During NBC’s Nightly News program on Monday the network ran not one but two reports on Donald Trump’s actions following the terrorist attack in Orlando, Florida. Both reports were about Trump’s attacks on President Obama and Hillary Clinton. In addition, they both chastised Trump for what he had tweeted following recent terrorist attacks. But while they were focused on Trump they ignoring Clinton’s major flip-flop on using the phrase “radical Islam.”
The first report was by NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, a known Clinton fan. “Trump also challenged by Guthrie for tweeting on the day of the shooting,” reported Mitchell on Savannah Guthrie’s interview with Trump, “He was being congratulated for being right on terrorism.” Mitchell then tried to rebuke Trump, “But NBC found only four tweets congratulating him, not tens of thousands.”
In NBC’s Katy Tur’s separate report she took a jabs at the presumptive GOP nominee. “Trump messaging today, the same as it was after the terror in San Bernardino, Paris, and Brussels. One rush to tweet self-congratulations,” she said with disgust, “The tweets often coming before offering condolences.”
The network’s competitors, ABC and CBS, on the other hand didn’t spend time on Trump’s tweets at all. They chose instead to report on the major flip-flop made by Clinton. “Clinton has long argued that using the term radical Islam also plays into terrorists’ hands, but in interviews today under pressure from Trump, she changed course,” reported CBS’s Nancy Cordes on Evening News.
During ABC’s World News Tonight Tom Llamas reported how Trump used to hit her for not being able to use the phrase, “Trump portraying Clinton as so scared, she won't even utter the phrase radical Islam.” Llamas continued, “But today, Clinton did say those words.”
CLINTON: Whether you call it radical jihadism, radical Islamism, I think they mean the same thing. I'm happy to say either.
Relevant portions of the transcript below:
NBC
Nightly News
June 13, 2016
7:16:08 PM EasternMITCHELL: Trump also challenged by Guthrie for tweeting on the day of the shooting. He was being congratulated for being right on terrorism.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: You were focused on yourself and giving yourself congratulations. What do you say about that?
TRUMP: I've been receiving tens of thousands of tweets. I’ve been the one that predicted it
MITCHELL: But NBC found only four tweets congratulating him, not tens of thousands. And Trump undeterred by criticism of his Muslim ban today pledging an even broader crackdown.
...
NBC
Nightly News
June 13, 2016
7:39:12 PM EasternTUR: Trump messaging today, the same as it was after the terror in San Bernardino, Paris, and Brussels. One rush to tweet self-congratulations. “Appreciate the congrats.” “Thank you for giving me credit. I've proven to be far more correct about terrorism than anybody. The tweets often coming before offering condolences.
...
CBS
Evening News
June 13, 2016
6:41:27 PM EasternCORDES: In Cleveland, Hillary Clinton said scapegoating one religion makes America less safe.
CLINTON: It's no coincidence that hate crimes against American Muslims and mosques have tripled after Paris and San Bernardino. That's wrong and it's also dangerous. It plays right into the terrorists' hands.
CORDES: Clinton has long argued that using the term radical Islam also plays into terrorists’ hands, but in interviews today under pressure from Trump, she changed course.
CLINTON: Whether you call it radical jihadism, radical Islamism, I think they mean the same thing. I'm happy to say either.
...
ABC
World News Tonight
June 13, 2016
6:47:20 PM Eastern
LLAMAS: From Hillary Clinton today, a very different approach.
HILLARY CLINTON: Inflammatory, anti-Muslim rhetoric hurts the vast majority of Muslims who love freedom and hate terror.
LLAMAS: Trump portraying Clinton as so scared, she won't even utter the phrase radical Islam.
TRUMP: And her continuing reluctance to ever name the enemy broadcasts weakness across the entire world.
LLAMAS: But today, Clinton did say those words.
CLINTON: Whether you call it radical jihadism, radical Islamism, I think they mean the same thing. I'm happy to say either. But what I won't do, because I think it is dangerous for our efforts to defeat this threat, is to demonize and demagogue and declare war on an entire religion.
