Hillary Clinton is managing to do what conservatives cannot: get Benghazi into the news – but only to showcase her heroic efforts to take on those awful Republicans. ABC anchor David Muir on Friday night heralded how she “is ready to fight back on Benghazi,” trumpeting how a selective release from a chapter of her upcoming book shows “she’s taking on her critics.”
Reporter Martha Raddatz touted how “she comes out swinging. Her anger aimed at congressional Republicans who she accuses of politicizing the tragedy.”
On NBC, anchor Brian Williams announced “a pre-emptive strike tonight from Hillary Clinton,” marveling “it’s a chapter, a whole one, from her new book.”
All three broadcast network evening newscasts on Friday night featured full stories on Hillary Clinton’s comments about Benghazi, picking up from the morning shows. See Kyle Drennan’s “NBC and CBS Tout ‘Defiant’ Hillary Clinton ‘On Offense’ Over Benghazi [1].”
On ABC’s World News, which ignored the May 8 decision [2] of the House to create a select committee on Benghazi, fill-in anchor Muir set up the story: “Tonight, more signs Hillary Clinton is mulling a presidential run and is ready to fight back on Benghazi. With a new book coming, Politico tonight reporting she’s taking on her critics.”
Raddatz began her panegyrical report:
The revelations in Politico, about Hillary Clinton’s upcoming book, are the first indication of how she would handle the fallout from Benghazi if she decides to run for President. And according to the online publication, she comes out swinging. Her anger aimed at congressional Republicans who she accuses of politicizing the tragedy. “I will not be a part of a political slugfest on the backs of dead Americans,” writes Clinton according to Politico...
Over on the May 30 NBC Nightly News, Williams introduced a full story:
As Congress prepares for new hearings on the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, a pre-emptive strike tonight from Hillary Clinton. It’s a chapter, a whole one, from her new book aimed at deflecting the criticism that is certain to emerge from those hearings as she plans for a possible run for the White House.
> Flashback to January 23, 2013: “Networks Swoon for Hillary’s ‘Indignation’ and ‘Tears,’ Champion ‘Riveting’ Testimony from ‘Political Pro [3]’”
— Brent Baker is the Steven P.J. Wood Senior Fellow and Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Follow Brent Baker on Twitter. [4]