At least our news coverage is fair and balanced... ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE WHITE HOUSE Tue Jun 16 2009 08:45:10 ET On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care -- a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm! Highlights on the agenda: ABCNEWS anchor Charlie Gibson will deliver WORLD NEWS from the Blue Room of the White House. The network plans a primetime special -- 'Prescription for America' -- originating from the East Room, exclude opposing voices on the debate. MORE Late Monday night, Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Ken McKay fired off a complaint to the head of ABCNEWS: Dear Mr. Westin: As the national debate on health care reform intensifies, I am deeply concerned and disappointed with ABC's astonishing decision to exclude opposing voices on this critical issue on June 24, 2009. Next Wednesday, ABC News will air a primetime health care reform “town hall” at the White House with President Barack Obama. In addition, according to an ABC News report, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WORLD NEWS, NIGHTLINE and ABC’s web news “will all feature special programming on the president’s health care agenda.” This does not include the promotion, over the next 9 days, the president’s health care agenda will receive on ABC News programming. Today, the Republican National Committee requested an opportunity to add our Party's views to those of the President's to ensure that all sides of the health care reform debate are presented. Our request was rejected. I believe that the President should have the ability to speak directly to the America people. However, I find it outrageous that ABC would prohibit our Party's opposing thoughts and ideas from this national debate, which affects millions of ABC viewers. In the absence of opposition, I am concerned this event will become a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda. If that is the case, this primetime infomercial should be paid for out of the DNC coffers. President Obama does not hold a monopoly on health care reform ideas or on free airtime. The President has stated time and time again that he wants a bipartisan debate. Therefore, the Republican Party should be included in this primetime event, or the DNC should pay for your airtime. Respectfully, Ken McKay Republican National Committee Chief of Staff The Link
So I wonder how you get on the list to attend this political event, er, town hall, being staged at the White House.
I hear that next year they're going to have this big pre-BCS selection roundtable show. It'll be hosted on the Oklahoma University campus, with Bob Stoops delivering the keynote address. We'll go out and pick people with diverse views on the subject and let them come in, and we'll pick them at random to ask questions. Oh, and we'll probably let Billy Simms moderate.
Pretty whiny thread, but props to PH for making it funny. I see no reason to assume that ABC will not ask some tough questions or bring in a balanced audience. As the GOP says in his letter, the President has the right and responsibility to address the people on important issues. If he wanted to, Obama could have made the presentation with no countering opinions. Instead of giving him credit for that, you want even more. More than your own side ever offered. Don't worry, this won't be like a FOX worship session.
if it weren't so dangerous it would be funny. this should concern everyone - across the spectrum. a network station is doing is really doing this??? my goodness.
It will be fine. Remember, Fox News is the only biased media outlet--everyone else, including ABC News, is objective and evenhanded.
from link . "President Obama will answer questions from an audience made up of Americans selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions in this historic debate" divergent/ like this? "One of Obama's first questions from the audience wasn't from a mere concerned citizen, but from a former Democratic Party candidate for Congress that wants a socialist, single payer system to be implemented raising the suspicion that the administration knew exactly who was going to ask questions and what they were going to ask. Paulette Garin is far more than just another one of the folks. Garin was a recent Democrat candidate for Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District. Not only that but Garin is a proponent of a single-payer plan, or this divergent group Some questioners at Obama town hall were plants (SEIU, donors, etc.) - 3/27/2009 ... other Beltway establishments. Garance Franke Ruta of the Washington Post says: the five fully identified questioners called on randomly by the president in the East Room were anything but a diverse lot. They included: a member of the pro-Obama Service Employees International Union, a member of the Democratic National Committee who campaigned for Obama among Hispanics during the primary; a former Democratic candidate for Virginia state delegate who endorsed Obama last fall in an op-ed in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star; and a Virginia businessman who was a donor to Obama's campaign in 2008. Don't forget the plants at the ' independent" focus groups in Detriot last year. Will ABC release the names of these participants in advance? Are they taking the word of the participants? WHY wouldn't a network from Old Media want the other party's voice to be heard?
