While NBC’s Today saw only setbacks and controversy for Republican presidential candidates on Friday, the morning show happily applauded Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton telling late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel that she would win a hypothetical election against husband Bill Clinton.
Introducing a report on the Republican race, co-host Savannah Guthrie recited a list of problems for the GOP contenders: “Republican candidates Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee bumped from the main stage at the next debate as frontrunner Ben Carson is facing some new scrutiny this morning and Donald Trump courts more controversy.”
Correspondent Peter Alexander offered details:
There's already a protest rally scheduled ahead of [Donald] Trump's [Saturday Night Live] appearance tomorrow night....the next GOP showdown is Tuesday's debate...but this time Mike Huckabee and Chris Christie missed the cut, exiled to the earlier undercard debate....Meanwhile, Carson’s coming under new scrutiny for views of history, defending these past comments on the Pyramids of Egypt....in a Facebook post Wednesday, Carson defend his lack of political experience, claiming, “Every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no elected office experience.” Not true.
Following Alexander’s report, correspondent Andrea Mitchell touted difficulty for yet another Republican: “Well, just as Jeb Bush is trying to reboot his struggling presidential campaign, he has to explain his father's startling new comments about his brother George W. Bush's White House, exposing a family rift after decades of silence.” She described how Bush was “caught in the middle” of the back and forth.
After seeing doom and gloom for the GOP, Guthrie noted the three Democratic candidates set to attend a friendly campaign forum in South Carolina hosted by left-wing MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. She also gushed: “Clinton made another stop on the late night talk show circuit. She sat down with Jimmy Kimmel. The former Secretary of State told Kimmel that if she had to face her own husband, former President Bill Clinton, in an election, guess what? She would come out on top.”
After a clip played of Clinton’s appearance, Guthrie added: “Secretary Clinton says that if she becomes president she's still not sure what title Bill would have. She suggested First Dude, First Mate, or perhaps, First Gentleman.”
That was the extent of coverage of the Democratic contenders. No mention of Martin O’Malley’s low poll numbers, Bernie Sanders’s radical political views, or Clinton’s continued poor ratings on trustworthiness.
Here is a full transcript of Alexander’s November 6 report:
7:00 AM TEASE
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Winnowing the field. Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee cut from the main stage at the next Republican debate as Jeb Bush is caught in the middle after a bombshell book has the first President Bush criticizing his son's advisers.
JEB BUSH: I think my dad, like a lot of people that love George, want to try to create a different narrative.
GUTHRIE: The latest on that and Donald Trump gets ready for his controversial appearance on SNL.
7:06 AM SEGMENT
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Meantime, there are a lot of developments in politics this morning. Republican candidates Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee bumped from the main stage at the next debate as frontrunner Ben Carson is facing some new scrutiny this morning and Donald Trump courts more controversy. NBC national correspondent Peter Alexander is across the street outside 30 Rock, where Trump is set to host SNL tomorrow night. Peter, good morning.
PETER ALEXANDER: Hey, Savannah, good morning to you. This, tomorrow night, is where the campaigns meet comedy, and in this case, controversy as well. There's already a protest rally scheduled ahead of Trump's appearance tomorrow night. Trump becoming the latest in a long line of presidential candidates to take their turn on the stage in studio 8H, even as two more Republicans have been demoted from the main debate stage.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump on Center Stage; Christie & Huckabee Moved to Undercard Debate]
CECILY STRONG: He said I could be his running mate.
JAY PHAROAH: Cecily, did you hear? I'm Trump's VP.
DONALD TRUMP: I'm just shopping around.
ALEXANDER: After Saturday Night Live, the next GOP showdown is Tuesday's debate, where the official primetime lineup is getting smaller, down to eight. Frontrunners Ben Carson and Trump are still center stage, but this time Mike Huckabee and Chris Christie missed the cut, exiled to the earlier undercard debate. Christie feisty on stage last week.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: And we're talking about fantasy football?! Can we stop.
ALEXANDER: Now tweeting, “It doesn't matter the stage, give me a podium and I'll be there to talk about real issues. Meanwhile, Carson’s coming under new scrutiny for views of history, defending these past comments on the Pyramids of Egypt.
BEN CARSON [1998]: My own personal theory is that Joseph built the Pyramids in order to store grain.
PETER ALEXANDER: In fact, historians say Egyptians built the Pyramids as tombs for the Pharaohs. Carson defending his 17-year-old claim with NBC's Chris Jansing.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Carson’s Take on History; Controversial Comments on Pyramids & Founders]
CARSON: I think that's a plausible explanation to how they got built.
CHRIS JANSING: Scientifically plausible?
CARSON: It’s a plausible explanation. It's a personal belief because I happen to believe a lot of things that you might not believe because I believe in the Bible.
ALEXANDER: From the Pharaohs to the Founding Fathers, in a Facebook post Wednesday, Carson defend his lack of political experience, claiming, “Every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no elected office experience.” Not true. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Ben Franklin, among others, had been elected to colonial assemblies. Carson's campaign later revising the post to say the signers had “no federal elected office experience.” And new this morning, Carson is targeting young voters, launching a radio ad complete with a rap.
CARSON: Freedom is not free and we must fight for it every day.
RAPPER: If we want to get America back on track, we gotta vote Ben Carson, a matter of fact.
ALEXANDER: Now as for that protest rally tomorrow night, it's being held by Latino groups still angry about Donald Trump's comments about undocumented Mexican immigrants. They’re gonna start tomorrow night at Trump Tower several blocks away before marching right here to 30 Rock. Savannah and Willie, back to you.
GUTHRIE: Alright, Peter Alexander across the street from us, thank you.
