ABC’s World News Tonight and their fellow newscasts on CBS and NBC went all out on Monday just before the Iowa caucuses, but it was ABC that found it important for viewers to know that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton began her day by giving volunteers donuts and stopping for coffee at a local coffee shop.
In Democratic correspondent and Saturday anchor Cecilia Vega’s report, she began by hyping that “Hillary Clinton’s final push” started early by “energizing volunteers first thing this morning” with “donuts in hand.”
Vega noted that Clinton “hop[es] to avoid another upset” and will be looking to hear that she’s the winner by night’s end.
Chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl was along for the third segment with a look at the retail politics side of things and happened to run into Clinton at the same small coffee shop.
Anchor David Muir declared before the piece that: “In these final hours, the candidates delivering their closing arguments. Every minute is planned, except for the ones when they try to take a break and grab a bite for themselves, but then, our Jon Karl just happens to be sitting a table away.”
Karl then explained that anyone could be heading “out for coffee in Des Moines on caucus day and there's a good shot you'll run into somebody running for president” as he did when he saw the former secretary of state
Karl shouted out at Clinton from across the room to ask “[h]ow's it going,” and she responded that she was “great” and simply “taking a little break” to get “refueled.”
Joking that Clinton is “like a regular here,” Karl was able to have Clinton claim that she is a regular because she “love[s] this place.”
The relevant portions of the transcript from ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir on February 1 can be found below.
ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir
February 1, 2016
6:35 p.m. Eastern[CROWD CHEERING]
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Showdown in Iowa; Dead Heat; Clinton and Sanders Neck and Neck]
CECILIA VEGA: Hillary Clinton's final push, energizing volunteers first thing this morning. Donuts in hand.
HILLARY CLINTON: I'm so excited! Aw, thank you for everything you're doing.
VEGA: Hoping to avoid another upset. The words she wants to hear?
CLINTON VOLUNTEER [TO CLINTON]: We're going to win!
[CROWD CHEERING]
(....)
6:38 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: On the Trail]
DAVID MUIR: In these final hours, the candidates delivering their closing arguments. Every minute is planned, except for the ones when they try to take a break and grab a bite for themselves, but then, our Jon Karl just happens to be sitting a table away.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Showdown in Iowa; Decision Day; Getting Down to Business]
JONATHAN KARL: Go out for coffee in Des Moines on caucus day and there's a good shot you'll run into somebody running for president. [TO CLINTON] How's it going?
HILLARY CLINTON: Great. Taking a little break. Getting refueled.
KARL: You're like a regular here.
CLINTON: I am, actually. Love this place.
