NBC's Andrea Mitchell, on Tuesday's Today show, got a very early start on hyping Hillary Clinton for President as she touted Clinton as a "star attraction." Acting more like a talent agent promoting her client, Mitchell plugged Clinton's first major public appearances and noted that "one-thousand days from Iowa" the former Secretary of State would be "formidable" if she runs again for President.
Mitchell began her piece announcing that both Clinton and fellow 2016 contender Vice President Joe Biden would appear at a Kennedy Center event for a woman's organization called Vital Voices Global Partnership but underlined it was Clinton who would have the "home court advantage." Mitchell touted that the former First Lady helped create the organization 14 years ago "to empower women around the world." Mitchell then breathlessly added, "It is Clinton's passion. An event she missed once in all those years and only because of State Department travel."
Mitchell then ran a soundbite from the Politico's Lois Romano who hyped: "She's going into a very comfortable place where she's gonna be a rock star." After that clip Mitchell continued her role as Clinton tour promoter: "Since leaving office she's been seen in public once, accepting a Pentagon award in February. Now she is reemerging in a big way. First a video endorsing gay marriage....Now tonight's speech in Washington, then another women's global summit in New York Friday where she's always a star attraction. Clinton has plenty of time to decide what's next, even as polls show she would be formidable if she runs again for president."
The following is a complete transcript of the segment as it was aired on the April 2 edition of NBC's Today show:
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Hillary Clinton makes her first major appearance since stepping down as Secretary of State. And with Vice President Joe Biden also scheduled to be there it has a lot of political pundits thinking about, yes, 2016. NBC's Andrea Mitchell is in Washington for us this morning. Andrea, good morning to you.
[On screen headline: "Back In The Spotlight, Hillary Clinton Making First Appearance Since Stepping Down"]
ANDREA MITCHELL: Good morning, Savannah. Incredibly tonight there will be a lot of people trying to read the political body language when the two most prominent possible Democratic candidates for 2016 take the stage together at the Kennedy Center. Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, past colleagues perhaps future rivals. One-thousand days from Iowa, she says she hasn't decided whether to run. He makes no secret of his intentions. Tonight Clinton has home court advantage. The event held by Vital Voices Global Partnership - a woman's organization she helped create 14 years ago to empower women around the world. It is Clinton's passion. An event she missed once in all those years and only because of State Department travel.
LOIS ROMANO, POLITICO: So she's going into a very comfortable place where she's gonna be a rock star.
MITCHELL: It will be Joe Biden's first appearance at the annual gathering but as the original sponsor of the Violence Against Women Act he is also very popular with women's rights groups and will be presenting an award to men from India for their crusade against rape. But the spotlight tonight will be on Clinton. Since leaving office she's been seen in public once, accepting a Pentagon award in February. Now she is reemerging in a big way. First a video endorsing gay marriage.
HILLARY CLINTON: LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones.
MITCHELL: Now tonight's speech in Washington, then another women's global summit in New York Friday where she's always a star attraction. Clinton has plenty of time to decide what's next, even as polls show she would be formidable if she runs again for president.
ELISABETH BUMILLER, THE NEW YORK TIMES: There's early polling showing she's doing well in Florida against Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush but her people are saying, "give us some space."
MITCHELL: There's obviously plenty of time but until Hillary Clinton decides on her future none of the other leading Democrats can decide on theirs. Matt?
LAUER: Alright Andrea, thank you very much.
-- Geoffrey Dickens is the Deputy Research Director at the Media Research Center. Click here [1] to follow Geoffrey Dickens on Twitter.