First, thanks, I do love the levity when it can be found. Second, the complaint's not with Obama, it's with ABC. It's not Obama's job to make sure the deck isn't stacked, it's his job to get his message across. If he wants to do it by pretending to offer a fair forum... well it's dishonest, but he has the right to do it, I guess. The issue is ABC as yet another example of a relationship that is WAY too cozy with the White House. This is as bad as NBC's little "behind the scenes" where they followed Obama around for a day and asked him "wow, isn't it just neato to be president?" (Editor's note: that was hyperbole. I have a feeling someone will call me on the accuracy of that quote.)
"It's not Obama's job to make sure the deck isn't stacked," based on obama's history at similar events he has shown he feels it is exactly his job Or I guess it could be TOTUS doing the planting.
Here's some questions I think they should ask: "Are you so committed to not having a single payer solution that when/if private plans begin to go bankrupt, you will commit the U.S. government to keeping them afloat?" "You keep talking about the billions in "savings" (which are actually tax increases, but hey let's not quibble.)" OK, that wasn't a question, it was just fun to say. "What do you think the results will be of further cutting compensation to hospitals under this plan? How do you see this impacting the private health insurance industry and its patrons? How do you think that private plans will be able to compete effectively in this environment." "You have referred to our health care issues as a ticking time bomb. At what point do you expect it to "go off"? Do you think it will go off between now and the August recess? In your first year as president? In your first term?" "Why do you believe that all Americans should be required by law to have health insurance?" "Can you break down the 50 million uninsured Americans into categories - i.e. how many choose not to purchase, how many cannot afford it, how many have been turned down for coverage, how many are not actually U.S. citizens, etc." "Why did you tell the AMA about how horrible it is that they have to deal with malpractice abuse and exhorbitant insurance costs due to lawsuit abuse and outlandish settlements, wait for the applause to get yoru sound byte, then tell everyone to settle down and that you're not in favor of capping settlements? What exactly are you planning to do to address this other than "work with all sides to ensure we have a workable solution?"
PH Excellent questions, really basic questions that have not been asked yet. The first question is the money question ( pun intended) since there is no way for profit insurers can compete with gov't health care so Obama smirks everytime he says, " if you are happy with your private plan stay with it) knowing no private plan can compete with obama using our money to fund his plan.
Pisses me off. I wonder if the AMA will pay for a counter infomercial run immediately after. Too bad healthcare workers can't strike. Probably too late to form an opposition coalition with the financial industry (where there is talk of government control as well).
so is this about health care for all Americans or health insurance for all americans? One more question to ask Mr President you have said repeatedly part of this program will be preventive care. What will you do to force Americans to follow a preventive plan?
if it is anything like the debates hosted by abc during the election, it should be very hard hitting. nobody will ask the president and nobody will bother to question the 47 million uninsured american statistic which will be thrown around repeatedly by dem politicians and supporters. the fact that this number has been debunked reatedly does not stop the lie from being spoken. this program is going to be presented as "competition" with porivate insurance. in reality, it is a trojan horse being implemented to replace private care. i wonder if ted kennedy will be using state sponsored insurance for his cancer treatment.
What will you do to force Americans to follow a preventive plan? __________________________________________________ tax sodas, chips, snack foods, twinkies and ding dongs.
I honestly didn't pay much mind to the quotes you mention, as nothing was linked and I wasn't sure which events he was talking about. I'd be curious to hear more, and certainly I've seen things to suggest to me that people aren't being selected at random from some of these audiences. And you're correct, I think the press did get too cozy in the Iraq situation as well - and in fairness to them, the best way to actually get access and information in wartime is to not rock the boat. My real fear is that when/if the GOP does get equal time, they'll screw it up like they have every other time this year by trotting someone out to read talking points off the teleprompter that are all a bunch of generalities that ultimately don't say anything. I think the problem is that they think America is too stupid to actually get some of the finer points that Obama really needs to be called on right now, so they lapse back into the tired old "we don't want socialized medicine", "just like Europe", "big government" cliches with nothing to back them up.
What will you do to force Americans to follow a preventive plan? __________________________________________________ im guessing he can just print another 9 billion and get every american a membership at 24 hour fitness.
Pfft... yeah, fat lot of good MY membership does me. I have had that card in my wallet for years, and I still haven't lost any weight. That place is a sham...
i imagine this law to weed out private insurance will be passed.... plaintiff's will be able to maintain medical malpractice claims against those doctors outside government plan wheras doctors on government plan will maintain immunity from negligence actions. this should improve healthcare over time imo.
