time. Look, she not only gets it, she'll finish the job we started.
VEGA: With the polls tight, team Clinton is now looking beyond the battlegrounds, dispatching Bernie Sanders today to blue states Michigan and Wisconsin.
BERNIE SANDERS: The choice is clear.
VEGA: States Trump is trying to win, too, by appealing to white working class voters.
SANDERS: Not only is he going to lose on November 8th, but he and his friends, his billionaire friends are going to start paying their fair share of taxes.
VEGA: With just six days to go, some Clinton supporters already looking ahead to the history should could make as the nation's first female president.
JERRY EMMETT: I just wish my mother and dad could see all of this.
VEGA: In Prescott, Arizona, 102-year-old Jerry Emmett, born before women had the right to vote, remembers watching her own mother vote for the very first time.
EMMETT: They all came down to watch the women get to vote. Even the men were happy.
...
...
NBC
Nightly News
November 2, 2016
7:01:24 PM Eastern...
KRISTEN WELKER: Lester, good evening to you. Tonight the Clinton team is getting some good news, new polls showing her with leads in the key states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. But Donald Trump has the edge here in Nevada. And with just six days until Election Day, Clinton is sharpening her attacks.
[Cuts to video]
With polls tight in Florida, Hillary Clinton adding a surprise stop today, and escalating her scorched Earth strategy against Donald Trump. Last night showing a rare flash of anger at a protester.
HILLARY CLINTON: I am sick and tired of the negative, dark, divisive dangerous vision and behavior of people who support Donald Trump.
WELKER: Clinton reviving old attacks, looking to put the spotlight back on Trump.
CLINTON: By the time you add up all the people he's insulted, that's more than half the population of the United States.
WELKER: And letting her surrogates take on the email controversy, President Obama speaking out for the first time, seeming to take a swipe at the FBI director's timing.
BARACK OBAMA: There is a norm that, you know, when there are investigations. We don't operate on innuendo. We don't operate an incomplete information. We don't operate on leaks.
WELKER: Top aide Huma Abedin at the center of the new FBI probe in New York today. Scheduled to return to the campaign tomorrow hosting a fundraiser. But today, Clinton sending out six top surrogates, including the president with James Taylor in North Carolina.
OBAMA: Right now we got to focus on some business.
WELKER: The president trying to energize his 2012 base, including African-Americans. Our latest NBC news analysis showing early voting among African-Americans is lower than where it was at this point in 2012 in Florida and North Carolina. As Clinton tonight is focusing on the Latino vote. Did you vote for Hillary Clinton or against Donald Trump?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Against Donald Trump.
WELKER: Latino support critical if Clinton is to win battleground Nevada.
JON RALSTON: They may get above 20 percent, a fifth of the electorate, they're energized to vote against Donald Trump.
WELKER: Now Clinton counting on the Obama coalition more than ever to help her get across the finish line. Kristen Welker, NBC News, Las Vegas.
