ABC's GMA Highlights Southern Republican Women...Who are Voting for Democrats

Friday’s "Good Morning America" broadcast yet another bad-news-for-Republicans story concerning the party’s chances in the upcoming mid-term elections. In a report from Robin Roberts, three southern women, all either former Republicans or Republicans considering voting for Democratic candidates, were given air time to express their disenchantment with the GOP:

Robin Rasmussen: "I voted Republican in every election since I was 18."

Robin Roberts: "But not this year. Robin Rasmussen is thinking of voting for a Democrat and she’s not alone."

Janna Herbison: "And I used to consider myself to be a Republican."

Tracy Quick Bradford: "...I think that the, the candidates that, that represent the Democratic party this year are most in line with my views."

Roberts told co-anchor Diane Roberts and new GMA newsreader Chris Cuomo (yes, son of the Democratic former governor of New York and brother of New York attorney general candidate, Andrew) that a "lively, lively" discussion took place among the women. Viewers of the segment saw none of that. In the portions of the discussion that did air, Roberts never asked the women why they felt Democrats might make better leaders. Instead, the piece highlighted each of the women expressing their dissatisfaction with the party, or rehashing Democratic talking points:

Roberts: "What are the issues, Tracy, that you’re most concerned about?"

Bradford: "I think health care, education and the economy. And I think that the, the candidates that, that represent the Democratic party this year are most in line with my views."

Rasmussen: "If the Democrats are in power, they’re gonna--you know they’re going to do the best they--you hope that they’re going to do the best that they can."

Janna Herbison: "And I heard a comment, I think, from a congressman the other day that said if the Democrats don't agree with the war, they're more concerned with the terrorists safety than with Americans safety. And I couldn’t–that just, that blew my mind...Don’t say they’re aligning themselves with the terrorists because they disagree with you. That’s un-American."

Before concluding the segment, Sawyer served up some more "worrying" news for Republican incumbents:

Diane Sawyer: "But another worrying thing for the Republicans has to be how much they just seem to want change of some kind."

Chris Cuomo: "That’s right. I mean, you have to distinguish between not liking the Republicans and feeling that the Democrats are a better bet."

The full transcript follows below:

Robin Roberts: "You know how it is when GMA is out on the road like this, traveling around the country. We really like to spend time in town, talking with the locals, what's most important to them. Well, many are thinking about the upcoming election. And here in Tennessee, both parties, Republicans and Democrats, are battling for the Senate seat being vacated by majority leader Bill Frist. Southern women in recent years have been voting Republican, but are they going to stick with the GOP in 2006? Well, I sat down with three women here in Memphis, and all three are Republicans and all three are, well, having second thoughts about their party."

Robin Rasmussen, Republican voting for Democrats: "I voted Republican in every election since I was 18."

Roberts: "But not this year. Robin Rasmussen is thinking of voting for a Democrat and she's not alone."

Janna Herbison, Republican turned Democrat: "And I used to consider myself to be a Republican."

Roberts: "In a recent ABC News poll, fifty-three percent of Southern women are leaning toward Democrats in upcoming elections. That's a six point gain. Why the shift? Concerns over issues close to home."

Kellyanne Conway, Republican pollster: "If women in the south feel upset that the other issues they care about have not been sufficiently addressed by the Republican leadership in Washington, they may take that estrangement directly to the ballot box."

Roberts: "What are the issues, Tracy, that you're most concerned about?"

Tracy Quick Bradford, Republican voting for Democrats: "I think health care, education and the economy. And I think that the, the candidates that, that represent the Democratic party this year are most in line with my views."

Roberts: "Is that difficult for you to say because you traditionally voted Republican?"

Bradford: "Yes. To a certain extent, it is difficult."

Roberts: "Robin, what's important to you?"

Rasmussen: "My number one thing is education. Because I think if you solve the education, you fix everything else."

Roberts: "Janna, what about you? What's your--what's the burning issue for you?"

Herbison: "The war is a big issue with me. At this point, I hope that we succeed with it, because we've invested so much in it. But I think about the troops every day and I think about why we're there."

Roberts: "When you think of national security, who do you think can protect you best?"

Bradford: "I don't think that anyone knows, I don't think anyone has this crystal ball as to who's really going to protect us best, this way or that way. I think, you know, we're doing what we can."

Rasmussen: "If the Democrats are in power, they're gonna--you know they're going to do the best they--you hope that they're going to do the best that they can."

Herbison: "And I heard a comment, I think, from a congressman the other day that said if the Democrats don't agree with the war, they're more concerned with the terrorists safety than with Americans safety. And I couldn't--that just--that blew my mind. I just thought, you know, they really--how, how could they have a right to say that, because we live in America, and if you don't agree with it, that's fine, you know, but don't attack someone personally. Don't say they're aligning themselves with the terrorists because they disagree with you. That's un-American."

Roberts: "But what is it? Is there something that you see or hear from a candidate that makes you go, I'm going to vote for that person?"

Bradford: "We're looking for a new form of leadership and just some fresh, new ideas and more integrity in our government, and I think that's where we're--I hope that's where we're headed."

Roberts: "It was really enlightening sitting down with all three of those women. We have a lively, lively discussion yesterday. And all of them said that they really look now at the candidate instead of the party, that they're not just going to vote along party lines and they look at the individual candidate. Chris and Diane?"

Diane Sawyer: "Yeah, Robin, candidate and connection obviously to them. But another worrying thing for the Republicans has to be how much they just seem to want change of some kind."

Chris Cuomo: "That's right. I mean, you have to distinguish between not liking the Republicans and feeling that the Democrats are a better bet. They probably will go candidate by candidate."