The recent revelations exposed by former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile were given a surprising amount of airtime on Sunday on the Big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC), certainly way more than when the news first broke. While some were trying to defend Hillary Clinton or attack Brazile, others were trying to get Democrats to answer serious questions about it. One of those was CBS’s Face the Nation moderator John Dickerson, who grilled Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner on the implications it would have on his state’s gubernatorial election.
“Final question, the former DNC chairman Donna Brazile has dropped a bomb this week saying basically the Democratic National Committee was rigged for Hillary Clinton in her favor. Do you believe that's true,” Dickerson wondered.
Warner tried to deflect, claiming he was more focused on the governor’s race. “Listen, I have seen some of the press reports. What I'm a lot more focused on, we've got a really critical election coming up in two days in Virginia where we elect the governor,” he said. “I hope it's going to be Ralph Northam our Democratic candidates. That's where I'm focused.”
“The most important thing they can do is get out and vote on Tuesday and hopefully Ralph Northam the next governor,” Warner continued. But Dickerson countered by reminding his guest that the question of a corrupt party was something that could keep supports away from the polls.
“But the problem is Democrats don't want to get out and vote if they think their party is corrupt, which is the charge Brazile is making,” he exclaimed. “So if you don't address the corrupt part, how do you get people to vote for a Democratic candidate?”
Warner continued to ignore the seriousness of Dickerson’s question and kept the focus on the Virginia race. “Well, I can tell you there’s a heck of a lot of enthusiasm. I don't believe the Democratic Party is corrupt,” he said. “I believe the Democratic Party is best when it’s forward-leaning. I think we got that kind of candidate running in Virginia right now.” He also tried to make President Trump the focus of the race.
Dickerson ended the interview after the Senator finished since they appeared to be at the end of Warner’s available time.
The Big Three Network had certainly treated the Brazile scandal far more seriously than the recent Clinton-uranium and Clinton/DNC-Russia collusion scandals. Perhaps it’s because it implicates the entire Democratic Party apparatus and could further drive a wedge between the party establishment and the far-left Bernie Sanders supporters. Whatever the reason, it’s clear the networks were more concerned with quelling Democratic Party infighting while they touted and added fuel to Republican ones.
Transcript below:
CBS
Face the Nation
November 5, 2017
10:39:50 AM Eastern(…)
JOHN DICKERSON: Final question, the former DNC chairman Donna Brazile has dropped a bomb this week saying basically the Democratic National Committee was rigged for Hillary Clinton in her favor. Do you believe that's true?
SEN. MARK WARNER: Listen, I have seen some of the press reports. What I'm a lot more focused on, we've got a really critical election coming up in two days in Virginia where we elect the governor. I hope it's going to be Ralph Northam our Democratic candidates. That's where I'm focused. And a lot of folks in Virginia are frustrated with what's going on. Particularly from this administration. The most important thing they can do is get out and vote on Tuesday and hopefully Ralph Northam the next governor.
DICKERSON: But the problem is Democrats don't want to get out and vote if they think their party is corrupt, which is the charge Brazile is making. So if you don't address the corrupt part, how do you get people to vote for a Democratic candidate?
WARNER: Well, I can tell you there’s a heck of a lot of enthusiasm. I don't believe the Democratic Party is corrupt. I believe the Democratic Party is best when it’s forward-leaning. I think we got that kind of candidate running in Virginia right now. I'm going the leave here and crisscross southwest Virginia to try to help get out the vote. And I hope on Tuesday night we're going to have great victory both from the Virginia standpoint but also sends a message that some of the actions of this president are at least not acceptable in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
DICKERSON: Senator, thanks so much for being with us.
