George Stephanopoulos and the crew of Good Morning America on Monday hailed the "political statement" of a "daring," "passionate" pilot who landed his gyrocopter on the grounds of the Capitol last week in order to lobby for campaign finance reform. At no time in the segment did Stephanopoulos refer to Doug Hughes as "liberal."
Instead, as he interviewed the postal worker, the GMA host offered softballs such as this one: "Why did you become so passionate about the issue of money in politics? And why did you think this was the best way to bring attention to it?" As though he was talking to a celebrity, instead of a man who violated federal airspace, Stephanopoulos gushed, "What's next for you?"
Hughes, whose political message echoes Hillary Clinton's attacks on money in politics, was given a platform to complain:
DOUG HUGHES: I think almost everybody feels that there's corruption in Congress, I think people have a gut feeling that Congress isn't working for them. I think that goes across party lines completely. It's necessary to bring national attention to the problem of corruption in Congress as the first step of solving it.
Stephanopoulos described Hughes as striving "to deliver a political statement about campaign finance reform." In fairness, the journalist noted the dangers the man created, including "breaching the no fly zone, especially after 9/11." He added, "You know the security fears have been real for a long time."
Yet, the tone of the segment was one of appreciation for an odd, but lovable rascal. Stephanopoulos cheered Hughes's "quirky sense of humor." Co-host Amy Robach even hyped GMA's "exclusive," and "incredible new video of his daring journey high over Washington."
Yet, these same networks have been quick to assign conservative motivations for actions taken by single individuals. On April 16, the Media Research Center's Kyle Drennen explained:
In 2010, after Joseph Stack committed suicide by flying a small plane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas, then-MSNBC anchor David Shuster tried to tie the incident to conservative political sentiment: "Then, last week, anti-government sentiment came to a tipping point for one deranged man in Texas. He crashed his airplane into a building that housed the Austin offices of the IRS." Stack's suicide note detailed his hatred of capitalism, not a commitment to conservative values.
In 2011, when Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was critically wounded during a deadly shooting in Arizona, reporters rushed to suggest that conservative ideology had to be behind the brutal attack. The media even tried to blame Sarah Palin for the violence. No political motive was ever established for the crime.
In 2012, ABC News correspondent Brian Ross offered wildly irresponsible speculation that Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes may be linked to the Tea Party: "There is a Jim Holmes of Aurora, Colorado page on the Colorado Tea Party site as well. Talking about him joining the Tea Party last year. Now, we don't know if this the same Jim Holmes." It wasn't and ABC eventually corrected the egregious error.
Obviously, these are more serious examples. No one was killed with Hughes's action, but they could have been.
On April 16, the co-hosts of The View defended Hughes as an "activist" who did "good."
A transcript of the April 20 segment is below:
7am tease
AMY ROBACH: An ABC News exclusive: The Florida postal worker who landed his gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn telling his story this morning. Why he says he did not fear being shot down. The incredible new video of his daring journey high over Washington. He's speaking out only on GMA.
7:09:33
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We're going to turn now to our ABC news exclusive with that man who landed his gyrocopter on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol. We're going to speak to Doug Hughes from his home in Florida after a look at this brand new footage of his flight over Washington. Here, for the first time, see the journey of Doug Hughes from his perspective. Watch as he races down the runway last Wednesday, preparing for take off from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Up he goes, an 80 mile trip straight to the Capitol, only 150 feet up in the air. You can see D.C. In the distance below him as he makes his approach.
WOMAN YELLING: This is not good, people!
STEPHANOPOULOS: The 61-year-old lands right on the west lawn of the Capitol, all to deliver a political statement about campaign finance reform. Now, Hughes is on leave from his job, facing four years in jail, beginning house arrest in Florida today. Still, his daughter said she is standing by her dad.
KATHY HUGHES (Doug Hughes's daughter): I was just down right proud. He's a patriot, you know? He did it for the country.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But was this the right way to spark a movement? [File footage ends.] And Doug Hughes join us now from his home in Florida. Thank you for joining us this morning, Mr. Hughes. So, I got to ask you, if you had gotten any closer to the Capitol, you would have been shot. So, was it worth it?
DOUG HUGHES: I don't think I could have gotten much closer to the Capitol without being at rick of my rotor blades hitting a building. I landed right on the front lawn.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, except, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Michael McCaul said, they were prepared to shoot you. That doesn't give you pause at all?
HUGHES: I'm a mailman, I was delivering the mail, I don't think that the government is going to shoot a 61-year-old mailman in a flying bicycle who's not threatening anyone.
STEPHANOPOULOS: For breaching the no fly zone, especially after 9/11? You know the security fears have been real for a long time.
HUGHES: Well, I made every effort to notify the administration ahead of time of my flight and who I was and that I wasn't threatening anyone.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Why did you become so passionate about the issue of money in politics? And why did you think this was the best way to bring attention to it?
HUGHES: I think almost everybody feels that there's corruption in Congress, I think people have a gut feeling that Congress isn't working for them. I think that goes across party lines completely. It's necessary to bring national attention to the problem of corruption in Congress as the first step of solving it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: What did it feel like flying toward the Capitol? Did you feel your message was getting through or that your message would get through and what was going through your mind?
HUGHES: At the time that I was flying up the Capitol mall, and it was a huge thrill, I wasn't worried about getting shot down, I was worried about my flying and I was getting focused on making my landing and I think that's the same thing every pilot does when they're making a final approach.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Thankfully, no one was hurt. But you're now on administrative leave from your job. You're facing potential punishment, so was this all worth it?
HUGHES: It's up to the American people to decide whether or not they're going to catch the ball that I threw. If they pick this up it's in their power to fix the problem and then it's worth it, even if I lose my job, even if I go to jail.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And what's next for you?
HUGHES: This morning I'm going to get fixed with a 24 karat GPS bracelet. And I get to go home and I'm confined here, except for a hearing that happens in two weeks. And then, depending on the outcome of that, there should be a trial after that.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Should we ever expect to see you in a gyrocopter again?
HUGHES: No, I expect they'll melt it down and make beer cans out of it. I have, based on past experience, I don't expect that they'll ever release the aircraft to me.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Mr. Hughes, thanks very much for joining us this morning.
HUGHES: Thank you, George, it was my pleasure for joining.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, he's got a quirky sense of humor. It's a good thing no one was hurt.
LARA SPENCER: Indeed. Yeah. And, seemingly, no regrets.
