On Thursday, the network morning shows applauded liberal celebrities joining Democratic candidates on the campaign trail days before the midterm elections, cheering on the “surge of star power.” While mentions were made of President Trump and other top Republicans barnstorming the country, reporters were clearly more enamored with Hollywood jumping into the race on behalf of the other side of the aisle.
After Wednesday’s NBC Nightly News again fantasized over the possibility of liberal media mogul Oprah Winfrey running for president in 2020, on Thursday’s Today show, correspondent Peter Alexander proclaimed: “The Democrats rolling out their biggest names as well. Among them, Oprah Winfrey hitting the trail today.”
Later in the report, he gushed:
Democrats focusing not on immigration, but star-powered inspiration to get out the vote. Former President Obama hitting the trail in Florida tomorrow. His former Vice President Joe Biden in Illinois. Even Oprah Winfrey campaigning in Georgia today for Stacey Abrams, who’s vying to become the first female African-American governor.
In another segment on the midterms that followed, correspondent Kasie Hunt touted how “a wave of celebrities are also stepping in to get out the vote” for Democrats. After playing soundbites of multiple celebrities urging their fans to vote, Hunt enthused: “Even pop star Taylor Swift, notoriously private about her political views, encouraging voters in her home state of Tennessee to vote Democrat.”
As a measure of Swift’s influence, the latest RealClearPolitics average has Republican Marsha Blackburn ahead of Democrat Phil Bredesen by 7.2%. Hunt forgot to mention that detail.
“With control of Congress up for grabs, both sides are now pulling out all the stops, and that means the big names are out on the campaign trail,” announced fill-in co-host Cecilia Vega on ABC’s Good Morning America. Turning to Senior Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce, she giddily observed: “Perhaps, Mary, the biggest name of them all is out there today, Oprah?” Bruce replied: “Oprah, Cecilia, she’s making an appearance out on the campaign trail in what could be a history-making governor’s race.”
“With the final countdown on, the campaign trail is seeing a surge of star power,” Bruce declared at the top of her report. Reiterating “Oprah hitting the trail in the contentious closely watched race for Georgia’s governor,” the reporter also promoted: “Actor Will Ferrell rallying canvassers there over the weekend.” A clip followed of Democratic volunteers chanting “I believe that we will win!”
Bruce fawned over the left-wing gubernatorial candidate: “The race could make history, as Democrat Stacey Abrams hopes to become the nation’s first female African-American governor.”
Wrapping up the segment, Bruce briefly noted: “Now Oprah isn’t the only big name down in Georgia today. Vice President Pence will be there campaigning for Brian Kemp. And the President, Cecilia, will be there rallying his supporters Sunday.”
CBS This Morning made more of an effort to cover how “both parties are bringing out their big stars” but still devoted more attention to celebrities hitting the campaign trail for Democrats. Like her NBC and CBS colleagues, correspondent Nancy Cordes focused on Georgia:
In Georgia, crowds lined up for Friday tickets to see former President Obama, who’s been stumping for Democrats nationwide....He’ll campaign next for Stacey Abrams, Georgia’s Democratic candidate for governor. She’s locked in a tight race with Republican Brian Kemp. Abrams, who is vying to become the nation’s first black female governor, is also getting help from the entertainment industry. Rapper Common rallied with her at early voting events....Media mogul Oprah Winfrey will do two town hall event with Abrams today and knock on voters’ doors. Kemp, meanwhile, campaigned with Florida Senator Marco Rubio earlier this week, and will appear today with Vice President Mike Pence.
It wasn’t until the end of the report that Cordes offered a quick disclaimer to viewers about Winfrey’s affiliation with CBS News.
Here are excerpts of the November 1 coverage on NBC’s Today show:
7:00 AM ET
HODA KOTB: Democrats pulling out the heavy hitters, political ads and messages saturating TV and social media feeds. But will the massive push actually get Americans to the polls?
7:03 AM ET
(...)
PETER ALEXANDER: President Trump is serving as his own megaphone. Over the next five days, holding ten rallies in what is a total of eight states. The Democrats rolling out their biggest names as well. Among them, Oprah Winfrey hitting the trail today. All of it teeing up a titanic clash at the polls on Tuesday.
(...)
7:05 AM ET
ALEXANDER: Democrats focusing not on immigration, but star-powered inspiration to get out the vote. Former President Obama hitting the trail in Florida tomorrow. His former Vice President Joe Biden in Illinois.
JOE BIDEN: I am sick and tired of the way we conduct our politics in this country. And it’s on our leaders to set the tone.
ALEXANDER: Even Oprah Winfrey...
OPRAH WINFREY: Vote!
ALEXANDER: ...campaigning in Georgia today for Stacey Abrams, who’s vying to become the first female African-American governor.
(...)
