All three network morning shows touted the good showing by a bevy of Republican women and Arkansas Democrat Blanche Lincoln in yesterday's primaries. NBC's Today and CBS's Early Show both headlined "Ladies Night," while ABC's Good Morning America's take was "Women Rule."
But ABC fill-in anchor Elizabeth Vargas suggested credit should really go to Hillary Clinton, because she "helped by running for president," paving the way for "all these other women about to possibly take office, high office, in those states."
Vargas's co-host and former Clinton employee George Stephanopoulos offered no comment.
Here's how ABC's Good Morning America opened their June 9 program:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, teasing at the top of the show: This morning, voters voice their anger and choose new faces in primaries across 12 states. Women and Tea Party candidates the big winners, but can they ride voter frustration all the way to Washington?...STEPHANOPOULOS opening the show: The big headline out of last night's primaries: "Women Rule." How about this -- women candidates in four states won primaries. In California, for the first time in history, Republicans have chosen women candidates for both governor and senator. In Arkansas, Senator Blanche Lincoln bucked the anti-incumbent trend to come back against a well-funded challenger. And we're going to talk live to the woman [Nikki Haley] who survived one of the roughest races, and now the favorite to become the first ever female governor in South Carolina.
Then, after a wrap-up report by Jon Karl and Stephanopoulos's interview with Haley:
VARGAS: So many women saying - doing so well, and many saying perhaps Hillary Clinton helped by running for president. All these other women about to possibly take office, high office, in those states.
