Hey, I know. Let's give the Bush White House a few hours on ABC to make a complete presentation from policy advisers and military personnel to go through the run up, execution and corrections regarding the Iraq War. And explain why bringing modernity to the Middle-east actually is a part of the war against terrorism. The media always likes to get behind a war effort, anyway. Oops, sorry, too late for that. Bet they wish they had thought of it then.
Obama has had more assistance from the media than any President since the media was launched. It needs to stop, or at least scale back, not escalate.
These networks haven't been able to craft a genuinely balanced audience for Presidential debates of the town-hall variety. But we're supposed to trust them to do it on one of the most significant policy decisions of the next four years? Sorry, I don't think so, ABC. Racing for ratings by allowing government to so co-opt your airways should get your broadcasting license taken away in a genuine democracy. Rick at RWNH has the rest - scroll down.
To that end, ABC News announced plans to broadcast a primetime hour from the White House devoted to exploring and probing the President’s position and giving voice to questions and criticisms of that position. We hope that any American concerned about health care will find our efforts to be informative, fair and civil.
This feels so wrong and what amazes me is the way THEY can't see that it is wrong - I would think this would shock some of them awake... but it doesn't. Commenters are already defending it on other blogs. It is so blatent. Just IMAGINE if Bush had done this - I know NRO would have had dissenting voices. I feel very gloomy.
Posted by: Jane | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 03:19 PM
I'll hold my criticism on this broadcast until after I've actually seen it. I remember how all of the debates last year were supposedly biased and "in the tank" for Obama, but Republicans were generally happy with the outcomes and declared McCain the winner every time.
Let's just wait and see what happens.
Posted by: Never Cry Wolf | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 03:43 PM
> ...but Republicans were generally happy with the outcomes and declared McCain the winner every time.
>
Yes, and we saw how accurate THAT was...
The problem is not just that we're seeing blatant bias. The American news media has had lots of practice in paying lip service to fairness -- which means that they can produce a product that LOOKS fair.
(I remember CBS being accused of anti-Israel bias, back in the early 1980s. They said that they had pro-Israel and anti-Israel talking heads in roughly equal numbers, so they weren't biased; the response was that having pro-Israel commentators, such as Jeanne Kirkpatrick, shouldn't be counted as such if they only talk about China. This has been going on for a long time.)
ABC doesn't seem to see how badly this could hit them in their wallets. It is my hope that they find out, the hard way, just how much Americans hate an owned media. This could have millions of Americans refusing to watch ABC for years.
respectfully,
Daniel in Brookline
Posted by: Daniel in Brookline | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 03:59 PM
this actually turns out well.
abc in crossing a journalistic line, has opened the door to fox to serve as a forum for those who oppose govt run healthcare, without any call for equivalent time or questioning of their integrity.
what's obama going to say, that the clinton's didn't 16 years ago?
the past six months of bailouts/nationalization for auto companies, unions, banks, and investment firms is providing a position of strength for him to advance further borrowing to fund a program that we will pay for soley with debt?
the media in their worship are losing touch. the more they wrap themselves around the messiah, the more their grip on moderates will weaken. i welcome the infomercial, the staged townhall, the staged questions, the staged crediblity.
Posted by: mark l. | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 04:13 PM
They could have Obama versus a Republican opposition speaker. They could have two 3 person panels. They aren't doing that. I don't care what they do or ask - Obama will roll out the Grecian columns again and script a show. He never addresses hard questions from the media. And that isn't going to change for this.
Posted by: Dan Riehl | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 04:15 PM
The "fourth Estate" went from a shield to a pimp for President 44. Rest in Peace "fourth estate".
Posted by: mike191 | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 04:53 PM
Can't wait to hear the questions from "moderates" and "independents" in the audience.
"Why can't we have a Canadian style single payer today, and who is the most evil group that is thwarting your sterling intentions, Obama-san?"
"Exactly how greedy are the people who want to stop a fair single payer/single tier system?"
"What if Republicans just did what was right and all resigned? Wouldn't that take a great weight off your shoulders. I mean, isn't opposition so outdated and inconvenient? What is wrong with them?"
Posted by: moptop | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 05:12 PM
I didn't think anything could make me any sicker than the roiling Americorps/IG firing...and then there's this...God Help The USA. Totally outrageous ! It's EVERY day, another fright from this President and his cronies, the media establishment...
