After having ignored Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal since Saturday night, ABC emerged out of the wilderness during Monday’s World News Tonight to again cover the latest development while CBS and NBC went in the opposite direction Monday evening and ignored the story following three minutes of airtime on their Monday morning newscasts.
Anchor David Muir informed viewers in a 36-second brief that “[w]e have new developments tonight involving Hillary Clinton’s e-mails and that private server” with the State Department having found “305 messages need to be examined further” after having “review[ed] some 15 percent” of her e-mails “so far.”
While credit is due to Muir and his newscast for mentioning this story, it’s also worth taking notice that he simply denoted that the 305 e-mails “need to be examined” further when it could have been described as e-mails that may contain classified information (as many other news outlets did on Monday).
Further adding that Clinton was “making light of it all at recent event,” a clip of Clinton from Friday was played in which she commented about creating a Snapchat account by noting how convenient it was that messages on the app eventually disappear.
Commenting on the clip before moving on, Muir remarked the Democratic candidate was “trying to inject some humor about those e-mails while in Iowa over the weekend.”
Compared to 36 seconds devoted to a Hillary scandal, World News Tonight teamed with the CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News to spend just under five minutes on Republican candidate Donald Trump appearing in New York City for jury duty following the release of a formal policy proposal on illegal immigration.
On NBC, Trump correspondent Katy Tur turned to Republican Senator Jeff Flake (Ariz.) to criticize Trump and made sure to mention to viewers that Republican Governor Scott Walker (Wisc.) was heckled by “union protesters at the Iowa State Fair today.”
While CBS reserved only 19 seconds for Trump’s jury duty appearance, its full 2016 segment was used to broadcast chief White House correspondent Major Garrett’s interview with GOP candidate and Ohio Governor John Kasich.
In the interview, Garrett brought up Kasich’s support for boots on the ground to fight ISIS, his stances on illegal immigration, Medicaid expansion, and the amount of Kasich’s life that has been devoted to holding office.
The relevant portion of the transcript from ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir on August 17 can be found below.
ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir
August 17, 2015
6:39 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Clinton Emails]
DAVID MUIR: We have new developments tonight involving Hillary Clinton’s e-mails and that private server. The State Department reviewing some 15 percent so far, finding 305 messages need to be examined further. Clinton making light of it all at a recent event.
HILLARY CLINTON: By the way, you might have seen that I recently launched a Snapchat account. I love it. I love it. Those messages disappear all by themselves.
MUIR: Hillary Clinton trying to inject some humor about those e-mails while in Iowa over the weekend.
