Despite the fact that the Democratic primary in Florida doesn’t happen until near the end of summer, Sunday’s Good Morning America was already looking ahead and trying to boost the Senate campaign of Florida Congresswoman Val Demings, who’s looking to unseat Republican Marco Rubio. And Deming’s press team seemingly couldn’t have done any better than ABC in pitching their candidate.
Weekend GMA co-anchor Janai Norman began her doting segment with a clip from her sit down with Demings, handing her a family photo and asking her to talk about herself. “When you look at this picture, tell me what goes through your mind,” Norman asked.
Following a soundbite of Demings holding the photo and going on about how her mother instilled in her the ability to dream, Norman celebrated the Congresswoman’s history as a public figure. Of course, she also praised Demings for impeaching former President Trump:
The daughter of a janitor and maid, Florida Congresswoman Val Demings became the first woman sworn in as Orlando police chief, serving in the House since 2017, rising to national prominence as an impeachment manager against former President Donald Trump, and being considered as a possible running mate for then-candidate Joe Biden. The Jacksonville native who grew up in the segregated south, now setting her sights on the Senate.
“I’m never tired of representing Florida,” Demings followed up in a political ad shared by ABC.
Now, judging by the soundbites Norman cherry-picked from the interview, the sit down itself seemed to be designed to just tee up Demings to take swipes at Rubio:
NORMAN: Rubio’s office accused Democrats of, quote, “tripping over themselves in a race to the left to find a candidate who will help advance Nancy Pelosi’s socialist agenda.” What’s your response to that?
DEMINGS: This is about the people of Florida. Maybe Marco Rubio should take an opportunity to get to know them.
Norman did note that Demings had an “uphill battle” because Democrats have been unable to win major statewide races for a few cycles now (Senate, governor, and president). “He not only has the governor on his side, but the state’s most famous resident, the former president is also here in Florida, and on Marco Rubio’s side,” she cautioned Demings.
And in one strange soundbite, after Norman warned that Democrats have been unable to really tap into Florida’s “diverse Latino population,” Demings seemed to suggest that Rubio, whose family fled communist Cuba, didn’t represent diversity. “When you talk about diversity, look at me,” she proclaimed.
And it wasn’t until the final seconds of the segment that Norman admitted Demings wasn’t even the Democratic nominee in the race yet. “And, of course, her first challenge would be winning the primary next August. So far, there are at least three other Democratic candidates including former Congressman Alan Grayson,” she concluded.
ABC’s campaign boost to Rep. Val Demings was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from GEICO and Macy’s. Their contact information in linked so you can tell them about the biased new that they fund.
The transcript is below, click “expand” to read:
ABC’s Good Morning America
June 13, 2021
8:07:47 a.m. EasternJANAI NORMAN: Well, now, to the Democratic congresswoman hoping to unseat a big-name Republican in the Senate. Val Demings announcing she hopes to take on Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. I recently sat down with Demings to talk about her run.
[Cuts to video]
When you look at this picture, tell me what goes through your mind. [Hands Demings a printout of a family photo.]
REP. VAL DEMINGS (D-FL): First of all, thanks, mama. My mother had an amazing ability to see things she had never seen before. Right? To dream, to believe, and she instilled that in me, and so there are families all over this country who look just like this, and it’s about creating opportunities like this little girl in this photo had.
NORMAN: The daughter of a janitor and maid, Florida congresswoman Val Demings became the first woman sworn in as Orlando police chief, serving in the House since 2017, rising to national prominence as an impeachment manager against former President Donald Trump, and being considered as a possible running mate for then-candidate Joe Biden. The Jacksonville native who grew up in the segregated south, now setting her sights on the Senate.
DEMINGS (via political ad): I’m never tired of representing Florida.
NORMAN: Where currently no black women are serving, looking to unseat two-term incumbent Senator Marco Rubio. Rubio, who won re-election in 2016 with 52 percent of the vote welcoming the challenge.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL): I’m looking forward to this campaign.
NORMAN: Rubio’s office accused Democrats of, quote, “tripping over themselves in a race to the left to find a candidate who will help advance Nancy Pelosi’s socialist agenda.” What’s your response to that?
DEMINGS: This is about the people of Florida. Maybe Marco Rubio should take an opportunity to get to know them.
NORMAN: But Demings faces an uphill battle. In recent years, Democrats falling short in statewide races. Senator Bill Nelson lost to Governor Rick Scott. Andrew Gillum lost to Ron DeSantis, not to mention former President Donald Trump winning in this battleground state in both 2016 and 2020.
He not only has the governor on his side, but the state’s most famous resident, the former president is also here in Florida, and on Marco Rubio’s side.
DEMINGS: It’s not about Marco Rubio. It is about Floridians. It’s about those families that I talked about who live in all 67 counties in this state who deserve to have someone fighting for them when they are having a tough time.
NORMAN: But winning Florida will be a challenge for Democrats who haven’t been able to win one key demographic, the diverse Latino population.
DEMINGS: We are going to do something that Florida has never seen before. When you talk about diversity, look at me. Diversity is our strength, and while we have had some tough losses in our home state, we know that they have been pretty close. They have been losses, but they have been close losses.
[Cuts back to live]
NORMAN: And, of course, her first challenge would be winning the primary next August. So far, there are at least three other Democratic candidates including former Congressman Alan Grayson. Whit?