The 2026 midterm elections are still over a year away, but CBS White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe is already looking past that to 2028. On CBS Saturday Morning, O’Keefe traveled to Iowa for a friendly profile of Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego amid speculation he might run for president. O’Keefe would both marvel over Gallego’s ability to speak Spanish and ignore that Gallego wasn’t exactly well-received at the state fair despite playing footage of him at the event.
O’Keefe began his piece at a meatpacking plant, “In the meat industry, and in politics, this is how the sausage gets made. Politician stops by a factory for a meet and greet before sunshine and hams it up with the rank and file. But Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego once worked at a meat processing plant like this. And he can speak the language many of the workers prefer.”
After a clip of Gallego speaking Spanish, O’Keefe wondered, “Why are we here?”
Gallego took the opportunity to portray himself as the kind of candidate Democrats need after losing in 2024, “You know, last time, 2024, Democrats did not do very well with working class people, people that are actually in these types of facilities. And one of the things I want to be helpful with Democrats is to learn how to talk to people that are literally clocking in at 6:00 A.M. in the morning.”
O’Keefe then tried to get Gallego to admit he is thinking about running for president, but Gallego refused.
After more biographical information, including his Iraq War service in the Marines, O’Keefe observed, “There are still more than 1,100 days until Election Day 2028. But with polls showing Democrats more unpopular than ever and without control of the White House or Congress, there's a void to fill. Former Vice President Kamala Harris hasn't ruled out another bid.”
After clips of Harris on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Andrew Schulz’s Flagrant podcast, O’Keefe explained, “So, through talk show appearances, podcast interviews, and visits to the state fair, they’re trying to break through.”
As O’Keefe was giving that line, viewers could watch video of Gallego cooking burger patties at the state fair, but O’Keefe’s voiceover covered up the fact that Gallego was booed while doing so due to harsh comments he made back in 2020 when Iowa Democrats experienced all sorts of embarrassing technical difficulties during their caucus. While Gallego avoids questions for now about his presidential ambitions, the fact that he has tried to distance himself from his own tweets suggests he is serious, and O’Keefe helped him do so, but at least viewers learned the more important thing: he speaks Spanish.
Ruben Gallego gets overwhelmingly booed while flipping patties at the Iowa State Fair.
— John J. Trotta IV (@JohnTrottaIV) August 8, 2025
Iowans see right through radical Ruben and know he’s nothing but a fraud! pic.twitter.com/UIBV21hT5Y
Here is a transcript for the August 9 show:
CBS Saturday Morning
8/9/2025
9:01 AM ET
ED O’KEEFE: In the meat industry, and in politics, this is how the sausage gets made. Politician stops by a factory for a meet and greet before sunshine and hams it up with the rank and file.
BUTCHER: This will eventually get split.
O’KEEFE: But Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego once worked at a meat processing plant like this. And he can speak the language many of the workers prefer.
RUBEN GALLEGO: [Speaks Spanish]
O’KEEFE: Gallego’s only eight months into his first Senate term.
O’KEEFE: Why are we here?
GALLEGO: You know, last time, 2024, Democrats did not do very well with working class people, people that are actually in these types of facilities. And one of the things I want to be helpful with Democrats is to learn how to talk to people that are literally clocking in at 6:00 A.M. in the morning.
O’KEEFE: That kind of answer signals he's thinking about a bigger job.
But let's not dance around it. You're thinking about running for president, right?
GALLEGO: We’re thinking about how we’re going to be able to win as many places as possible to help me get some friends in the Senate and Congress to restore some sanity.
O’KEEFE: And then maybe one day?
GALLEGO: Keep on fishing. I ain’t biting on that one.
O’KEEFE: Long before campaign rallies and TV ads, these kinds of early, more intimate visits is what people who run for president have to do if they want to win these kinds of early states.
GALLEGO: My family and I are so appreciative of everything this country’s been able to do for us.
O’KEEFE: Forty-five year old Gallego has a Colombian mother and Mexican father. He grew up in Chicago, served with the Marines in the Iraq War and came home angry.
GALLEGO: I was angry at the government for not giving us the equipment that we needed, the leadership that we needed. And then got back and then got back and the VA wasn't taking care of us, and it was all these things that really, you know, activated me more to think about the local side of politics.
O’KEEFE: There are still more than 1,100 days until Election Day 2028. But with polls showing Democrats more unpopular than ever and without control of the White House or Congress, there's a void to fill. Former Vice President Kamala Harris hasn't ruled out another bid.
STEPHEN COLBERT: There’s generally a leader of the Democratic Party. You know like, “Oh, that's the leader of the Democratic Party.” Who comes to mind?
KAMALA HARRIS: I think there are a lot. I'm not going to go through names because then I’m going to leave somebody out.
O’KEEFE: But other potential contenders aren't as well known.
PETE BUTTIGIEG: People want to live a life of their choosing.
O’KEEFE: So, through talk show appearances, podcast interviews, and visits to the state fair, they’re trying to break through.