ABC Hypes Michelle Obama's 'Rare Political Move' Against Republicans
Although the journalists at Good Morning America on Tuesday found no time to discuss what NBC called a "potentially dangerous mistake" by the White House, reporter Jon Karl devoted a report to promoting Michelle Obama's latest efforts on healthy lunches. Co-anchor George Stephanopoulos touted it as a "a rare political move now from First Lady Michelle Obama." [MP3 audio here.]
Stephanopoulos hyped the First Lady's "full-scale campaign against the food industry and members of Congress who are trying to roll back the healthy school lunch standard she fought so hard to pass." Karl insisted, "Well, the First Lady believes passionately that school lunches simply have to be healthier and she is prepared to wage a big political fight over this issue." He added, "She is going to be speaking out against this effort for Republicans to roll back standards that were put in place in 2010."
Karl did not explain why Mrs. Obama's efforts qualify as a "rare political move" if she's already politically pushed for altering school lunches.
In contrast, in 2007, GMA co-host Robin Roberts needled Laura Bush on "exporting" generosity, "instead of our bombs."
On Tuesday, GMA's anchors skipped the accidental leak of a CIA station chief in Afghanistan. Instead of reporting on that, the show's co-hosts featured segments on an inappropriate picture taken of Kate Middleton and a story on the new X-Men movie.
A transcript of the May 27 segment is below:
7:12
CBS GRAPHIC: First Lady's School Lunch Battle: Set to Make Unusual High Profile Push
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's move to a rare political move now from First Lady Michelle Obama, launching a full-scale campaign against the food industry and members of Congress who are trying to roll back the healthy school lunch standard she fought so hard to pass. It begins at the white house today and ABC's Jon Karl is there. Good morning, Jon.
JON KARL: Good morning, George. Well, the First Lady believes passionately that school lunches simply have to be healthier and she is prepared to wage a big political fight over this issue. She will start today. It's a meeting with school officials and health nutrition experts. She is going to be speaking out against this effort for Republicans to roll back standards that were put in place in 2010. She says that these standards would gut her– gut this bill. And, George, school officials here are part of the problem – are part of the issue. The people that administer those school lunch programs say the kids don't eat the food and it's costing too much, as one told the Washington Post: "The White House needs to hear from the majority of school cafeteria professionals who are struggling to make the new standards work." Of course, she says they are working and already resulting in a decline in childhood obesity.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, is the First Lady likely to succeed here?
KARL: Well, this is going to be a big fight. She has, of course, Democrats in the Senate are probably going to be standing with her. But this is going to be a big battle.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, Jon Karl. Thanks very much.
— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.
