On Tuesday, both NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America accepted at face value Obama administration denials of a quid pro quo to cover up Hillary Clinton’s possession of classified e-mails. Reports on the morning shows let statements from the State Department and the FBI be the last word on the topic.
On Today, correspondent Hallie Jackson noted: “Trump seizing on newly released FBI documents from 2015. They suggest an FBI employee claimed a colleague discussed ‘quid pro quo’ with a top State Department official regarding classification of a Hillary Clinton e-mail.” Moments later, she assured viewers: “But both the State Department and the FBI deny the account, saying no quid pro quo deal ever took place.”
Jackson lamented how those denials were not “not stopping Republicans from pouncing” even with “Democrats calling it a non-story.” She then changed the subject: “But still a story? Fall-out from vulgar audio recorded in the presence of others in a 2005 Access Hollywood bus tour...”
At the top of the 8 a.m. ET hour, correspondent Kristen Welker similarly dismissed the controversy: “The alleged deal, lower the e-mail classification of a single e-mail from Clinton's private server ‘in exchange for allowing FBI agents in countries where they are presently forbidden’....The problem? The FBI and State Department both say it never happened.”
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A soundbite ran of State Department spokesman Mark Toner feigning outrage at the mere suggestion of corruption: “Any really assertion that this was somehow tit for tat or a quid pro quo exchange in that manner really, frankly, is insulting.”
On Good Morning America, correspondent Cecilia Vega defined the scandal as a GOP creation:
...this morning, allegations of a quid pro quo. The implication here that a top state department official was trying to protect Hillary Clinton from the political fallout of having classified information on her private server. The state department and the FBI say it never happened.... But this morning newly released notes from FBI interviews about Clinton's private server, in them, what Republicans are calling this bombshell.
Despite detailing how “an FBI staffer accuses a top State Department official of pressuring the bureau to declassify an e-mail found on that server” and was “telling investigators the request amounted to a quote, quid pro quo,” Vega concluded: “The FBI and State Department say the deal never happened. There was no quid pro quo and that the e-mail in question remained classified.”
Just imagine if a Republican administration was accused of similar wrongdoing, would the press simply accept the word of officials at the very agencies under fire that nothing happened?
Both networks also downplayed the story during evening news coverage on Monday.
Here are transcripts from the October 18 reports on NBC and ABC:
Today
7:05 AM ET(...)
JACKSON: The GOP nominee also taking shots at his Democratic rival, pushing his line against Hillary Clinton.
TRUMP: Quid pro quo.
JACKSON: Trump seizing on newly released FBI documents from 2015. They suggest an FBI employee claimed a colleague discussed “quid pro quo” with a top State Department official regarding classification of a Hillary Clinton e-mail. Quote, "In exchange for marking the e-mail unclassified, State would reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more agents in countries where they are presently forbidden,” specifically, in Iraq.
TRUMP: This is worse than Watergate. But we’re going to put an end to that on November 8th.
JACKSON: But both the State Department and the FBI deny the account, saying no quid pro quo deal ever took place. The e-mail was never marked unclassified and it was, in fact, an FBI official who originated the question of placing agents overseas in a totally separate discussion. That's not stopping Republicans from pouncing, Democrats calling it a non-story.
But still a story? Fall-out from vulgar audio recorded in the presence of others in a 2005 Access Hollywood bus tour, a show owned by NBCUniversal.
(...)
GMA
7:06 AM ET
ROBERTS: Now to Hillary Clinton looking to gain momentum and expand into traditionally red states. Her campaign dramatically wrapping up efforts in Arizona. This morning she's facing tough new questions about her e-mails and ABC's Cecilia Vega is here with all that. Good morning Cecilia.
VEGA: Robin good morning to you and this morning, allegations of a quid pro quo. The implication here that a top state department official was trying to protect Hillary Clinton from the political fallout of having classified information on her private server. The State Department and the FBI say it never happened but Republicans say not so fast.
The stars were out for a big Hillary Clinton fund-raiser overnight in New York. Billy crystal, Sarah Jessica parker, Barbara surprise and just to name a few raising at least 2 million dollars.
But this morning, newly released notes from FBI interviews about Clinton's private server, in them, what Republicans are calling this bombshell. An FBI staffer accuses a top state department official of pressuring the bureau to declassify an e-mail found on that server. The FBI staffer telling investigators the request amounted to a quote, quid pro quo adding, “in exchange for marking the e-mail unclassified, state would reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more agents in countries where they are presently forbidden.” The FBI and State Department say the deal never happened. There was no quid pro quo and that the e-mail in question remained classified.
UNIDENTIFIED: So there was no quid pro quo.
VEGA: Donald Trump, pouncing.
TRUMP: This shows corruption at the highest level and we can't let it happen as American citizens.
VEGA: Clinton's team still feeling confident about the election expanding efforts in Republican territory, Arizona, Utah and Georgia. And in Arizona three big name surrogates, Bernie Sanders, Chelsea Clinton and the heaviest hitter of all Michelle Obama all headed there this week. Clinton herself still off the campaign trail behind closed doors, George, she is practicing for tomorrow's debate.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Big event tomorrow night, Cecilia, thanks very much.