Posted by: Lois G | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 05:13 PM
"I think that it is a brilliant stroke to beggar the health plans, and restrict doctors incomes, without touching the trial lawyers. It is like GM, the big Democrat donors come out smelling like a rose, not taking so much as a 10 cent an hour pay cut. Well, for "Health Care Reform" the trial lawyers come out of it without giving anything. Meanwhile, thousands of businesses across the country will be bankrupted. Isn't fascism wonderful, err excuse me, progressive corporatism?
Posted by: moptop | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 05:16 PM
Watching the broadcast speech at the AMA yesterday, I found myself yelling at the screen as Obama mis-stated, misrepresented and flat out lied about his intentions and plans for the American healthcare system.
I wonder if ABC will play the video clips available on the internet of Obama and other nationalized healthcare advocates saying that they must first use subterfuge to get the government directly involved in the healthcare sector and then the single payer system will be revealed to the trusting rubes and yokles at a later date. Said amidst laughter and applause from the fawning elites.
Yeah, we trust you Mr. President. You have proven to be a man of your word.
Posted by: in_awe | Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 06:17 PM
AMERICA’S NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY!
It’s official. America and the World are now in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A World EPIDEMIC with potential catastrophic consequences for ALL of the American people. The first PANDEMIC in 41 years. And WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES will have to face this PANDEMIC with the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed World.
STAND READY AMERICA TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
We spend over twice as much of our GDP on healthcare as any other country in the World. And Individual American spend about ten times as much out of pocket on healthcare as any other people in the World. All because of GREED! And the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare system in America.
And while all this is going on, some members of congress seem mostly concern about how to protect the corporate PROFITS! of our GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT NATIONAL DISGRACE. A PRIVATE FOR PROFIT DISGRACE that is in fact, totally valueless to the public health. And a detriment to national security, public safety, and the public health.
Progressive democrats and others should stand firm in their demand for a robust public option for all Americans, with all of the minimum requirements progressive democrats demanded. If congress can not pass a robust public option with at least 51 votes and all robust minimum requirements, congress should immediately move to scrap healthcare reform and demand that President Obama declare a state of NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY! Seizing and replacing all PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance plans with the immediate implementation of National Healthcare for all Americans under the provisions of HR676 (A Single-payer National Healthcare Plan For All).
Coverage can begin immediately through our current medicare system. With immediate expansion through recruitment of displaced workers from the canceled private sector insurance industry. Funding can also begin immediately by substitution of payroll deductions for private insurance plans with payroll deductions for the national healthcare plan. This is what the vast majority of the American people want. And this is what all objective experts unanimously agree would be the best, and most cost effective for the American people and our economy.
In Mexico on average people who received medical care for A-H1N1 (Swine Flu) with in 3 days survived. People who did not receive medical care until 7 days or more died. This has been the same results in the US. But 50 million Americans don’t even have any healthcare coverage. And at least 200 million of you with insurance could not get in to see your private insurance plans doctors in 2 or 3 days, even if your life depended on it. WHICH IT DOES!
Contact congress and your representatives NOW! AND SPREAD THE WORD!
God Bless You
Jacksmith – WORKING CLASS
Posted by: jacksmith | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 11:08 AM
"I think that it is a brilliant stroke to beggar the health plans, and restrict doctors incomes, without touching the trial lawyers."
Yeah. The bit about not wanting to limit damages, but wanting to limit defensive medicine... Hooboy. "I'm not going to protect you from the vultures, and I'm not going to let you protect yourself."
Posted by: Rob Crawford | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 12:28 PM
"jacksmith" -- Your rantings remind me of something a wise man once said:
"Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."
Posted by: Rob Crawford | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 12:32 PM
It's time to turn off ABC. Don't watch that channel - for anything - and let them know we're not watching. Let their advertisers (if there are any left) that we're not watching, and that they (the advertisers) can reach more of us on other networks (like Fox, for instance).
Posted by: ZZMike | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 02:29 PM
Jack Schmidt, I'd rather take my chances with the proven and workable and COMPETITIVE health care system we have now, than with a monolithic, uncompetitive, sluggish, and bureaucratic government-owned health system.
It would be only a matter of time before the forced euthansia and forced abortions would become the "expedient" means of keeping the numbers looking good.
Posted by: Seekeronos | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 02:34 PM