In a move as rare as finding a four-leaf clover, Norah O'Donnell actually disclosed on Wednesday's CBS This Morning that New York City Mayor-Elect Bill de Blasio ran a "very liberal campaign." Jeff Pegues also noted how the "52-year-old liberal" is a "proponent of...taxing the wealthy." The program was also the sole Big Three morning newscast to underline de Blasio's political ideology, and devote a full report to his electoral win.
However, the show ended up gushing over the hard-left politician. O'Donnell asserted that de Blasio is "suddenly a national political figure," while Pegues trumpeted that "Bill de Blasio will soon be a household name." Charlie Rose and Gayle King later ballyhooed the election results: [MP3 audio available here [1]; video below]
CHARLIE ROSE: It's going to be a very interesting time to live in New York-
GAYLE KING: Yes, it is-
ROSE: And to see this transition from one philosophy to another....
KING: After 12 years of Mayor Mike Bloomberg, it's going to be very, very fascinating.
O'Donnell used her "very liberal" label during a news brief eight minutes into the CBS News program. Just before playing a clip from the Democrat's victory speech, she noted that "de Blasio promised to focus on the needs of the working class."
Fifty-five minutes later, the anchor led into Pegues' report with her "suddenly a national political figure" line. The correspondent continued with his "household name" prediction, adding that "it's part of the territory when you take the reins here at city hall."
Pegues spent much of the segment outlining how de Blasio is "creating some friction with New York's primary financial engine: Wall Street" and how "de Blasio's take on fighting crime is also creating some tension. He has vowed to change aggressive police tactics, like the controversial 'stop and frisk'."
The full transcript of Norah O'Donnell's news brief and Jeff Pegues' full report from Wednesday's CBS This Morning:
11/06/2013
07:08 am EST
CBS This Morning
NORAH O'DONNELL: This morning, New York City is getting ready for a change in leadership, too. Voters elected their first Democratic mayor in 20 years. Bill de Blasio won 73 percent of the vote, after running a very liberal campaign. In his victory speech, de Blasio promised to focus on the needs of the working class.
[CBS News Graphic: "New York's New Mayor: DeBlasio To Be First Dem NYC Mayor In Two Decades"]
BILL DE BLASIO (from campaign event): New York's resilience is legendary. Our toughness is unmatched, and our will is unbreakable. For generations, New York has meant opportunity. That's what it has been to so many, and that's what it must be again. (audience cheers and applauds)
O'DONNELL: De Blasio will take over for Mayor Michael Bloomberg on New Year's Day. The billionaire independent is wrapping up 12 years in office here in New York City.
08:03 am EDT
NORAH O'DONNELL: For the first time in more than two decades, New York City voters chose a Democrat for mayor. Bill de Blasio defeated Republican Joe Lhota in a landslide victory 73 to 24 percent. And now, de Blasio is suddenly a national political figure.
Jeff Pegues is at New York City Hall in Manhattan. Jeff, good morning.
[CBS News Graphic: "New York City Mayor Election Results: Bill de Blasio, (D), 73%; Joe Lhota, 24%"]
JEFF PEGUES: Good morning, Norah. Bill de Blasio will soon be a household name. It's part of the territory when you take the reins here at city hall. He is next in line after two hard-charging, high-profile politicians.
[CBS News Graphic: "New York's New Mayor: DeBlasio To Be First Dem Mayor In Two Decades"]
BILL DE BLASIO (from campaign event): This victory is yours. (audience cheers and applauds)
PEGUES (voice-over): Overnight, Bill de Blasio became one of the most influential political figures in the country – ushering in a new vision for New York City after 12 years of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the CEO billion-dollar mayor who's helped the city rebuild after 9/11. He succeeded Rudy Giuliani, whose leadership had national implications in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Both men loomed large over city hall – even for the six-foot-five de Blasio, who campaigned and won taking aim at Wall Street's big spenders.
DE BLASIO (from campaign ad): Wall Street has hit all-time highs. Bloomberg's taking care of Wall Street – not middle-class people, working-class people, poor people.
PEGUES: The 52-year-old liberal rose through elected office as a city councilman. He's a proponent of creating affordable housing and taxing the wealthy. It's the latter that is creating some friction with New York's primary financial engine: Wall Street.
PEGUES (on-camera): How do you expect the new mayor and Wall Street to co-exist?
BILL COHAN, AUTHOR: The old mayor, Michael Bloomberg, was himself a creature of Wall Street.
PEGUES (voice-over): Bill Cohan worked on Wall Street, and now is the author of books about it.
COHAN: Bill de Blasio – his rhetoric – has been quite clear. He's talked about a 'tale of two cities'. He's talked about income inequality. And if you don't get along with Wall Street, you're really, sort of, putting yourself behind the eight ball big time.
PEGUES: De Blasio's take on fighting crime is also creating some tension. He has vowed to change aggressive police tactics, like the controversial 'stop and frisk'.
Eugene O'Donnell is a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
PEGUES (on-camera): In terms of law enforcement, why is what happens here important for the rest of the country?
EUGENE O'DONNELL, JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE: This is the preeminent police job in the United States. It's one of the top police jobs in the world. This is an agency that's four times the size of the FBI, and it's an agency that, in very many ways, sets the agenda.
PEGUES: De Blasio will be sworn in on New Year's Day. As for Mayor Bloomberg, he's expected to go back to managing his multi-billion dollar financial and media company, as well as working with his foundation, which is focused on gun control and climate change. Charlie, Norah, Gayle?
CHARLIE ROSE: It's going to be a very interesting time to live in New York-
GAYLE KING: Yes, it is-
ROSE: And to see this transition from one philosophy to another.
NORAH O'DONNELL: Right-
KING: After 12 years of Mayor Mike Bloomberg, it's going to be very, very fascinating.
ROSE: Thank you, Jeff.
— Matthew Balan is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matthew Balan on Twitter. [2]