The journalists and celebrities at CBS This Morning on Tuesday hyped a possible 2022 run by actor Matthew McConaughey for governor of Texas, touting him as the next Ronald Reagan and hiding his support for gun control. Despite excitement from TX Democrats, they also pretended we can’t figure out which political party he would run in.
Drew Barrymore, celebrity fill-in host, practically had the movie star in the White House as she gushed over the new Reagan: “He has done it all. And I think about Ronald Reagan and how he was the beloved GOP poster gentleman. And he himself was a famous Hollywood actor. I think Matthew McConaughey is intelligent. He's empathic. He has a ton of pride. Let's start in Texas see where it goes.”
Barrymore and King also feigned as though we don’t know which party McConaughey would likely choose. The actress at first conceded, “But it's not clear which party McConaughey would run with. If he does the run, the chair of the Texas Democratic Party told Politico, he would welcome McConaughey on the Democratic ticket, I've heard, with open arms.”
King recounted that she asked him at an event which party he would choose: “I asked him Democrat or Republican? He will not say.”
This isn’t complicated. There is already an incumbent, conservative, Republican governor of Texas. Among Republicans, Greg Abbott has a 77 percent approval rating. It seems unlikely that a primary challenge would be successful to unseat him. Of course, Barrymore knows which party McConaughey would probably choose. That’s why she added, “And just please don't run as an independent because that's a splitter and a spoiler. He should pick a party.”
Additionally, McConaughey has supported gun control in the past, not often a big draw among Republicans. There’s also this picture of him with the far-left Texas Democrat Beto O’Rourke.
Please remember all this the next time CBS journalists or celebrities try and pretend McConaughey is some totally independent voice.
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A transcript of the segment is below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
5/18/2021
8:31:41 to 8:34:24
DREW BARRYMORE: On a lighter note, Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey might be getting serious about running for running for governor of Texas. The Texas native has floated the idea but has not technically committed. Technically. Back in March, on this very show, he said to Gayle he would be a fool not to consider a run. Now according to Politico, McConaughey has been quietly making calls to influential people in Texas political circles. And some strategists say the actor is a long shot against Republican Greg Abbott who is the governor currently. But it's not clear which party McConaughey would run with. If he does the run, the chair of the Texas Democratic Party told Politico, he would welcome McConaughey on the Democratic ticket, I've heard, with open arms. McConaughey 's team has yet to comment. But I think this is real news.
GAYLE KING: I think he's actually thinking about it. I talked to him just yesterday only because I was asked to do something for the Indeed company. And Matthew McConaughey was a guest. So they asked me. I just brought this up yesterday because it was in the news. I asked him Democrat or Republican? He will not say.
ANTHONY MASON: Interesting.
KING: I thought that was interesting. People are either greeting it with eye rolls or “yes, please, please, please.” But I actually think, Drew, he’s actually thinking about it. Have you ever worked with him in a movie?
BARRYMORE: I have. I've known Matthew since I was 19 years old. We did a film called Boys on the Side together with Whoopi Goldberg, as you see.
KING: Look at you and him.
BARRYMORE: We all knew he was a major movie star. He had only done Dazed and Confused and we called it. He had that charisma, he had that thing. But he's conquered Hollywood. He's won the Oscar. He has done it all. And I think about Ronald Reagan and how he was the beloved GOP poster gentleman. And he himself was a famous Hollywood actor. I think Matthew McConaughey is intelligent. He's empathic. He has a ton of pride. Let's start in Texas see where it goes.
KING: Deeply cares. Deeply cares. Wants all the nonsense to stop.
BARRYMORE: Exactly. And just please don't run as an independent because that's a splitter and a spoiler. He should pick a party.
KING: Well, his book, as you know, is still in the top-ten on The New York Times best-seller's list, this is 28 or 29 weeks, people are listening to Matthew McConaughey
MASON: I think you have to take it very seriously.
BARRYMORE: I think he’s taking it very seriously. I think when people want to challenge themselves, they want to go up and up. And this is the perfect next step for him. I have all the confidence in the world in him as a human being.
KING: It's a discussion in the family, too.
