On Thursday, both CBS This Morning and ABC’s Good Morning America framed the release of Clinton campaign e-mails as a “distraction” for the Democratic nominee while continuing to censor some of the worst revelations, including several exchanges in which staffers attacked Catholics. By contrast, NBC’s Today at least mentioned the controversy.

On This Morning, correspondent Nancy Cordes fretted: “Wikileaks says it has 50,000 of John Podesta's e-mails, and if what we’ve seen so far is any indication, the group plans to release another batch of them every day between now and the election. Enough to create a steady stream of embarrassment for the Clinton campaign, which aides argue is exactly what the Russians and Trump want.”

After detailing mild correspondence about “the ego stroking and horse trading involved in courting top donors” and “laying the groundwork” for Clinton’s presidential run, Cordes worried: “The e-mails, which cannot be independently verified by CBS, are a distraction from what would otherwise be a banner week for Clinton.”

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

<<< Thank you for your support! >>>

On Good Morning America, correspondent Tom Llamas announced: “The self-proclaimed 'unshackled' Trump sending his base into a feeding frenzy over those hacked e-mails.” The headline on screen throughout the segment declared: “Clinton Camp Faces Its Own Distractions.”

Wrapping up the segment, Llamas sympathized with Clinton’s top campaign aide:

Now back to those Wikileaks: Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta is having a very long week. His e-mails were hacked; and then, this happened — let's put it up on the screen right now — this is a Tweet from his account. It said — quote, 'I've switched teams. Vote Trump 2016.' The Clinton campaign confirming that overnight, John Podesta's Twitter account has also been hacked.

Only NBC’s Today noted the anti-Catholic rhetoric featured in the leaked e-mails, with correspondent Kristen Welker telling viewers:

But Clinton is dealing with her own challenges. Wikileaks releasing 1,700 new hacked e-mails Wednesday. Republicans pointing to one purportedly from Clinton aide Jennifer Palmieri writing about conservative Catholics, “Their rich friends wouldn't understand if they became evangelicals.” That e-mail has not been authenticated by NBC News. House Speaker Paul Ryan blasting the Clinton campaign, saying it's “disdain for the Catholic faith and Christian evangelicals is staggering.”

However, she still left out the nastiest remarks and quickly changed the subject to more friendly ground for the Democrats: “With the FBI saying it believes Russia is responsible for prior hacks, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta also blaming Russia for hacking his personal e-mail, adding, ‘This level of meddling by a foreign power can only be aimed at boosting Donald Trump and should send chills down the spine of all Americans.’”

Welker’s report was the first mention of the Clinton camp’s Catholic-bashing on the broadcast networks. NBC, ABC, and CBS had all ignored that part of the story through Wednesday.

The networks have remained silent on journalists featured in the e-mails coordinating with the Clinton campaign to provide favorable coverage.

Here are excerpts of the October 13 reports on the CBS and ABC morning shows: