CBS Joins Gleeful ABC in Boasting GOP Has ‘Struggling’ Candidates, Wretched Polls

Slowly providing more midterm coverage after relatively few direct segments post-primary season (aside from passing nods to, say, gas prices hurting voters), ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS Mornings both touted on Thursday leaked audio from Texas Republican senatorial candidate Ken Paxton criticizing the party’s Dallas midterm convention and reveled in painting a near-inevitable blue tsunami for their side due to “struggling” GOP candidates.

Despite being in a world of hurt before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), ABC has shown the most ebullience and quick trigger to heap only bad news on the right and, well, no news at all on the left.

Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos led the way with a mini-editorial: “We’re gonna get the latest now on President Trump heading to states that should be safe for Republicans ahead of the midterms, but polls signal trouble for the GOP, even in Texas, with some Republicans concerned the President is dragging them down.”

Chief White House correspondent and Biden regime apple-polisher Mary Bruce doubled down, boasting: “With the President’s approval rating at or near record lows, there are real questions about just how much of a boost Trump will be” as he “is really ramping up his campaign travel to red states.”

Both of these seasoned politicos won’t tell their viewers that midterms often come down to base motivation and turnout, so it’s only natural Trump would go to redder areas.

Bruce spent roughly the next minute touting the leaked audio about Paxton, the sitting Texas attorney general (click “expand”):

BRUCE: This morning, with 33 days until the midterm elections, President Trump heading to Texas, the reliably red state now a key battleground. Recent polling shows Democrat James Talarico with a slight edge over Republican Ken Paxton in the state’s closely watched Senate race, which could determine control of Congress. Paxton, the Texas attorney general, is expected to join Trump this afternoon, even after The New York Times released audio of Paxton complaining that Trump’s midterm convention in Dallas hurt Republican campaigns, including his own.

PAXTON: So, to be honest with you, the numbers — when we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s dropped. Right now? Yeah, not — not — not good.

BRUCE: Paxton’s campaign claims the report is “manipulated nonsense,” adding “he looks forward to closing strong alongside President Trump.” Asked about Paxton’s comments, Trump said he hadn’t heard them, but insists his convention was a hit.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I can tell you that the convention was amazing.

BRUCE: The President hitting the road to boost Republicans in the final sprint to the midterms, urging voters to act like he’s on the ballot. But polls put Trump’s approval rating at or near record lows, in some cases as bad as in the aftermath of January 6. One new poll shows Trump’s approval among registered voters at 37 percent, the lowest presidential approval rating right before a midterm since 1990. Texas’s outgoing Republican Senator John Cornyn, with a blunt message.

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): When the President wants to make all these elections about himself and, you know, vote like I’m on the ticket when his favorability ratings are not what they once were, that’s not a plus. That’s a negative.

Bruce wrapped with more invective, greasing the skids to suppress GOP turnout: “With the war with Iran now in its eighth month and prices soaring, Americans are feeling the impact. That new poll shows that nearly two-thirds of registered voters rate the strength of the U.S. economy negatively. Trump’s own daughter-in-law now warning the war could hurt him.”

Turning over to CBS, the show twice teased “newly leaked audio” that showed Paxton “is worried about the Republican poll numbers” and illustrated the GOP’s wider “concerns.”

Featured co-host Vlad Duthiers had the setup for senior White House and political correspondent Ed O’Keefe:

This is October 1, so the November elections are fast approaching, and President Trump is launching a midterm push for votes. He will be campaigning in Texas today for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton. He is locked in a very tight race, but new leaked audio reveals Paxton is worried about the Republicans’ poll numbers

O’Keefe wasn’t as revelatory as Bruce, but viewers still received the gist: “Frustrated by his sinking poll numbers, President Trump is trying to convince voters to show up for Republicans even if they’re upset. He vowed to hold a campaign rally almost every single day between now and Election Day, but where he’s headed signals the trouble his party faces.”

Like Bruce, O’Keefe pivoted in the middle to Paxton (click “expand”):

O’KEEFE: Today, he’s headed back to Texas, where last month, he headlined an unprecedented midterm convention. But Texas GOP U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton was caught on tape last week admitting the speeches and balloon drop didn’t help.

PAXTON: When we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s dropped. Right now? Yeah, not — not — not good. I wish there was something we could do to turn that around, but obviously nothing.

O’KEEFE: But, in public Wednesday, Paxton said the Republicans are in lockstep.

PAXTON: Texas is the battleground.

WOMAN IN THE CROWD: Yes, that’s right.

[CHEERS]

PAXTON: And Republicans are getting united.

O’Keefe then delivered the line about GOP candidates “struggling” and discarded major economic announcements Trump made about Alaska and Iowa:

Even before hitting the trail, the President again used the trappings of his office to shore up struggling Republican Senate candidates. Monday, he touted plans for a new steel plant in Iowa alongside candidate Ashley Hinson and, Wednesday, he announced plans for a new liquid natural gas plant in Alaska alongside Senator Dan Sullivan. Those are big economic deals in those states, but still several years away from happening.

The CBS correspondent concluded by, again, like ABC, failing to remind viewers about the nature of how midterms often play out:

The President also plans to rally in Durant, Oklahoma, today. Tomorrow night, it’s Mobile, Alabama. Saturday, it’s Dayton, Ohio. Monday, it’s Grand Island, Nebraska. All of these stops are in typically ruby-red states where Republicans are locked in closer-than-expected statewide contests, and the candidates don’t necessarily want to be seen alongside the President. Vlad, we’ll see who shows up.

To see the relevant transcripts from October 1, click here (for ABC) and here (for CBS).