In a similar theme to what aired on NBC’s Meet the Press [1], ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos used Hillary Clinton’s visit to Iowa as an opportunity to play up liberal dissatisfaction with the potential 2016 presidential candidate.
ABC’s Jonathan Karl traveled to Indianola, Iowa to speak with retiring Democratic Senator Tom Harkin ahead of his annual Harkin Steak Fry event. During the interview, Karl asked “were some progressives a little uneasy with Hillary Clinton? I mean, is she going to be too hawkish on foreign policy? Is she going to be too moderate on economic issues?”
After Karl played up the significance of the steak fry for national Democrats, the ABC reporter reminded his ABC audience how Ms. Clinton had trouble with the liberal base prior to the 2008 election:
When Mrs. Clinton stood here at the 2007 steak fry, she seemed invincible, but when Iowa caucusgoers gathered four months later, the one-time front-runner finished a disappointing third. Liberals upset about her support for the Iraq War had found somebody else to rally around.
The ABC reporter then gave Senator Harkin a platform to fret that Hillary Clinton may not be liberal enough to satisfy his and other Democrats' values:
We're always nervous about people moving too far to the right. See, a lot of us believe the center ought to be moved back, that the center has moved too far right… I thought Barack Obama was a great Progressive and a great populist and, quite frankly, I haven't -- some things that has happened that I haven’t agreed with.
As the segment continued, Karl once again promoted liberal skepticism of Ms. Clinton by speaking to self-proclaimed Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) as he considers a 2016 presidential run:
JONATHAN KARL: And as the campaign bus revs up, she's not the only Democratic star coming here. Vice President Joe Biden heads to Iowa on Wednesday, and even ultra liberal senator Bernie Sanders is making three stops of his own in the Hawkeye state this weekend. Is Iowa ready for Hillary? Are Democrats ready for Hillary?
BERNIE SANDERS: Well, I think the answer is that Iowa and America does not want to anoint anybody. I think what the American people clearly want to see is a major debate on the important issues facing the working families and the middle class of this country and not say, oh, here's your crown, take the nomination.
Just as was the case with NBC, ABC's Jonathan Karl never bothered to consider that the liberal demands of the Democratic Party base were out of step with the majority of Americans. Instead, both Sunday morning shows felt that Hillary's major obstacle to the White House in 2016 was her lack of liberal credentials as they continue to fret that she's too "hawkish" and aligned too closely to Wall Street.
See relevant transcript below.
ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos
September 14, 2014
JONATHAN KARL: We're back here in Indianola where later today Hillary Clinton will make what looks like her first unofficial foray into 2016 at the annual Harkin Steak Fry. This is her first appearance in Iowa in nearly seven years. So why did she choose this moment and this event to make her big return to Iowa? We talked to the man who started the steak fry 42 years ago, retiring Senator Tom Harkin. It's an Iowa institution, the annual cookout and fund-raiser that's been bringing out the biggest names in Democratic politics for years. Now you’ve had just about every Democrat who's had a serious shot at president come by here over the last quarter of a century.
TOM HARKIN: Absolutely. We've had them all. Some made it, and some didn’t. Well, most didn’t obviously.
KARL: Most didn't. And today’s event marks Mrs. Clinton's biggest foray yet into 2014 politics as Bill and Hillary get ready to hit the stump in key midterm races.
HARKIN: She wants to focus on 2014.
KARL: Right.
HARKIN: And how we can keep the Senate and elect some key people around the country, so she's -- she's going to be out there working hard.
KARL: So I mean we're going to see them out more than the president for the actual candidate, right? I mean the president is doing a lot of fund-raising but he's not very much in demand for a lot of these races.
HARKIN: Yes, that's the correct observation. That's right.
KARL: The Clintons say their visit here is all about their friendship with Senator Harkin, who’s retiring after 40 years in Congress and not about 2016. But don't tell that to the “Ready for Hillary” Super PAC with their already well-traveled campaign bus. To them, Mrs. Clinton’s 2016 run has already started.
TRACY SEFL: The organization, which is, of course, several million people very much would like her to run, and if she chooses to, she’s got an army ready to stand with her.
KARL: When Mrs. Clinton stood here at the 2007 steak fry, she seemed invincible, but when Iowa caucusgoers gathered four months later, the one-time front-runner finished a disappointing third. Liberals upset about her support for the Iraq War had found somebody else to rally around. Now Mrs. Clinton is once again looking unbeatable. But some Democrats still have their doubts. Were some Progressives a little uneasy with Hillary Clinton? I mean, is she going to be too hawkish on foreign policy? Is she going to be too moderate on economic issues?
HARKIN: We're always nervous about people moving too far to the right. See, a lot of us believe the center ought to be moved back, that the center has moved too far right.
KARL: So where’s Hillary on that?
HARKIN: Well, I don’t know. I think this is something that will be developed, and we’ll find out when -- when and if she decides to run, you know, what’s her vision for America.
KARL: So you still have real questions about where she stands on those central issues?
HARKIN: I do everybody. You know, again, I must be frank with you. I thought Barack Obama was a great Progressive and a great populist and, quite frankly, I haven't -- some things that has happened that I haven’t agreed with.
KARL: And as the campaign bus revs up, she's not the only Democratic star coming here. Vice President Joe Biden heads to Iowa on Wednesday, and even ultra liberal senator Bernie Sanders is making three stops of his own in the Hawkeye state this weekend. Is Iowa ready for Hillary? Are Democrats ready for Hillary?
BERNIE SANDERS: Well, I think the answer is that Iowa and America does not want to anoint anybody. I think what the American people clearly want to see is a major debate on the important issues facing the working families and the middle class of this country and not say, oh, here's your crown, take the nomination.
— Jeffrey Meyer is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Jeffrey Meyer on Twitter. [2]