Covering a possible 2012 presidential run by Michele Bachmann, Good Morning America's Juju Chang on Thursday spun the Congresswoman as "one of the most controversial freshmen [sic] members of Congress." Aside from the obvious error, Bachmann has been a representative for four years, GMA never identified hard-left former Congressman Alan Grayson that way.
Reporter Jonathan Karl singled out Bachmann as "uncompromising" and "as conservative as they come." This type of labeling isn't uncommon for the journalist. On August 24, 2010, Karl hit Republican senatorial candidate Joe Miller as a "hard-line, Tea Party conservative."
On September 22, 2010, he deemed Christine O'Donnell's comments about witchcraft to be "infamous." On January 4, 2011, Karl derided incoming House Speaker John Boehner as "harshly partisan."
Chang informed viewers that former Clinton operative George Stephanopoulos and World News anchor Diane Sawyer will host a debate between Republican presidential candidates in December of 2011.
A transcript of the March 24 segment, which aired at 8:02am EDT, follows:
JUJU CHANG: Turning now to politics, there are new signs that one of the most controversial freshmen [sic] members of Congress is considering a run for the White House. More now from Jonathan Karl.
ABC GRAPHIC: Tea Party Queen Eyes White House: Bachmann: 'I Am in for 2012'
JON KARL: They are the queens of the Tea Party. Tough, uncompromising, as conservative as they come, but with one big difference. [Over B-roll of Bachmann.] This one looks like she's running for President. Congresswoman, how are you?
MICHELE BACHMANN: Hello. How are you?
KARL: We caught up with Michele Bachmann at her hotel room in Des Moines and followed her everywhere.
BACHMANN: Hi there. I'm Michele.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Can't say your last name.
BACHMANN: Bachmann!
SECOND UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Thanks to coming to Des Moines.
BACHMANN: Well, I was born in Waterloo.
KARL: And she can out-tough talk Palin.
BACHMANN: [Giving speech.] I may be five foot-two, but I am one tough lady. [Talking to Karl.] We need to go toe-to-toe, eyeball-to-eyeball with the President and say, "Mr. President, you are wrong."
KARL: Bachmann would be a long shot, but few people fire up Tea Party activists more than she does. That's why the chairman of the Iowa Republican Party says she could be a force in the Iowa caucuses.
MATT STRAWN (Chairman, Republican Party of Iowa): They line up with her stated principles of limited government, economic freedom, shrinking the size of things at the federal level. So, I think there's an opportunity for her here.
KARL: So, will she run?
BACHMANN: I'm in for 2012 in that I want to be a part of the conversation of making sure President Obama only serves one term, not two.
KARL: She told us, she'll make up her mind by summer, regardless of what her friend Sarah Palin decides to do. For Good Morning America, Jonathan Karl, ABC News, Des Moines, Iowa.
CHANG: And, of course, ABC News is your campaign headquarters. Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos will moderate the Republican caucus debate in Iowa this December, just weeks before the first in the nation caucuses.
— Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
