After softening her coverage of the Hillary Clinton email scandal on Monday's NBC Nightly News, on Tuesday's Today, correspondent Andrea Mitchell tried to excuse Clinton's initial unwillingness to address the controversy: "She may be reluctant because of what happened in April 1994. Under pressure, she held a White House news conference about an Arkansas land deal, it led to more investigations."
After lamenting how Clinton had to answer questions about the infamous Whitewater scandal, Mitchell noted that "the email controversy was not part of a game plan" and touted how "Clinton's longtime defenders are firing back." A soundbite followed of Democratic strategist James Carville declaring: "This is not going to change anything, it just gives people a reason to get out of breath about a lot of cockamamie, goofy stuff."
During a contentious Monday interview with Mitchell, Carville tried to blame the scandal on the vast right-wing conspiracy – which supposedly included The New York Times.
Like on Nightly News, Mitchell promoted Clinton's effort to appeal to women: "First she wants today's focus to be women's rights in a speech at the U.N., as she continues to hint at making history as potentially the first woman U.S. president."
In addition, Mitchell continued to be awed by the former secretary of state's support among Democrats: "Still, an extraordinary 86% of Democratic primary voters in our new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll support her."
Wrapping up the Today report, Mitchell previewed Clinton's likely talking points on the scandal: "When she does hold her news conference, much anticipated, advisers say Clinton's explanation for using a private email account will be simple. In part, that with her complicated travel schedule it was more convenient and that when she took office it was not strictly prohibited under the rules."
In a segment that followed, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd was tougher on Clinton, arguing that she needed to do more that offer spin: "Democrats are struggling to defend this....I think she needs to announce something actionable, like she's gonna turn the server over to the State Department, let them have it. So I think it's gonna have to be more than an explanation, she's gotta do something."
Co-host Savannah Guthrie followed up by downplaying the controversy: "Do you think this is an issue that has staying power in terms of 2016 or are we gonna think of it as a distant memory?" Todd replied: "Not with voters, but the staying power is that congressional Republicans have every bit of motivation to keep investigating because without it, they wouldn't have ever discovered the server."
At least NBC covered the story Monday night and Tuesday morning, ABC completely moved on from the scandal and CBS provided minimal coverage.
Here is a full transcript of Mitchell's March 10 report:
7:09 AM ET
MATT LAUER: Meanwhile, the White House is now acknowledging that President Obama did exchange emails with Hillary Clinton on her private address while she served as secretary of state. And this morning the chorus is growing louder for Clinton to directly address this scandal. NBC's Andrea Mitchell is here with the latest on that. Andrea, good morning to you.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Hillary Clinton's Email "Address"; Expected to Speak Out on Scandal Soon]
ANDREA MITCHELL: Good morning, Matt. Hillary Clinton is likely to hold a news conference in the next few days, her first in two years, after intense pressure to clear up this email controversy.
Under fire for a second straight week, Hillary Clinton still isn't saying why she set up that private email system as secretary of state.
MITCHELL [TO CLINTON]: Will you explain the emails, Secretary Clinton?
MITCHELL: She may be reluctant because of what happened in April 1994. Under pressure, she held a White House news conference about an Arkansas land deal, it led to more investigations. First she wants today's focus to be women's rights in a speech at the U.N., as she continues to hint at making history as potentially the first woman U.S. president.
HILLARY CLINTON: When women and girls have the opportunity to participate, we can lift up not just ourselves, but our families, communities, even our countries.
MITCHELL: The email controversy was not part of a game plan and the White House acknowledged Monday President Obama did exchange emails with Clinton when she was secretary of state, but said he didn't know she didn't also have a government account.
JOSH EARNEST: The President was not aware of the fact that this was a personal email server and that this was the email address that she was using exclusively for all her business.
MITCHELL: Clinton's longtime defenders are firing back.
JAMES CARVILLE: This is not going to change anything, it just gives people a reason to get out of breath about a lot of cockamamie, goofy stuff.
MITCHELL: Still, an extraordinary 86% of Democratic primary voters in our new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll support her. But analysts say the email issue has shown some vulnerabilities.
MATT BAI [YAHOO NEWS]: What stories like this that bring an added level of scrutiny on her do is to remind people that she's a complicated candidate.
MITCHELL: When she does hold her news conference, much anticipated, advisers say Clinton's explanation for using a private email account will be simple. In part, that with her complicated travel schedule it was more convenient and that when she took office it was not strictly prohibited under the rules. Matt, Savannah.
LAUER: Alright, Andrea, thank you very much. Did you leave anyone behind in Washington?
MITCHELL: Well, I don't know.
LAUER: We've got the whole bureau here.
CHUCK TODD: We're all here, buddy.
