CBS “journalists” turned into far-left “voting rights” activists on Monday’s CBS This Morning. Co-hosts Anthony Mason, Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil gave a lengthy, largely uncritical interview to Democrat activist Stacey Abrams and singer/activist Janelle Monae, plugging their Amazon documentary about voting suppression, dramatically entitled, All In: The Fight for Democracy.
There was only one pushback question in the entire eight-minute interview, which quickly became a vent session against the Republican party, as the journalists themselves lobbed racially-charged smears against the GOP.
After giving the Democrat activist a glowing introduction and crediting her for both President Biden’s win and Georgia turning blue, Mason touted how Abrams' group, "Fair Fight" was not only fighting voting laws in Georgia, but also in 43 other states across the country (see transcript at bottom.) One couldn’t help but notice some states that made the naughty list were those Republican bastions, California, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois. But that didn't stop the journalists or guests from blaming the GOP for suppressing votes.
After all the promotional fluff for Abrams' group, each co-host took turns inviting their liberal guests to bash Republicans with heavily loaded questions.
Gayle King gushed over Monae’s pro-BLM anthem highlighted in the film: “Stacey Abrams calls, you pick up the phone, that's what happens when Stacey Abrams calls, people pick up the phone. She wants you to write a song. Why did you say yes, and what a song you wrote!”
King conveniently ignored footage in the video glamorizing activists burning down buildings and police cars while lobbing molotov cocktails at law enforcement for their "inspiring" revolution. Monae, in turn, smeared Republicans as “bullies” who target black people, then King invited Monae to spread more hate [click “expand”]:
MONAE: This was an opportunity to protect marginalized communities, protect people like my family, Stacey's family, our friends, those who are constantly being bullied. And I'm going to keep it plain. The Republican party, the Republicans are bullies, and they're bullying those who are disenfranchised, who are already having a tough time voicing their -- their power and their, you know, vote. And what I wanted to do was lend energy to this movement.
KING: You know the lyric that stuck out to me, what you said and the way you delivered it, "America you's a lie." You said that was tough for you to sing but was also very cathartic. Take us behind your writing process, the message you wanted to put out.
Dokoupil abandoned all pretense of journalistic impartiality with obnoxiously biased question:
This is a political issue obviously, but it's not a two-sides issue because as you point out, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in this country, and there has not been. There is concern when it comes to turnout and suppression. I'm curious, what's your theory on why politicians broadly, the Republican party in general, doesn't seek to take in that wider majority, let everyone vote and get the most they can. And instead tries to fight or restrict access?
After Abrams demanded Republicans “evolve their ideologies” instead of being “lazy” and “shutting people out," Dokoupil agreed: “That was the followup I was going to ask, why don't they evolve their approach?”
If only Republicans would “evolve” into Democrats!
Clearly charmed, Mason hoped Abrams would run for office, again: “I know you've been asked this question repeatedly, I know you'll continue to be asked this question, so here it is again -- are you running?”
The Democrat wouldn’t answer the question but responded with more absurd fear mongering: “My focus right now is making sure we have elections in the United States.”
She also added that democracy was at stake until Democrats got their radical legislation passed:
“We do not have that assurance right now. Until we pass H.R. 1, S.R. 1 and H.R. 4, we cannot guarantee access to democracy in the United States,” she insisted.
Wow, how did Americans vote before she arrived on the national scene in 2018?
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Read relevant transcript portions below:
CBS This Morning
3/7/2021
8:41:42AM-8:49:46 AM EST
ANTHONY MASON: After Stacey Abrams narrowly lost her run for governor in 2018 --
STACEY ABRAMS: This is not a speech of concession --
MASON: She led the charge against what she saw as voter suppression against people of color in Georgia.
(...)
MASON: Abrams has since registered more than 800,000 new voters.
(...)
MASON: Helping turn the red state of Georgia blue for the first time in nearly 30 years.
ABRAMS’ FAIR FIGHT ACTION COMMERCIAL: Now these same politicians who passed these laws want to make voting harder.
MASON: Her voting rights group is currently calling out legislation in Georgia that would limit absentee voting, restrict ballot drop boxes, and shorten early voting on the weekends. Republican supporters say these measures are meant to protect against fraud, but Democrats say they target voters of color. At least 43 other states [puts up map from documentary] have also proposed lawsuits that would restrict -- laws that would restrict voting. Her new documentary with Amazon studios chronicles the ongoing fight to end voter suppression.
