ABC’s Good Morning America has always been a team player for the left, so that meant on Wednesday they had to have on-air Obamagasams to get their points across about how Barack and Michelle Obama were an “electrifying” and “forceful one-two punch” with “political and personal” speeches “pummeling Donald Trump in blistering terms..as dangerous, divisive, and petty” on a night that felt “genuinely new”.
Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos salivated right off the top, remarking to co-host Robin Roberts: “What a rocking night at the Democratic National Convention.”
Chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce was predictably ready to run through a brick wall for her fellow Democrats. This time, though, it was over the Obamas to the point that hopefully her usual source of adulation — President Joe Biden — wasn’t watching:
Well, this was a forceful one-two punch by the Obamas. Their remarks both political and personal, pummeling Donald Trump in blistering terms, but also lifting up Kamala Harris, praising her character and substance and making it clear they see Harris as the future of the movement they started. Overnight, President Obama, who once electrified the nation with his vision of hope and change, passing that mantle to Kamala Harris.
Bruce laid on thick in-between soundbites of Barack Obama, bragging he “slamm[ed] Donald Trump, saying he puts himself above the interest of the American people” and offered no pushback (i.e. agreement) to Obama “casting Trump as dangerous, divisive, and petty”.
ABC's Mary Bruce was once again rhetorically aroused at the #DNC. This time, she did her best Chris Matthews impression....
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 21, 2024
Bruce “Well, this was a forceful one-two punch by the Obamas. Their remarks both political and personal, pummelling Donald Trump in blistering terms, but… pic.twitter.com/TWSek30DzL
She also saved some valentines for Michelle, gushing of her “rare return to the political center stage” and “contrasting the candidates in stark terms...saying they know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of Trump’s attack” and “argu[ed] Kamala understands average Americans the way Trump never will”.
Notice how deep cuts by Democrats are treated in the press as positives or factual statements while any sniff of mere basic criticism from Republicans are seen as personal attacks.
Bruce also had some love for Second Gentlemen Doug Emhoff, but nothing about recent revelations about Emhoff having an affair with the nanny of his children during his first marriage (and getting her pregnant): “The night about reintroducing Harris to voters. Her dedicated husband describing Harris as a joyful warrior...and praising his wife’s dedication to their blended family.”
She closed by greasing the skids for Governor and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (D-MN): “The Minnesota governor and former high school football who until two weeks ago never used a teleprompter. He will be speaking to no doubt the largest crowd of his career.”
Chief Washington correspondent and three-time anti-Trump author Jonathan Karl also said his piece by fawning over the “electrifying night for delegates here and for Democrats across the country” and the convention proceedings coming off as “genuinely new” (click “expand”):
ABC’s George Stephanopoulos: “Quite a show of force by the Democrats last night. A President, a First Lady, two massive crowds.”
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 21, 2024
Jonathan Karl: “George, this was an electrifying night for delegates here and for Democrats across the country. And, look, it is exceedingly rare to… pic.twitter.com/mNs2lhl54c
STEPHANOPOULOS: Quite a show of force by the Democrats last night. A President, a First Lady, two massive crowds.
KARL: George, this was an electrifying night for delegates here and for Democrats across the country. And, look, it is exceedingly rare to see something genuinely new at one of these national political conventions. But the organizers pulled that off when you saw Kamala Harris simultaneously direct — address a packed convention hall in Milwaukee where Republicans had rallied last month and here in Chicago and the messaging, that there was something new in the messaging as well as — as Barack Obama particularly tried to address Americans who are sick and tired of our deeply divided politics, doing that while simultaneously issuing a brutal takedown on Donald Trump. But also trying to appeal to the people, what Obama called the regular folks who have turned out. And, George, that part of the messaging has been backed up here in Chicago every single night and will continue tonight and tomorrow by featuring Republican speakers. Last night, the Republican mayor of Mesa, Arizona and even former Trump White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham.
STEPHANOPOULOS: One thing that is clear for the Obamas, this is personal.
KARL: It’s personal. And this is not just a matter of two speeches last night. I was told by a person close to President Obama that he intends to be out on the campaign trail in a way we really haven’t seen since he was running for his own re-election in 2012...He will be on the campaign trail this fall.
Not to be left out, Trump campaign correspondent/antagonist Rachel Scott giddily boasted of how “this has been a very rough three weeks for the former President’s campaign” and is now worse because of “new numbers out this morning that show Vice President Kamala Harris has” hauled “in nearly $250 million in July” versus $78 million for Trump’s team.
To see the relevant ABC transcript from August 21, click here.
