Moments after South Carolina Republican Governor Nikki Haley endorsed Senator Marco Rubio on Wednesday in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary, the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley and NBC Nightly News saw almost zero interest in this massive endorsement to the tune of only a combined 32 seconds (unlike a certain endorsement back in 2008).
Instead, the two newscasts harped on Donald Trump’s comments about torture and his threats to sue Ted Cruz as the Texas Senator responded in a very contentious press conference earlier in the day prior to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll being released that showed him leading Trump nationally.
CBS gave just 22 seconds to this matter as chief White House correspondent Major Garrett noted late in the second half of his piece on the GOP primary: “Marco Rubio, current polling behind Trump and Cruz, today won the coveted endorsement of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.”
Following a short soundbite from Haley at the Rubio rally, Garrett mentioned how Haley’s decision served as “another blow to Jeb Bush whose brother, former President George W. Bush, met privately with Haley on Monday.”
NBC Nightly News scoured even less time for this subject as it fetched only 10 seconds near the conclusion of correspondent Hallie Jackson’s lead segment.
Upon noting Rubio’s third place spot in some GOP polls, Jackson told viewers: “Late tonight, pick up a new endorsement from South Carolina's popular governor. Rubio wasn't the only one looking for Nikki Haley's support. Jeb Bush was, too.”
While CBS and NBC only footnoted Haley’s support of Rubio, ABC’s World News Tonight and Republican campaign correspondent Tom Llamas reserved two minutes and one second for the big breaking story (in a segment that totaled four minutes and four seconds).
Llamas explained that along Trump falling behind Cruz in the NBC/WSJ poll, “his troubles don’t end there” as Haley appeared “with Senator Marco Rubio and against Donald Trump.”
Overall, he played three clips of Haley and one from Rubio plus adding that Trump “didn’t even mention the endorsement” in his first event since the announcement came down.
Llamas returned to this at the end of his report in a live shot with anchor David Muir as the pair highlighted the blow Haley’s action has on the Jeb Bush campaign:
MUIR: I want to get back to that key endorsement moments ago from Governor Haley. Former President George W. Bush met with her in recent days, clearly pushing for an endorsement of his brother, Jeb. Any reaction from the Bush campaign tonight?
LLAMAS: Yes, there is, David. Tonight, Jeb says that he's disappointed, and he's trying to spin the news in a positive way, saying that when he wins the nomination, she will have a role in his campaign.
The relevant portions of the transcript from the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley on February 17 can be found below.
CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
February 17, 20166:38 p.m. Eastern
MAJOR GARRETT: Marco Rubio, current polling behind Trump and Cruz, today won the coveted endorsement of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY (S.C.): If we elect Marco Rubio, every day will be a great day in America.
GARRETT: It was another blow to Jeb Bush whose brother, former President George W. Bush, met privately with Haley on Monday.
The relevant portions of the transcript from February 17's NBC Nightly News can be found below.
NBC Nightly News
February 17, 2016
7:03 p.m. EasternHALLIE JACKSON: In South Carolina, it's Trump who’s still dominating in the polls. Cruz trailing him, Marco Rubio close behind and closing in. Late tonight, pick up a new endorsement from South Carolina's popular governor. Rubio wasn't the only one looking for Nikki Haley's support. Jeb Bush was, too.
