While analyzing the first Democratic debate, on Thursday, ABC’s Good Morning America actually admitted the far-left ideology of many of the 2020 candidates and even fretted that those radical positions were “playing right into” President Trump’s reelection strategy.
“And the President and Republicans hoping to make a target of the Democrats’ plans, particularly on the economy and health care,” noted co-host George Stephanopoulos. Correspondent Jon Karl warned:
Absolutely and particularly on the fact that virtually every Democrat on that stage took positions that were to the left of Barack Obama. You know, playing right into, at least from the campaign’s view, their plan to portray the Democrats as simply too far to the left, effectively a socialist party now.
ABC wasn’t alone in acknowledging how left-wing the Democrats had become. On CBS This Morning, correspondent Major Garrett pointed out how “divided” the candidates were on Medicare-for-all and on the question of trying to “eradicate” private health insurance. When it came to illegal immigration, the reporter predicted big problems for the presidential field:
Look at immigration. I think – because I spent a lot of time in the Trump world for the last four years. When Julian Castro has a “breakout night” but says illegal border crossings should be a civil offense, not a criminal one, Trump supporters will say, “Are you kidding me? What was 2016 all about?” And the Trump campaign will look at that and say if that becomes Democratic orthodoxy, bring it on.
Co-host Tony Dokoupil chimed in: “Well, in fact, in Trump world, as you mentioned, the Trump campaign said last night was the best case possible for the re-election of President Trump.” Garrett added:
On lots of issues. And they will also say Democrats simply do not understand the economic reality. They consistently complain the economy’s not working for everyone, but the Trump reelection campaign would say it’s working better than it has in a long time and there are statistics to back it up.
Even on NBC’s Today show, Meet the Press host and debate moderator Chuck Todd gently noted that the Democratic candidates Wednesday night were “a little farther to the left”:
But it did feel as if last night, I would say it leaned a little farther to the left in totality than maybe where the party is. We’re gonna find out tonight. But if you look at Cory Booker, who I would have said tries to straddle the two wings, he sounded a little farther to the left than he has on some issues, he moved in that direction....I think after tonight you’ll see, oh, this party’s a little – there’s a wider ideological spectrum than what was on stage last night.
Of course Todd took no responsibility for pushing the candidates to left with agenda-driven questions.
