CNN's Jessica Yellin ran a complete puff piece on Hillary Clinton's 2016 prospects on Monday, quoting Democratic Clinton allies who gushed over Clinton's promise.
"They readily point to the ways she's grown since the days then-Senator Clinton became the runner up in 2008," Yellin said of "Clinton's friends and allies." Yellin made no mention of Clinton critics or Benghazi in her report. [Video below the break. Audio here.]
She featured three consecutive quotes praising Clinton, one from the author of a friendly New York magazine piece on the former Secretary of State. And Yellin pulled some fluff from the article:
"After living on what she [Hillary] calls 'this high wire for twenty years,' she says she's now enjoying ordinary everyday pleasures, living in New York with Former President Clinton. 'We laugh with our dogs. We watch stupid movies. We take long walks, we go for a swim.'"
Yellin also quoted Democratic Clinton allies. "Long time aide Melanne Verveer is quoted saying 'she doesn't repeat her mistakes, she analyzes what went wrong here'," Yellin reported. "Translation, if she runs, 2016 won't look like 2008."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told CNN, "she [Clinton] will win and when she becomes president, she'll be one of the best equipped people to enter the White House in a very long time." Yet in Yellin's Clinton-friendly piece, she quoted no Republicans and featured nothing on Clinton's time as Secretary of State, where she was in charge during the Benghazi debacle.
New Day co-host Chris Cuomo admitted that Clinton's tease is "so enticing, because what Hillary represents as the potential first female president is huge." Is this a preface to the 2016 media bias narrative?
Cuomo added that the media frenzy could turn on Clinton, though: "But she knows the moment she enters the race, everything changes. Build you up to tear you down." That remains to be seen.
Below the break is a transcript of the segment, which aired on New Day on September 23 at 7:24 a.m. EDT:
CHRIS CUOMO: Hillary Clinton is the runaway favorite for Democrats to be the next President of these United States, but, she's been very quiet about it. However now the talkers are talking about her latest interview, the m
(Video Clip)
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN White House correspondent: In her first interview since leaving office, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tells New York magazine she wrestles with the idea of running for president. "I do, but I'm both pragmatic and realistic," she says. "I will just continue to weigh what the factors are that would influence me making a decision."
After living on what she calls "this high wire for twenty years," she says she's now enjoying ordinary everyday pleasures, living in New York with Former President Clinton. "We laugh with our dogs. We watch stupid movies. We take long walks, we go for a swim." Apparently talking about 2016 is not on their list of favorite things. "I don't think even he is focused on that right now," she says.
BILL CLINTON, former President of the United States: I think she'd be the first to tell you that there is no such thing as a done deal ever by anybody. But I don't know what she's going to do.
YELLIN: Really? Well Clinton's friends and allies are more focused on November 8th, 2016. They readily point to the ways she's grown since the days then-Senator Clinton became the runner up in 2008. Joe Hagan interviewed friends of Hillary for his article.
JOE HAGAN, writer, New York magazine: She is more comfortable in her own skin. She's more independent, she's her own entity now in a way that she hadn't been before.
YELLIN: Long time aide Melanne Verveer is quoted saying "she doesn't repeat her mistakes, she analyzes what went wrong here." Translation, if she runs, 2016 won't look like 2008.
Rep. NANCY PELOSI, (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader: That if she does, she will win and when she becomes president, she'll be one of the best equipped people to enter the White House in a very long time.
YELLIN: Just to be safe, the political action committee Ready for Hillary has raised more than a million dollars, and the would-be-candidate is staying in the public eye. This week, she'll be front and center in her new role at the Clinton Global Initiative.
(on camera) At the Clinton Foundation event this week, her events will include a panel moderated by our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And I have a little news for you, you can also expect her to make an appearance when President Obama and Former President Clinton talk healthcare reform, Tuesday night.
Jessica Yellin, CNN, Washington.
(End Video Clip)
BOLDUAN: One interview will give us plenty to talk about for months to come.
CUOMO: Well look, it's so enticing, because what Hillary represents as the potential first female president is huge, but you also have to remember, with all this yip yap that everyone, including myself is doing, they build you up in the media in anticipation of these events. And she is very aware of that. Now it's all good, "you are the presumptive favorite. You should do it." But she knows the moment she enters the race, everything changes. Build you up to tear you down.
BOLDUAN: (Laughing) Well, we'll wait and see. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, which I guess we already have.
CUOMO: Well enjoy the ride. It's part of the job.
