On Tuesday, the broadcast networks lead off their Election Day coverage by gushing over Hillary Clinton casting her ballot in Chappaqua, New York. The 8:00 a.m. ET breaking news coverage on the CBS, ABC, and NBC morning shows celebrated the “momentous moment” in which the Democratic nominee would find out if her “dream” of being president “comes true.”
On CBS This Morning, co-host Gayle King touted: “And we're going back to the live pictures in Chappaqua....Hillary Clinton is there. Her team told us earlier today that she wanted to get up early to set an example to encourage the rest of us to get out there and vote for whatever your choice is today.” Fellow co-host Charlie Rose noted it was “a very special thing.” King agreed: “It is a very special thing. A privilege and honor, I think.”
Later at the top of the 8:30 ET half hour, Rose declared: “It's an amazing thing. She will find out what she has dreamed about for a long time is gonna happen or not.” In a live report from the polling place, correspondent Nancy Cordes announced that Clinton “was in a pretty good mood despite not having gotten much sleep last night. It’s probably a pretty great shot in the arm to see your name there at the top of the ticket.”
Cordes added:
A short time later she was also asked what it felt like to cast a ballot for herself. And I'll read you what she said. She said, “It's the most humbling feeling because I know how much responsibility goes with this. And so many people counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for this country. And I'll do the very best if I'm fortunate enough to win today.”
King followed up: “That has to be a feeling, though. But I like what you said, Charlie, today could be the day that you find out if your dream that you’ve wanted for a very long time comes true.” Rose remarked: “And especially after losing in 2008, to come back and have another shot.”
Co-host George Stephanopoulos began the second hour of ABC’s Good Morning America by proclaiming: “There she is as she was walking in just moments ago. Looking pretty chipper for someone who had very little sleep last night....now it comes down to the moment for her where she will cast her vote for President of the United States. There she is walking in.”
Fellow co-host Robin Roberts fawned: “That must be something to see your name on the ballot as President of the United States.” Stephanopoulos responded: “Gotta be such a moment....Even for someone who has been First Lady, Secretary of State, a senator from the state of New York. She's seen herself on the ballot before as a senator, but never...for President of the United States.”
Correspondent Cecilia Vega described the scene: “They just pulled up right here behind me. I tried to shout a question at her, asked her how she was feeling about Election Day. I got a big wave....She has called this the test of our time and Election Day is finally here. This historic day, a historic moment...”
On NBC’s Today, correspondent Kristen Welker told viewers:
Secretary Clinton and President Clinton just walked into their voting place here in Chappaqua. They were greeted by dozens of supporters who started cheering. We shouted out questions, we asked her how was she feeling this morning. She waved and walked inside. It’s a momentous moment for Secretary Clinton. It caps a more than 18-month fight to become the first female president...
Here are excerpts from the November 8 coverage on all three network morning shows:
CBS This Morning
8:30 AM ET TEASE
GAYLE KING: Hey, look who showed up at the polls bright and early. That's Hillary Clinton voting a short time ago in her hometown of Chappaqua, New York. She spoke with our Nancy Cordes. We'll hear what she had to say in just a moment. Her team said she wanted to set the example to get us all out there and voting today.
CHARLIE ROSE: It's an amazing thing. She will find out what she has dreamed about for a long time is gonna happen or not.
KING: Yes, she will find out today. Welcome back – one way or the other.
(...)
8:38 AM ET SEGMENT
CHARLIE ROSE: Hillary Clinton spoke to our Nancy Cordes a short time ago in her hometown of Chappaqua, New York. Let's go to Nancy in Chappaqua. Nancy, good morning.
NANCY CORDES: Good morning, Charlie. We caught up with her as she left this elementary school where she cast a ballot for herself for president. She was in a pretty good mood despite not having gotten much sleep last night. It’s probably a pretty great shot in the arm to see your name there at the top of the ticket. And I asked her as she came out and greeted a bunch of well-wishers who had gathered here whether she was nervous. Take a listen to her response.
HILLARY CLINTON: I'm so happy. I’m just incredibly happy. To see all my friends and my neighbors, it makes me so happy.
CORDES: A short time later she was also asked what it felt like to cast a ballot for herself. And I'll read you what she said. She said, “It's the most humbling feeling because I know how much responsibility goes with this. And so many people counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for this country. And I'll do the very best if I'm fortunate enough to win today.” Charlie?
ROSE: Thank you, Nancy.
GAYLE KING: That has to be a feeling, though. But I like what you said, Charlie, today could be the day that you find out if your dream that you’ve wanted for a very long time comes true.
ROSE: And especially after losing in 2008, to come back and have another shot.
KING: That’s right, that’s right.
(...)
Good Morning America
8:01 AM
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Take a look right now. That is Westchester, New York, Hillary Clinton has just entered the polling place right behind the door there. She is going to be voting this morning. I don't think there's any mystery about who she’s going to be voting for or her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
There she is as she was walking in just moments ago. Looking pretty chipper for someone who had very little sleep last night, they went from Philadelphia to North Carolina. There's Mr. President, President Bill Clinton right there as well, as they walk in. Jon Bon Jovi on the plane with them last night. Bruce Springsteen in Philadelphia. Lady Gaga for the final concerts as well. But now it comes down to the moment for her where she will cast her vote for President of the United States. There she is walking in.
ROBIN ROBERTS: That must be something to see your name on the ballot as President of the United States.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Gotta be such a moment.
ROBERTS: No matter who you are.
LARA SPENCER: And after all of this work.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Even for someone who has been First Lady, Secretary of State, a senator from the state of New York. She's seen herself on the ballot before as a senator, but never –
ROBERTS: As President of the United States.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Never for President of the United States. And look at all – it’s another sign of our times right there. Everybody’s got their phones out, that’s right.
SPENCER: Selfies.
STEPHANOPOULOS: She might not stop for a selfie before she votes this morning, although we will see.
ROBERTS: This campaign season, who knows? It could very well be the –
SPENCER: It looks like she is stopping to talk there.
MICHAEL STRAHAN: Well, she may not stop, but President Bill Clinton, he's there, maybe he can take the selfie while she goes in to vote.
(...)
Today
8:00 AM ET(...)
KRISTEN WELKER: Secretary Clinton and President Clinton just walked into their voting place here in Chappaqua. They were greeted by dozens of supporters who started cheering. We shouted out questions, we asked her how was she feeling this morning. She waved and walked inside. It’s a momentous moment for Secretary Clinton. It caps a more than 18-month fight to become the first female president, it is a fight that lasted early into the wee hours of this morning, when she landed here back in New York and greeted supporters.
And that ended a frenzied final sprint on Monday. Secretary Clinton making four stops in three key states, ending her campaign in the key battleground state of North Carolina with a midnight rally. But it was the event that she held in Philadelphia in which Democrats really put on a show of force. Of course that is the city where the nation's democracy was born, it’s also where Secretary Clinton officially accepted her party’s nomination. And last night she was joined by President Obama, the First Lady, her husband, and more than 30,000 people. It is the biggest crowd that she has gathered yet.
Their message, to draw a sharp contrast with Donald Trump, saying Secretary Clinton is the most qualified candidate and also saying that she is the candidate who will best unify the country. Secretary Clinton saying that today is a test of our time. Her campaign telling me this morning, as she prepares to vote, she is feeling confident. Confident about the race that she has run, confident about their ground game. They had more than a million volunteers out over the weekend, they made more than 21 voter to voter contacts. They think that is going to make all the difference in those critical battleground states and states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, which she hopes to hold onto in order to make history. Matt, Savannah?
(...)
