MSNBC’s Chris Matthews ended an interview with Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton Tuesday afternoon by congratulating her on her narrow victory over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in the Iowa caucus.
“Madame Secretary, unofficially, not on behalf of MSNBC or NBC, congratulations on last night and your much deserved relief,” he said, grinning, “and break a leg [at MSNBC’s Democratic debate Thursday], even if you’re the only in the chair.”
“I’m going to be there!” Clinton laughed back.
Grinning wider, Matthews replied, “You said it! I believe you!”
And they laughed.
Matthews’ exclusive interview with Clinton was exceptionally friendly, and focused mostly on her strategy to capture the Democratic Party’s nomination. The two also talked about her failed attempt in 2008 to best then-Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in the Democratic presidential primary, and they also talked about her plan to knock Sanders out of the running.
Notably absent from the interview, however, was any mention of the ongoing scandal surrounding Clinton’s use of a private, unauthorized email server when she was secretary of state. News broke last week that the State Department found 22 emails that they redacted in full, as they contained top-secret information on her unauthorized, private server that Clinton used when she worked the top desk at Foggy Bottom.
Federal authorities are trying to determine whether Clinton and her team used her private server to send or receive classified materials in the years that she worked at the State Department, and they are investigating whether she broke any laws in doing so.
Though the issue has dogged Clinton’s campaign every step of the way, Matthews didn’t mention it once in his more than 10-minute long interview with the former secretary of state.
But he’s not alone: In the days leading up the Iowa caucus, ABC, CBS, NBC and MSNBC either downplayed or ignored the story entirely.
