ABC Delighted to Serve Slow-Pitch Softballs to Mamdani, Sherrill, Spanberger

On Wednesday, ABC’s Good Morning America was ebullient over the blue wave Tuesday night in four blue states (California, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia) and predictably making long-reaching proclamations about 2026 as nationwide blue tsunami against President Trump and the GOP, including supposed popularity of democratic socialism.

As part of their morning-after celebrations, the show interviewed communist New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani and Governor-Elects Mikie Sherrill (NJ) and Abigail Spanberger (VA).

Mamdani was greeted as a conquering hero by co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos, in contrast to how he’s spoken this fall to two leading Republicans, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio:

The closest Stephanopoulos came to firing adversarial questions at Mamdani was a simple wonderment of whether he’s “worried that could drive a lot of job creators of New York” and if the “kind of tax increase” he’s hoping for to fund his agenda will have the support of the state government.

The Trump-hating ABC host shifted to President Trump, asking Mamdani “how do you respond to” Republicans “trying to make you the poster boy of the Democratic Party” and Speaker Johnson “call[ing] you a true extremist and Marxist.”

Stephanopoulos then offered two softballs each on the National Guard and the whether NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch will remain in office. On the National Guard, he wondered aloud to Mamdani if he’s “worried” Trump will “crack down on New York City” and how he’ll ensure he “won’t be intimidated.”

Stephanopoulos finally arrived at the issue of anti-Semitism:

[L]ast night, you also said he wanted to reach out to New Yorkers who didn’t vote for you. Probably highest on that list is Jewish New Yorkers. It looks like there was about 30-point gap according to the polls between you and former Governor Cuomo. How do you convince those voters that your vision of New York includes them, and your victory is not a threat to them?

A short follow-up later, he ended with a bizarre pivot to Bill Ackman and if Mamdani would reach out to him.

Given Mamdani’s hatred for the wealthy, Mamdani tried to grin and bear in stating he “appreciated his — his words,” but argued the onus should be on those like Ackman to come to his side on issues of “lowering the costs of living in this city.”

Sherrill and Spanberger came up in the second hour and both were treated to similar teeball practices. Stephanopoulos first gushed to Sherrill that she’s “made history” before wanting to know “what fueled the victory” and what she’s going to do in terms of “stop[ping]” Donald Trump:

Spanberger was last and that fell to co-host and former NFL player Michael Strahan, who was given the chance to interview Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wife and showed his lack of big-news acumen. Here it was much the same as Strahan openly agreed with Spanberger (click “expand”):

You said last night, we sent a message. Why do you think you want — what message did you send?

(….)

And obviously your campaign resonated with voters out there. Do you feel like your campaign is a model for how Democrats should run in 2026?

(….)

And another big winner last night was Zohran Mamdani. Here in New York City. You ran a much different campaign, but what did you think of his victory? Do you think he is part of the future of the Democratic Party?

(….)

And earlier you mentioned the government shutdown and how it affected so many federal workers and others there in Virginia. I know you’ve called on Congress, Republicans and Democrats, and our President to make real progress on bringing this shutdown to an end. That’s what you said last night in your speech. So, what do you want your fellow Democrats and Congress to do now?

(….)

Yeah, I can agree with you. The impact [of the government shutdown] is real.

CBS Mornings also spoke to Sherrill and that too was a complete joke. Here were the questions she was asked, ending with co-host and Democrat donor Gayle King asking Sherrill to introduce herself to the rest of the country (click “expand”):

TONY DOKOUPIL: I’m curious what you think your victory means for your party, what the lessons are in the message you shared with voters and why they responded?

(….)

DOKOUPIL: You know, Governor-elect, you’re in a very interesting position because as governor of new Jersey you’ll, of course, have to work with Washington and the White House. On the other hand, you have a very different kind of Democrat who just won the mayorship in New York City. Kind of a dual question here. How do you anticipate working with Mayor-Elect Mamdani, and name one thing you’re excited to work with President Trump on.

(….)

KING: Yeah, the President said that voting for you would destroy lives, so it seems like there has to be a little bit of bridge building between the two of you. But I was watching your speech last night, governor. I think you said, I fought for you, I’m listening to you. I’m very honored to be your governor, and that you were ready to do whatever it takes. And you said governors matter more now than ever before. What do you mean by that?

(….)

KING: I think many people are fascinated by your resume. You’re a married woman with four children, a former Navy pilot. What do you want people to know about you as you are about to become the governor of New Jersey?

To see the relevant transcripts from November 5, click here (for ABC) and here (for CBS).