7:06 AM ET
KASIE HUNT: The number of TV commercials airing just in races for the House, more than one million. And candidates are flooding not just the airwaves, but also social media, where a wave of celebrities are also stepping in to get out the vote.
KEVIN BACON: What’s your plan for voting?
CHARLIZE THERON: We have to show up to the polls.
TRACY POLLAN: Vote.
MICHAEL J. FOX: Vote.
HUNT: Even pop star Taylor Swift, notoriously private about her political views, encouraging voters in her home state of Tennessee to vote Democrat.
TAYLOR SWIFT [AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS]: Get out and vote, I love you guys.
(...)
Here are excerpts of the November 1 coverage on ABC’s GMA:
7:08 AM ET
(...)
CECILIA VEGA: With control of Congress up for grabs, both sides are now pulling out all the stops, and that means the big names are out on the campaign trail. Our Senior Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce is on Capitol Hill with the latest. Perhaps, Mary, the biggest name of them all is out there today, Oprah?
MARY BRUCE: Oprah, Cecilia, she’s making an appearance out on the campaign trail in what could be a history-making governor’s race. Remember, while there’s so much focus being paid to what happens here on Capitol Hill, there are 36 governor races that could reshape the political landscape.
With the final countdown on, the campaign trail is seeing a surge of star power.
OPRAH WINFREY: Not only Democracy depends on it, our country depends upon it. So vote.
MARIA SHRIVER: Vote, vote.
WINFREY: Vote!
BRUCE: Oprah hitting the trail in the contentious closely watched race for Georgia’s governor.
WILL FERRELL: Get out and vote early.
BRUCE: Actor Will Ferrell rallying canvassers there over the weekend.
CROWD OF DEMOCRATIC VOLUNTEERS [CHANTING]: I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!
BRUCE: The race could make history, as Democrat Stacey Abrams hopes to become the nation’s first female African-American governor.
STACEY ABRAMS: The best way to win is to overwhelm the system with our democracy.
(...)
7:10 AM ET
BRUCE: Now Oprah isn’t the only big name down in Georgia today. Vice President Pence will be there campaigning for Brian Kemp. And the President, Cecilia, will be there rallying his supporters Sunday.
(...)
Here are excerpts of the November 1 coverage on CBS This Morning:
7:00 AM ET
NORAH O’DONNELL: Five days until the midterm election and both sides are bringing out their heavy hitters for the final campaign push. We’ll look at how the parties are trying to rally the vote and the woman making history on the ballots.
7:03 AM ET
(...)
GAYLE KING: The midterm elections are just five days away and counting. Leaders of both parties are making an all-out push to win votes. President Trump holds an airport rally in Columbia, Missouri tonight for Republican candidates. He’s visiting several states that he won in 2016, where close races could change the balance of the Senate.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA: Vice President Mike Pence will campaign in Georgia, where former President Obama is headed tomorrow. Oprah Winfrey and Will Ferrell are also campaigning there for Democrats. Mr. Obama also visits Florida, while former Vice President Joe Biden campaigns today in North Dakota.
(...)
7:07 AM ET
NANCY CORDES: Well, at this point, just a few days away from Election Day, the candidates are moving into get-out-the-vote mode. And it always helps to have some well-known allies make that case with you and for you. So we’re seeing some familiar faces out on the campaign trail. Some who spend a lot of time stumping, and some who don’t.
JOE BIDEN: It is our fight, take it back!
CORDES: Heading into the homestretch...
MIKE PENCE: And we need Ohio to vote!
CORDES: ...both parties are bringing out their big stars.
BERNIE SANDERS: This election on Tuesday happens to be the most important midterm election.
CORDES: In Georgia, crowds lined up for Friday tickets to see former President Obama, who’s been stumping for Democrats nationwide.
BARACK OBAMA: You can choose a bigger, more hopeful, more generous vision of America, but to do it, you’ve gotta vote!
CORDES: He’ll campaign next for Stacey Abrams, Georgia’s Democratic candidate for governor. She’s locked in a tight race with Republican Brian Kemp. Abrams, who is vying to become the nation’s first black female governor, is also getting help from the entertainment industry. Rapper Common rallied with her at early voting events.
COMMON: This is our time right now to change the trajectory.
CORDES: Media mogul Oprah Winfrey will do two town hall event with Abrams today and knock on voters’ doors. Kemp, meanwhile, campaigned with Florida Senator Marco Rubio earlier this week, and will appear today with Vice President Mike Pence.
BRIAN KEMP [R, GEORGIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE]: This is not a typical Democratic candidate that we’ve seen in the past. This is someone that has a radical, you know, very far left agenda and being supported by people that have a radical agenda as well.
CORDES: When Oprah heads to Georgia today, this will be just the second time she has publicly campaigned for a major candidate. The first was when she spoke on behalf of behalf Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential bid. We should not Oprah has been a part-time CBS News contributor for 60 Minutes, but she is stepping away from that role while she campaigns.
(...)