(...)
MASON: The film's theme song, "Turn tables," was written by grammy nominated singer/songwriter Janelle monae. It's a rallying call for a revolution.
[Music video footage of BLM protesting, burning down buildings while Monae sings, ‘America, You’s a lie.’]
…
MASON: Stacey, let me start with you. We mentioned President Biden signing an executive order directing federal agencies to expand voting access. How significant do you think that is, and how may it affect your efforts on the ground?
STACEY ABRAMS: It's an important first step, and I'm proud of the president for prioritizing this issue. What we saw on January 6th was not just an insurrection against the U.S. Capitol, it was an attempt to roll back the voices of millions of Americans. And it is an important and I would say extraordinary thing that the president has done. But as he pointed out, it's only the first step. We have 43 states that are considering voter suppression laws including my home state of Georgia, and we know that if these laws pass and we do not have federal response, the right to vote will be rescinded or rolled back for too many Americans who finally have their voices heard in November and again in January.
MASON: Republicans say that these laws, these proposed laws that you mentioned, will secure the voting system and fight fraud. What is your response to that?
ABRAMS: Three things. One, there is no widespread voter fraud. We have never had a president who made that the center of his agenda, and he failed time and again to demonstrate that there was any widespread voter fraud. And every single secretary of state and governor in these states has supported the integrity of the elections that we just held. Number two, they're now using the language election integrity, the same dog whistle they used like voter fraud. The goal to distract us from what they're trying to do, number three, to prevent or discourage eligible Americans from casting their ballots because they're afraid that if everyone can participate, they may not win. But our democracy shouldn't depend on the whims of politicians. Our democracy should be safe, fair, and effective for every American, no matter where you live.
GAYLE KING: All right. Janelle Monae, hey, hey. Stacey Abrams calls, you pick up the phone, that's what happens when Stacey Abrams calls, people pick up the phone. She wants you to write a song. Why did you say yes, and what a song you wrote!
JANELLE MONAE: This was an opportunity to protect marginalized communities, protect people like my family, Stacey's family, our friends, those who are constantly being bullied. I'm going to keep it playing. The Republican party, the Republicans are bullies, and they're bullying those who are disenfranchised, who are already having a tough time voicing their -- their power and their, you know, vote. And what I wanted to do was lend energy to this movement.
KING: You know the lyric that stuck out to me, what you said and the way you delivered it, "America you's a lie." You said that was tough for you to sing but was also very cathartic. Take us behind your writing process, the message you wanted to put out.
MONAE: You know, in order for us to heal as a country and America is the only place that I've known, you know, my ancestors helped build this, I am a proud American. Just like Stacey is and so many of us. And we have to tell the truth, though. In order for us to heal, in order for us to -- to get rid of systemic oppression, we have to tell the truth. And I think what was most important was to create a song that drew attention to the truth of what is happening in Georgia and around the world as it pertains to voter suppression.
TONY DOKOUPIL: Hey, Stacey, it's Tony here. This is a political issue obviously, but it's not a two-sides issue because as you point out, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in this country, and there has not been. But there is concern when it comes to turnout and suppression. I'm curious, what's your theory on why politicians broadly, the Republican party in general, doesn't seek to take in that wider majority, let everyone vote and get the most they can. And instead tries to fight or restrict access?
ABRAMS: One of the things we talk about in "All In" is that this has been from the inception of our nation a tactic of people in power. And let's be clear, the federalists practiced voter suppression, Democrats practiced voter suppression, Republicans are now doing it. It tends to happen when a community in power, a party in power doesn't want to give up and doesn't want to lose their position. And you can do one of two things. You can either evolve your beliefs and your ideologies to bring people in, or you can try to shut people out. And the lazy approach is to shut people out. And unfortunately, that's what we're seeing.
DOKOUPIL: That was the followup question I was going to ask, why don't they evolve their approach?
MASON: Stacey There's already a Republican group that calls itself ‘Stop Stacey’ that is trying to prevent you from running for governor in 2022. I know you've been asked this question repeatedly, I know you'll continue to be asked this question, so here it is again -- are you running?
ABRAMS: My focus right now is making sure we have elections in the United States. And making sure that candidates who want to stand for office have the ability to talk to voters who believe they can show up to the polling place. We do not have that assurance right now. Until we pass H.R. 1, S.R. 1 and H.R. 4, we cannot guarantee access to democracy in the United States.
