Batting lead-off on the post-Democratic debate coverage of their respective networks late Sunday, CNN’s Jeff Zeleny and FNC’s Ed Henry couldn’t have offered a larger contrast as Zeleny gushed that Hillary Clinton “pretty much dominated” Bernie Sanders on “the issues” while FNC’s Ed Henry observed that it was Sanders who “dominat[ed] the agenda” with “his best performance so far.”
Asked by CNN host Wolf Blitzer for this initial thoughts, Zeleny explained that exchanges between the candidates on gun control, health care, and Wall Street were most crucial but he “was struck” most in the debate by Sanders being “for the first time was on the defense.”
“Up until now, the spotlight has been on Secretary Clinton. The burden has been on her. That changed a bit tonight, and I don't think he handled it very well. On issue after issue, she pretty much — I wouldn't say wiped the floor with him but she pretty much dominated the issues,” ruled Zeleny.
Zeleny also alluded to the early set of questions in which Sanders was pressed by both Clinton and NBC co-moderator Lester Holt on guns and opined that “he did not even respond to her long set of arguments there.”
While he credited Sanders for having “scor[ed] some points” on financial issues, CNN’s senior Washington correspondent concluded: “[T]onight did not change anything and it calmed some agitation, some anxiety in Democratic circles, supporters of her. I think she had a very strong night tonight.”
Filing from the spin room in Charleston, South Carolina, FNC’s chief White House correspondent in Ed Henry saw the debate differently:
[M]y take from being here is Bernie Sanders was dominating the agenda. It was his best performance so far. He was energetic, he was strong. He was tough, pushing back. Sometimes, he might come across a too strong, too angry, but he’s trying to tap into what Donald Trump is tapping into in the Republican debates[.]
Like Zeleny, Henry pointed out Clinton’s near constant attempts to connect herself to President Obama and his agenda, but he ruled that her campaign was “on the defense tonight” with them “preparing for the possibility of losing either or both Iowa and New Hampshire as Bernie Sanders has had this recent surge.”
The relevant portion of the transcript from CNN’s post-Democratic debate coverage on January 17 can be found below.
CNN’s Democratic Debate Special
January 17, 2016
10:58 p.m. Eastern
JEFF ZELENY: Wolf, I think the that three central issues tonight was that exchange on guns, on health care, and then on Wall Street as well, but on guns to start with, I mean, one thing that I was struck by in this debate, Bernie Sanders for the first time was on the defense. He was being challenged. We've not seen that happen before. Up until now, the spotlight has been on Secretary Clinton. The burden has been on her. That changed a bit tonight, and I don't think he handled it very well. On issue after issue, she pretty much — I wouldn't say wiped the floor with him but she pretty much dominated the issues. On guns specifically, he did not even respond to her long set of arguments there. On health care, she tied herself so tightly to President Obama. That's what I was struck by tonight more than anything. She is trying to keep her support among black voters, so important in South Carolina and beyond, so she basically said he would blow up the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare and then finally on Wall Street I think he did score some points on reminding people that she's been paid by Goldman Sachs and other things, but tonight did not change anything and it calmed some agitation, some anxiety in Democratic circles, supporters of her. I think she had a very strong night tonight.
The relevant portion of the transcript from FNC’s post-Democratic debate coverage on January 17 can be found below.
FNC’s America Election HQ
January 17, 2016
11:03 p.m. Eastern
ED HENRY: In the first three debates, a lot of hype, it turned out to be fizzle instead of sizzle. Tonight, there really were blows that were being exchanged and my take from being here is Bernie Sanders was dominating the agenda. It was his best performance so far. He was energetic, he was strong. He was tough, pushing back. Sometimes, he might come across a too strong, too angry, but he’s trying to tap into what Donald Trump is tapping into in the Republican debates and you saw Sanders, who remember at some of the earlier debates took the e-mail server off the table, backpedaled, didn’t take Clinton head on. Tonight, he certainly went after her and what I saw Secretary Clinton doing is wrapping her arms around President Obama. That can help her in this Democratic primary as she’s now playing a lot of defense, rallying the party around her perhaps, particularly African-American voters. This debate – let’s forget was co-sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus. In South Carolina, large African-American turnout will be pivotal in the Democratic primary that’s coming up, so my point is, this is a Clinton camp on defense tonight. There are preparing for the possibility of losing either or both Iowa and New Hampshire as Bernie Sanders has had this recent surge and so, she was looking to wrap herself around the President to try to have a southern firewall in South Carolina and other states with a strong African-American turnout.
