The ABC and CBS morning shows on Wednesday gushed over "baby whisperer" Barack Obama. Both Good Morning America and the Early Show played White House-produced video of the President comforting a baby while working a rope line.
GMA's Lara Spencer lauded, "You know, the President is plenty busy trying to turn the economy around. But he still has time to stop some babies from crying, of course."
Spencer narrated footage of First Lady Michelle Obama handing the wailing child to her husband. After the baby quit crying, the journalist enthused, "Finally is President Obama a baby whisperer? The leader of the free world worked his magic on this munchkin a few days ago at the White House."
GMA co-host George Stephanopoulos even wondered if this incident could cause Mrs. Obama to rethink her lack of interest in having more children.
On the website for CBS's Early Show, the headline for the story was "the baby whisperer." This graphic wasn't used on the program, but co-host Chris Wragge touted, "Before the First Lady left for Washington, she learned something about her husband. He seems to have a way with babies."
As the MRC's Brent Baker [1] previously reported, Nightly News anchor Brian Williams on Tuesday hyped, "The White House would probably love for us to believe this next piece of videotape is evidence of special healing powers."
A transcript of the two morning show segments can be found below:
GMA
06/22/11
8:01
LARA SPENCER: You know, the President is plenty busy trying to turn the economy around. But he still has time to stop some babies from crying, of course. It's the video you have to see to believe. And it's all ahead in just a minute.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Instead of kissing babies, he goes right and stops the baby from crying.
8:07
SPENCER: Finally is President Obama a baby whisperer? The leader of the free world worked his magic on this munchkin a few days ago at the White House. Now, watch as the First Lady tries to quiet down the fussy little friend. She's got no luck doing it. She then hands the bawling baby to the big man and presto, the tot is simply transfixed. And Mrs. O, she looks shocked that the dad in chief hasn't lost his touch. And, guys, I just want to notice, I wanted to see if you noticed, did you see a little swagger? "I still got it. I still got it."
ROBIN ROBERTS: "I got it. I still got it."
SPENCER: Yeah.
STEPHANOPOULOS: The President said Michele didn't want any more kids. Maybe she'll change her mind now.
Early Show
06/22/11
8:08 am EDT
Graphic on CBSNews.com [but not used on show]: Obama: The Baby Whisperer
CHRIS WRAGGE: Before the First Lady left for Washington, she learned something about her husband. He seems to have a way with babies. Yes, I'm not sure if you saw this one. They were greeting the President and First Lady, greeting some visitors on Monday, and Mrs. Obama was holding a baby that wouldn't stop crying. So she handed the infant to the President. The baby stopped crying right away to his delight and the First Lady's amazement.
— Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here [2] to follow him on Twitter.