In a nauseatingly gooey Tuesday interview with election conspiracy theorist and Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams, the co-hosts of ABC’s Good Morning America heaped praise on the previously failed gubernatorial candidate for announcing her second go at the position, her work as a “major voting rights advocate,” and her eponymous new children’s book Stacey's Extraordinary Words.
The segment was teased as a discussion of the book but co-host Janai Norman had other intentions as she kicked things off with Abrams’ political ambitions.
“Good morning to you, Ms. Stacey Abrams! We are so excited to have you here! So excited to talk about this book,” she said while introducing their guest. “Your other big news you made earlier this month. You will be running again for governor in Georgia in 2022. This is after that narrow loss three years ago. What will be different for you this time around?”
That “narrow loss” Norman was talking about was almost 55,000 votes.
After Abrams touted how her efforts “have hundreds of thousands of new voters who are on the rolls,” senior White House correspondent Mary Bruce kept the ball rolling on the politics front by gushing about her work as a “major voting rights advocate;” and asked her to comment on all “new laws restricting voting, not just in Georgia but across the country.”
In reality, Georgia and many states were simply rolling back the special measures put in place because of the pandemic and no rights were being infringed.
And despite the glaring warning sign that was the failure of Build Back Better, Abrams threw red meat to the liberal base by insisting “the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act” were going to pass the Senate.
Co-host Whit Johnson brought things back to the book and teed Abrams up by hawking some of her other, more political books (complete with an on-screen graphic).
“So, let’s transition away from politics for a bit here and talk about your book. You’re no stranger to the best-seller's list, you’ve got favorites like While Justice Sleeps and Our Time Is Now, but Stacey's Extraordinary Words this is your first children's and picture book,” he touted. “Why did you decide to write this?”
Bruce and Norman followed up with questions about Abrams’ history in spelling bees and how powerful the word “perseverance” is (Click “expand”):
BRUCE: You yourself have competed in so many spelling bees as a child and recently had the chance to talk with the winner of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, of course, the first African American to do so. So, what inspires you as you think about this next generation?
(…)
NORMAN: And you just said persevere. On the title page here it says, “Stacey learns that win or lose her words are powerful and sometimes perseverance is the most important word of all.” Why do you think perseverance is so important and what do you hope the young people take away from this book after reading it?
Norman wrapped up the segment by announcing her admiration for the book, declaring: “Love that. Love the cover of this book. Cannot wait to take this one home to my little ones.”
Those glowing appreciation for Abrams’ political career and book was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships GEICO and Nissan. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s Good Morning America
December 28, 2021
8:20:58 a.m. EasternJANAI NORMAN: We are joined now by one of the nation's leading voting rights advocates, former Georgia House minority leader and number one The New York Times best-selling author, Stacey Abrams. She is out with her first children's book, Stacey's Extraordinary Words.
Good morning to you, Ms. Stacey Abrams! We are so excited to have you here! So excited to talk about this book! Your debut children's book but we've got to talk about the other headlines. Your other big news you made earlier this month. You will be running again for governor in Georgia in 2022. This is after that narrow loss three years ago. What will be different for you this time around?
STACEY ABRAMS: First and foremost, we have hundreds of thousands of new voters who are on the rolls including a surge of young voters which makes me very excited. Our campaign has always focused on bringing new voices into the process and reminding them they have an opportunity to shape the future.
And I think this is a year, 2022 will be a year where we see new voices and those who want to see better for themselves and their families coming to the table and coming to the polls.
MARY BRUCE: Now you've long been a major voting rights advocate but we are seeing a lot of new laws restricting voting, not just in Georgia but across the country. So, how are you going to tackle this and keep up this fight in 2022?
ABRAMS: I'm excited to know that when the Senate comes back into session in January, the U.S. Senate is going to take up the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These are two critical laws that will help protect voting rights across the country. Because it's not about partisanship, this is about patriotism. My issue isn’t who gets to vote, it’s that everyone who is eligible is allowed to vote.
My job as a candidate, of course, is to convince them to vote for me, but my job as an American is to ensure every eligible voter has the right and the ability to cast ballot without impedance.
WHIT JOHNSON: So, let’s transition away from politics for a bit here and talk about your book. You’re no stranger to the best-seller's list, you’ve got favorites like While Justice Sleeps and Our Time Is Now, but Stacey's Extraordinary Words this is your first children's and picture book. Why did you decide to write this?
ABRAMS: I love children’s books. I grew up with a librarian mother who specialized in children's literature and she would read us all of these wonderful books, but more importantly she let us explore. My dad is an amazing storyteller; and between the two of them telling stories and understanding how words change your life has been so critical and essential to who I am. And getting to talk to this young audience has been the most fun I've had as a writer.
BRUCE: You yourself have competed in so many spelling bees as a child and recently had the chance to talk with the winner of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, of course, the first African American to do so. So, what inspires you as you think about this next generation?
ABRAMS: Well, Zalia is amazing and she out-spelled me in our interview and will continue to out-spell me for all of her life.
[Laughter from ABC co-hosts]
It was a very humbling experience but it was also a learning experience. She's not only adorable but thoughtful and she perseveres. And that's what I want young people to understand that spelling bees like life are a chance to test yourself against not only the kids around you but against your own capacity. And being able to tell that story through Stacey's Extraordinary Words where, spoiler alert, Stacey doesn't get her word right. It’s an important lesson to learn.
And Zalia, her ability to persevere to become the strong speller and basketball player and everything that she is, she's I think a role model for so many people and for folks like myself.
NORMAN: And you just said persevere. On the title page here it says, “Stacey learns that win or lose her words are powerful and sometimes perseverance is the most important word of all.” Why do you think perseverance is so important and what do you hope the young people take away from this book after reading it?
ABRAMS: Most important for me in this story is how young Stacey uses her words to think about how she can impact the community around her, who she can help her friends, but also how she grows herself. That it's not about the big victories always, sometimes it's about those small lessons that we learn that add up over time. And that words like life change around you and make you stronger, make you better. They can challenge you but you can always come out on the other side a better person than you went in.
NORMAN: Love that. Love the cover of this book. Cannot wait to take this one home to my little ones. Stacey's Extraordinary Words is out today. Stacey Abrams, thanks so much for being here with us.
ABRAMS: Thank you for having me.
