The big three networks on Monday rushed to declare a “re-energized” Hillary Clinton could be building an “impregnable lead” after her “big win” in Nevada. Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton operative who donated $75,000 to the Clinton foundation, cheered, “That path for Hillary Clinton with South Carolina and Super Tuesday coming up, she can build up a huge, almost impregnable lead.”
GMA reporter Cecilia Vega declared, “But after this loss in Nevada, [Bernie Sanders’s] path that path to that nomination is looking a lot tougher.” Over on NBC’s Today, Willie Geist trumpeted, “Hillary Clinton hopes to build on her big win over Bernie Sanders in Nevada.” Underlining her colleague, Kristen Welker insisted the former Secretary of State is “hoping her supporters and donors [are] re-energized after her big win in Nevada.”
Using the talking point phrase yet again, Welker parroted, “Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders at a critical juncture today, after Clinton’s big win in Nevada over the weekend.” Promoting the intimacy of the Clinton marriage, the journalist showcased, “Clinton later posting this photo to Instagram, savoring the victory with her husband.”
In a later segment, Andrea Mitchell touted, “On the Democratic side, the Clinton campaign is breathing a huge sigh of relief after slowing the Sanders surge in Nevada.”
On CBS This Morning, Nancy Cordes used similar language, exhaling, “That Nevada victory was a huge relief for the Clinton camp. It preserved her front-runner status.” In a later segment, former-Reagan aide Peggy Noonan decided that Sander has given Clinton’s campaign “meaning.”
GAYLE KING: Do you think Bernie Sanders has helped her?
PEGGY NOONAN: Ah, you know, I think so far in two ways -- assuming he doesn't beat her, he has helped her in the fact that he gave her someone to sharpen herself against as she ran but he also forced her to come up with a meaning of her campaign, that meaning is, I think, if I'm reading it right, I believe in progress that is possible. I believe in politics is the art of the possible. That seems to me what she is saying. In other words, she is saying, my promises, I can actually deliver. He can't deliver anything. He’s making all of these things up.
A transcript of the Today segment is below:
02/22/16
7:06 AMWILLIE GEIST: As we mentioned, South Carolina is the next battleground on the Democratic side, where Hillary Clinton hopes to build on her big win over Bernie Sanders in Nevada. NBC’s Kristen Welker is following both of those campaigns for us. Kristen, good morning.
KRISTEN WELKER: Willie, good morning to you. Hillary Clinton is focused on fundraising today here in the Los Angeles area. Hoping her supporters and donors re-energized after her big win in Nevada. The question now, can she maintain her momentum?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Democrats’ Southern Strategy; Clinton & Sanders Battle for South Carolina]
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders at a critical juncture today, after Clinton’s big win in Nevada over the weekend.
HILLARY CLINTON: Some may have doubted us but we never doubted each other.
WELKER: Clinton carried to victory by union workers and African-Americans who turned out in force. 76% of blacks in Nevada choosing her.
CLINTON: This one’s for you.
WELKER: Clinton later posting this photo to Instagram, savoring the victory with her husband. Trying to gain ground with minorities, Sanders courted African-Americans at a Baptist church in South Carolina Sunday. And later, urged his supporters to fight on.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: South Carolina has the opportunity to make American history, and I hope you will!
[CHEERS]
WELKER: While Sanders won 72 percent of young voters in Nevada and had a strong showing among Latinos, the loss raises questions about his ability to win more diverse areas, like many of the Super Tuesday states. Sanders stressing, it's all about turnout.
SANDERS: But the voter turnout was not as high as I had wanted. And what I’ve said over and over again, we will do well when young people, when working class people come out.
WELKER: Both candidates now looking forward. Clinton commanding a double-digit lead in South Carolina, where her ground game is in full swing.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [CLINTON SUPPORTER]: I wanted to ask if you plan on voting for Hillary Clinton.
WELKER: Aides close to Sanders acknowledge the slim chances in South Carolina. This week, Sanders is sharpening his focus in places he feels confident, including Colorado, Massachusetts, and Michigan. And Sunday night, both campaigns took aim at the Republican frontrunner.
BILL CLINTON: We don't need to make America great again. America never stopped being great.
[CHEERS]
But we do need to make America whole again.
SANDERS: And you want a candidate who is gonna defeat Donald Trump. You're looking at that candidate.
[CHEERS]
WELKER: And this morning, the Clinton campaign is disputing that Sanders won the Latino vote, as entrance polls suggest. Arguing Clinton trounced Sanders in areas that are heavily Latino. The Sanders campaign is dismissing the charge, calling it pure spin. The bottom line, this all underscores the importance of the Latino vote as Super Tuesday approaches and as this race heats up. Willie, Savannah?
