It seems to have taken a poor debate performance by Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Kaine to finally get ABC to cover former President Bill Clinton’s critical remarks about ObamaCare. The network finally reported on the comments Wednesday during World News Tonight, roughly two days after Clinton described the program as a “crazy system.” Out of the 3 minutes, 12 seconds set aside for his report, ABC’s Tom Llamas spent 1 minute, 10 seconds on the debate itself before moving on to Clinton’s comment.

Starting off his report, Llamas was shocked that Donald Trump would celebrate Governor Mike Pence’s win over Kaine. “Tonight, Donald Trump, taking credit for his running mate's debate performance,” he exclaimed. “Mike Pence did an incredible job,” Trump said in the clip Llamas played, “And I'm getting a lot of credit, because that's really my first so-called choice, that was my first hire, as we would say in Las Vegas.”

What Llamas failed to report was that, while at a campaign rally Wednesday, Pence stated that his win was a win for Trump and the campaign as a whole. “Some people think I won. But I will leave that to others,” Pence announced to the crowd, “What I can tell you is from where I sat, Donald Trump won the debate. Donald Trump's vision to make America great again won the debate.”

The only clips of the debate Llamas showed was of Kaine and Pence arguing over the insults that have been flying back and forth. “In the VP debate, Governor Mike Pence, praised for his style, both candidates arguing over which campaign deals more in insults,” was how Llamas highlighted the debate.

Llamas quickly turned his attention to the next presidential debate and playing down Clinton’s critique of ObamaCare. “Trump now testing a possible new line of attack for his own debate Sunday,” the reporter said of Trump’s pushing of the subject at his rallies.

He went on by repeating the Clinton Campaign’s excuse for Bill’s comment and touted Hillary’s prep for the next debate. “Today, Clinton clarifying, saying he supports ObamaCare, but it has some problems,” he stated, “Hillary Clinton, flying to Washington today, already deep in that focused prep Trump once mocked.”

ABC’s apparent abandonment of the vice presidential debate wasn’t too much of a surprise, since Anchor David Muir telegraphed it leading into the report saying, “We turn next here to the race for the White House, and perhaps you were one of the millions watching that fiery vice presidential debate overnight. But already tonight, an intense focus on the next presidential faceoff, just four days away now.”

Transcript below:

<<< Please consider helping NewsBusters financially with your tax-deductible contribution today >>>