Thursday's CBS This Morning heralded pro-abortion Texas State Senator Wendy Davis as a "new star in Democratic politics" for her "marathon filibuster that went viral". Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell tossed softball questions at Davis, and wondered if she would "run for governor or for national office now" because of her "new role in the national spotlight". [audio available here; video below the jump]
Correspondent Manuel Bojorquez hyped how the filibuster supposedly has turned Davis into a "national political star", and ballyhooed how "some political analysts are comparing it to the 1988 Democratic convention speech that catapulted [former Texas Governor] Ann Richards to the national stage." He also continued CBS's biased coverage about Davis from Wednesday.
Rose asserted that "people are still talking about the dramatic standoff at the Texas State Capitol" as introduced Bojorquez's report, which ran immediately before the Davis interview. Minutes earlier, the CBS anchor used the "new star in Democratic politics" label of the Democrat as he previewed the segment.
The correspondent first trumpeted that "the marathon filibuster that went viral has turned a little-known Texas lawmaker into a national political star. It literally happened overnight, as State Senator Wendy Davis stood and talked for 11 straight hours without food, water, or bathroom breaks."
Bojorquez then outlined that "with help from a crowd of pro-choice supporters, Davis stopped Republicans from passing sweeping new abortion restrictions – maybe just for now. But the move put Davis on the map." After pointing out the anonymous political analysts comparing the Texas state senator to Ann Richards, and underlining it with a clip from her 1988 speech, the CBS journalist hinted at the question Rose and O'Donnell would end up asking their guest: "Davis, a teen mom turned Harvard Law grad, has already come a long way. The question many are asking now, is will this take her even further in the solidly red state of Texas?"
The two anchors then turned to Davis, and gave her the kid glove treatment in their first four questions:
CHARLIE ROSE: You've met tough things before in your life, though – as a single mother; a woman who went from community college to TCU to Harvard Law School, and back to practice law. So, this seems to be another challenge for you. When you started, did you – what did you think you would accomplish when you went on your feet that day?...
ROSE: But did you think you could stop it by this filibuster, or did you simply want to make a very powerful statement on behalf of the people you just mentioned?...
O'DONNELL: Senator Davis, Governor Perry has called this back into session on July 1, and this bill is likely to pass. So, what do you think you will have accomplished? Will you do this filibuster again?...
Near the end of the segment, Rose and O'Donnell pressed her about her future political plans:
ROSE: It has also catapulted you in the political limelight. Will you run for governor or for national office now?
DAVIS: You know, right now, I have my hands full, honestly. As we go into this next special session, we have a tremendous amount of work to do, and I'm focused fully on that. I don't know what the future will hold, but I'm honored to have people talking about that.
O'DONNELL: But I did hear you say you'd be lying to say that it – that it – it has crossed your mind about running for higher office, right?
DAVIS: Well, yes, it certainly has. (Rose and O'Donnell laugh) But I don't know if now is the right time for me. We'll see.
O'DONNELL: Well, there isn't a seat until 2014, right?
DAVIS: Yes. (O'Donnell laughs)
It should be pointed out that this supposed political "superstar", as an on-screen graphic labeled Davis, barely won her last race in 2012, the same election where President Obama won his second term.
Rose and O'Donnell have a history of conducting softball interviews of liberal/Democratic guests. The CBS anchors fawned over Caroline Kennedy back in March 2013, and helped New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg boost gun control during a January 2013 interview. By contrast, they have consistently played hardball with their conservative/Republican guests, with Senator Rand Paul being the latest example earlier in June 2013.
