Friday's World News Tonight on ABC failed to mention that 37 out of 1,000 of Hillary Clinton's e-mails from her private e-mail server, which were released earlier in the day, contained information that is considered "confidential." Substitute anchor Elizabeth Vargas did give a 28-second news brief on the "flood of documents from the Hillary Clinton campaign" that include tax forms from between 2007 and 2014, as well as a statement from her doctor that she is apparently "fit to serve as president." [video below]
By contrast, both CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News reported on the e-mail release. CBS's Scott Pelley noted how "the State Department acknowledged that Hillary Clinton's private, unsecured mail server contained national security information that has now been deemed too sensitive to make public." NBC's Andrea Mitchell spotlighted how "portions of 37 e-mails were classified after the fact as confidential for national security reasons."
During her brief, Vargas summarized the tax documents, as well as the medical statement from the Clinton campaign:
ELIZABETH VARGAS: To politics now, and a flood of documents from the Hillary Clinton campaign tonight – tax forms reveal that from 2007 to 2014, she and her husband made $140 million; paid $57 million in federal and state taxes; and gave $15 million to charity. Also, a statement from her doctor – saying Clinton has no lingering health effects from her 2012 concussion, and that she – and that she is – quote, 'fit to serve as president.'
On CBS Evening News, Pelley led with the details about e-mails, and pointed out that "the Democratic presidential contender seemed to try to draw attention away from this today with a whirlwind of activity – including putting out her tax returns." Correspondent Nancy Cordes briefly highlighted the Clintons' income before zeroing in on the former first lady's medical history:
NANCY CORDES (voice-over): Clinton's speaking fees have been a source of fascination; and tonight, we're learning just how much she made – nearly $10 million in 2013 alone. From 2007 to 2014, the Clintons donated nearly $15 million to charity.
The revelations came three hours after Clinton released this letter from her doctor: 'She's in excellent physical condition and fit to serve as president.' Clinton, she wrote, 'takes a daily anti-coagulation drug called Coumadin, following deep vein thrombosis in 1998 and in 2009.' The letter also detailed Clinton's concussion in 2012, which left her with double vision for a period of time. She wore special glasses, and the symptoms resolved within two months.
Cordes continued with Clinton's campaign stops in Florida and her attack on Jeb Bush. She added that "if all that was designed to distract from the State Department's latest release of her e-mails, Clinton's campaign needn't have bothered. The most noteworthy e-mail was one Clinton sent in 2009 to top aid Cheryl Mills – asking, 'May I borrow the book Send by David Shipley?' – a book about, of all things, 'Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better.'"
Near the end of the segment, the CBS journalist reported that "as for the 37 [e-mails] that are now deemed confidential, Clinton says she did nothing wrong, because those e-mails were not considered classified when she received them on her personal account."
The issue of the e-mail release was an afterthought during Mitchell's report on NBC Nightly News. She set aside most of the air time to tax returns and to Mrs. Clinton's health:
LESTER HOLT: A sometimes guarded Hillary Clinton threw the doors open widely today on the family finances – revealing she and former President Clinton earned more than $23 million last year alone. The Clintons' wealth, and how it reconciles with her campaign image, has been a recurring topic in the race for president. Today, she offered up eight years' worth of tax returns; and something else – arguably, even more personal – a report on her health.
Andrea Mitchell reports.
ANDREA MITCHELL (voice-over): Hillary Clinton got personal today – opening the books on her tax returns and her medical history. On her finances – a recurring question for both Clintons this year – she disclosed her tax returns since 2007. The Clintons paid almost $44 million in federal taxes – a federal tax rate of 35.7 percent. They paid nearly $14 million in state and local taxes – a combined overall tax rate of 45.8 percent. Their charitable contributions totaled nearly $15 million – 10.8 percent of their income. Last year, Clinton said she and her husband were dead broke when they left the White House – clearly, no longer. Their gross income for the eight years released: $140 million.
In this campaign, Clinton has tried to recast herself as a populist – speaking for working-class Americans.
HILLARY CLINTON (from May 2015 speech to South Carolina Democratic Women's Council): We're going to have to stand up to the people who want to keep the deck stacked in favor of those at the top.
MITCHELL: As for her health, Clinton, now 67, became the first candidate this year to issue a medical report – although not her full medical records. In a letter, her doctor wrote, 'She's in excellent physical condition and fit to serve as president of the United States.' The letter reveals Clinton has had three episodes since 2009 involving a deep vein thrombosis – a blood clot – for which she takes Coumadin, a blood thinner. The most recent episode occurred after a fall that led to a concussion in 2012.
A month later, as she prepared to leave the State Department, I asked Clinton if her health would be a factor if she ran for president.
CLINTON (from January 2013 interview): It doesn't factor in at all. I mean, you know, that – I have no doubt that I'm healthy enough and my stamina's great enough, and I'll be fully recovered to do whatever I choose to do.
MITCHELL (on-camera): The State Department today released more Clinton e-mails from her private server. Portions of 37 e-mails were classified after the fact as confidential for national security reasons. Republicans immediately accused the Clinton campaign of releasing all those tax returns and medical records to distract from this third batch of e-mails.
The full transcript of Nancy Cordes's report from Friday's CBS Evening News:
SCOTT PELLEY: Today, the State Department acknowledged that Hillary Clinton's private, unsecured mail server contained national security information that has now been deemed too sensitive to make public. The information was not classified when the messages were written, but 37 of the more than 1,000 released today are now labeled 'confidential.' The Democratic presidential contender seemed to try to draw attention away from this today with a whirlwind of activity – including putting out her tax returns.
Here's Nancy Cordes.
HILLARY CLINTON (from campaign event): Hello! (audience applauds)
NANCY CORDES (voice-over): Clinton's speaking fees have been a source of fascination; and tonight, we're learning just how much she made – nearly $10 million in 2013 alone. From 2007 to 2014, the Clintons donated nearly $15 million to charity.
The revelations came three hours after Clinton released this letter from her doctor: 'She's in excellent physical condition and fit to serve as president.' Clinton, she wrote, 'takes a daily anti-coagulation drug called Coumadin, following deep vein thrombosis in 1998 and in 2009.' The letter also detailed Clinton's concussion in 2012, which left her with double vision for a period of time. She wore special glasses, and the symptoms resolved within two months.
CLINTON: The Cuba embargo needs to go once and for all. (audience applauds)
CORDES: In Florida, Clinton made news, too – speaking out on Cuba and on racial inequality; then, making a rare jab at Republican Jeb Bush for his slogan, 'Right To Rise.'
CLINTON (from speech to the National Urban League): I don't think you can credibly say that everyone has a right to rise; and then, say you're for phasing out Medicare, or for repealing ObamaCare.
CORDES: If all that was designed to distract from the State Department's latest release of her e-mails, Clinton's campaign needn't have bothered. The most noteworthy e-mail was one Clinton sent in 2009 to top aid Cheryl Mills – asking, 'May I borrow the book Send by David Shipley?' – a book about, of all things, 'Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better.'
CORDES (on-camera): The e-mails released today were heavily redacted. And as for the 37 that are now deemed confidential, Clinton says she did nothing wrong, because those e-mails were not considered classified when she received them on her personal account, Scott.
PELLEY: Nancy Cordes in the Washington newsroom this evening – Nancy, thank you.
