The Big Three Network news outlets (ABC, CBS, and NBC) were caught off guard by President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey shortly before they went live Tuesday evening. All three ran very long, multi-segment reports on the shocking development. But ABC was the only network to dedicate an entire report to the reaction from members of Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential campaign. And on top of that, they dedicated a segment to partisan speculation from Congressional Democrats.
“Let’s bring in Cecilia Vega who covered the Clinton campaign for us,” announced Anchor David Muir at the start of the segment on World News Tonight. He went on a rambling retelling of the events just a few days before the election involving the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s e-mails.
Muir played a clip of Clinton recently claiming that “I was on the way to winning, until a combination of Jim Comey's letter on October 28th and Russian WikiLeaks raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me but got scared off.”
The story was handed off to White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega, who said she just spoke on the phone with her contact in Clinton’s orbit. “And surprisingly perhaps they are not necessarily applauding this move. The concern right now among people close to Clinton is that perhaps this move is related to the FBI's investigation into Russia, into President Trump and not so much related to the past,” she told Muir.
“It is a resounding sense of anger right now and worry among people close to Clinton. They're online tweeting about it,” she explained. “Her former campaign manager Robby Mook says, ‘This terrifies me.’ Her Spokesman says, ‘I wonder if we'll get to bottom of Russia right now.’”
Vega elaborated, saying that their concern was the future of the investigation into Russia’s meddling in the election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.
Muir then looked to Mary Bruce, who gave voice to partisan assertions from Congressional Democrats. She reported that:
Democrats are already raising red flags. Many questioning if Comey was fired because the White House feared he could possibly get to the bottom of any potential Russia connection. One top Democrat tonight says Senator Chris Van Hollen said, quote, “firing Comey has the foul stench of an attempt to stop an ongoing investigation.” Some Democrats tonight, David, say this move simply underscores their call for a special prosecutor to lead the Russia investigation.
On CBS Evening News, Anchor Scott Pelley noted a few times that Comey was fired despite having a reputation for having a lot of “integrity.” That’s a complete 180-degree turn for the network since back in October of 2016 they railed against him for reopening the Clinton e-mail investigation.
Transcript below:
ABC
World News Tonight
May 9, 2017
6:37:05 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: Let’s bring in Cecilia Vega who covered the Clinton campaign for us. And Cecilia, we all remember that moment in Iowa. The plane had landed, the Clinton campaign onboard. They had bad Wi-Fi, so it was reported at the time that they learned upon landing that the e-mail investigation had been reopened, 11 days before the election. Comey then revealing nothing had been found in that investigation but said he had to make that public anyway. Let's listen to what Hillary Clinton said just within the last week. I want to get your reaction here on the backside.
HILLARY CLINTON: I was on the way to winning, until a combination of Jim Comey's letter on October 28th and Russian WikiLeaks raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me but got scared off.
MUIR: She said that and it made news immediately. She was on the way to winning before James Comey made that announcement 11 days before the election Cecilia.
CECILIA VEGA: Yeah she said that she in fact probably would have been president today had that letter not come out 11 days before the election, David.
But look, I just got off the phone with sources close to Hillary Clinton and surprisingly perhaps they are not necessarily applauding this move. The concern right now among people close to Clinton is that perhaps this move is related to the FBI's investigation into Russia, into President Trump and not so much related to the past; that long history you just mentioned between James Comey and Hillary Clinton. It is a resounding sense of anger right now and worry among people close to Clinton. They're online tweeting about it. Her former campaign manager Robby Mook says, “this terrifies me.” Her Spokesman says, “I wonder if we'll get to bottom of Russia right now.”
But David, the reaction is clear. This is very much a concern from inside Clinton world about what's happening with that investigation into Russia.
MUIR: Into Russia. All right Cecilia, thank you. Quick check in with Mary Bruce, live on Capitol Hill tonight. Mary, were members of Congress as surprised as perhaps the rest of the country with this announcement late today.
MARY BRUCE: David, swift reaction coming in from both sides of the isle this evening. Leading Republicans like Senator Lindsey Graham say that this move is “a sign a fresh start may serve the nation well.” While Democrats are already raising red flags. Many questioning if Comey was fired because the White House feared he could possibly get to the bottom of any potential Russia connection. One top Democrat tonight says Senator Chris Van Hollen said, quote, “firing Comey has the foul stench of an attempt to stop an ongoing investigation.” Some Democrats tonight, David, say this move simply underscores their call for a special prosecutor to lead the Russia investigation.
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