Chelsea Clinton announced this week that she and her husband Marc Mezvinsky are expecting their first child, and the big three networks dutifully heaped enormous praise on the entire Clinton family. After the initial fawning coverage on April 17 and 18, ABC’s Good Morning America took the Clinton baby obsession to a new level on Sunday April 20.
ABC’s Susan Saulny began the 2 minute 3 second report by declaring “Prince George is doing wonders for the royal family's popularity. Look at those cheeks. This morning, speculation abounds. Could Chelsea Clinton's own baby announcement have a similar impact on an American dynasty? [See video below.]
The segment began with GMA co-host Dan Harris proclaiming “Plenty of men have run for president while being grandfathers, and yet this weekend, the entire political world is abuzz with talk about what impact Chelsea Clinton's impending baby might have on the presidential campaign that her mom Hillary might launch run in 2016.
Saulny continued her coverage amidst a backdrop of an animated Hillary and Chelsea Clinton kissing a baby surrounding by flashing photographers before announcing “Instead of hugging and kissing strangers' babies, she would have one of her own. A warm, maternal image to counter the critics who call her cold and calculating."
The ABC report continued to gush over the baby with Saulny wondering “Hillary Clinton's upcoming book titled Hard Choices deals with her time as Secretary of State. But now, a harder choice to make. What will Chelsea's baby call her?
The segment concluded with Saulny asking random people what they think name Hilary should be called once the baby is born including “Grandmother in Chief” and “Gigi Clinton.” On Friday April 18, GMA’s Biana Golodryga had similar sentiments, declaring “Move over, Prince George, though. This morning, Americans have their own royal, or rather, presidential baby, to look forward to.
See relevant transcript below.
ABC
Good Morning America
April 20, 2014
8:13 a.m. Eastern
DAN HARRIS: Moving on now. Plenty of men have run for president while being grandfathers, and yet this weekend, the entire political world is abuzz with talk about what impact Chelsea Clinton's impending baby might have on the presidential campaign that her mom Hillary might launch run in 2016. ABC’s Susan Saulny is in Washington with more on this.
SUSAN SAULNY: Who doesn't love a baby? Especially politicians and other public figures. Prince George is doing wonders for the royal family's popularity. Look at those cheeks. This morning, speculation abounds. Could Chelsea Clinton's own baby announcement have a similar impact on an American dynasty?
CHELSEA CLINTON: Mark and I are very excited that we have our first child arriving later this year.
SAULNY: If Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2016, she would have a grand baby in tote in the heat of the political campaign season. It’s something she’s publicly longed for.
HILLARY CLINTON: I wouldn’t mind one of those grandchildren I hear so much about.
SAULNY: That was just a month ago with Jimmy Kimmel. Was she already in the know? Imagine the photo ops. Instead of hugging and kissing strangers' babies, she would have one of her own. A warm, maternal image to counter the critics who call her cold and calculating.
MATTHEW DOWD: I think that she’s going to have to deal with how do Americans react to unchartered territory. Whether it gives them a sense of comfort or a sense of discomfort. And she’s going to have to manage herself through all of that in a place that nobody’s really had to manage themselves through.
SAULNY: Hillary Clinton's upcoming book titled Hard Choices deals with her time as Secretary of State. But now, a harder choice to make. What will Chelsea's baby call her?
UNKNOWN PERSON 1: Grandmother in chief.
UNKNOWN PERSON 2: Gigi Clinton. Gigi just sounds like a really cool name.
UNKNOWN PERSON 3: Some people don't like to be called grandma. So maybe mama Hilly.
UNKNOWN PERSON 4: I think a good name would be Mimi.
SAULNY: Now whatever her decision Bianna, you can bet that none of the 4 million babies expected to be born in the U.S. this year will be as closely watched as this little one.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA: Yeah none of the 4 million will likely have security detail. We're excited to see this baby.
DAN HARRIS: Absolutely.
