Where is the transparency? The ‘robust debate’? The bipartisanship?
As usual with this president, nowhere to be found.
On Wednesday 6/24/2009, ABC News will essentially belong to Barack Obama for a day so that he may attempt to sell his health care plan to the American people.
Here is the schedule:
- First, Wednesday morning’s “Good Morning America” will originate from the South Lawn of the White House and will include an exclusive interview with President Obama. He sits down with Diane Sawyer to discuss healthcare and other issues on the nation’s agenda.
- Next, Charles Gibson will anchor “World News” from the Blue Room of the White House.
- Then, a special edition of “Primetime” will air from the White House at 10pm ET
- Finally, “Questions for the President: Prescription for America” will continue on “Nightline” at 11:35pm ET.
Conspicuous by its absence is any sort of opposing viewpoint. ABC News refused the RNC’s request for an opportunity to present its opposing view of Obama’s health care plan during the broadcast (the exchange between the RNC and ABC News is posted below). This will allow Obama to paint, as you can bet your last dollar he will, a sunshine-and-daffodils picture of his health care plan that will go completely unchallenged in front of a prime-time audience.
When, exactly, did ABC News go from being a news organization to a propaganda organization? This health care plan is a HUGE deal that will affect each and every last one of us in very major ways if passed. A responsible news organization would recognize its duty to treat such an important issue with respect, and to present ALL sides - the pros, cons and everything in between - so that the American people could decide from an informed perspective. Instead, we get yet another supposed news organization casting aside any pretense of journalistic integrity and ethics and actively participating in the promotion of one party’s political agenda.
Here’s the thing - If Barack Obama had to debate his health care proposal on its merits, he’d be steamrolled. The numbers are simply unworkable. He knows this; there’s no way he can’t know it. But then this isn’t about health care. It’s never been about health care.
Never in the history of the United States has the media given itself so completely to one man and one administration, at least not to one so dangerous but whose facade could be so easily penetrated….one whose B.S. lies so close to the surface that it could be exposed almost effortlessly.
Please, take a few minutes and listen to this clip of a Ronald Reagan delivering a speech on nationalized/socialized medicine. It is from 1961, but is eerily timely and on-topic, and sounds as though it could have been given just this morning. If you don’t have ten minutes to listen to the whole thing, then at least listen to the first three.
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Here is the full letter of RNC Chief of Staff Ken McKay to ABC Senior Vice President Kerry Smith, followed by Mr. Smith’s response:
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
June 16, 2009
Mr. Ken McKay
Chief of Staff
Republican National Committee
310 First Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003Dear Mr. McKay:
I am in receipt of your letter of June 15, 2009 and wanted to respond to a number of false premises you raise regarding our ongoing and upcoming coverage of health care.
I hope we can all agree that a robust debate of health care issues and potential policies is in order.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 the 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.
Second, ABC News prides itself on covering all sides of important issues and asking direct questions of all newsmakers — of all political persuasions — even when others have taken a more partisan approach and even in the face of criticism from extremes on both ends of the political spectrum. ABC News is looking for the most thoughtful and diverse voices on this issue. ABC News alone will select those who will be in the audience asking questions of the president. Like any programs we broadcast, ABC News will have complete editorial control. To suggest otherwise is quite unfair to both our journalists and our audience.
Third, there already has been extensive coverage of the upcoming health care debates, on ABC and elsewhere, and there will be much, much more. Indeed, we’ve already had many critics of the President’s health care proposals on the air – and that’s before a real plan has even been put before the country.
In the end, no one watching, listening to, or reading ABC News will lack for an understanding of all sides of these important questions.Thank you for your interest.
Kerry Smith
SVP, ABC News
More from The Drudge Report
Michelle Malkin: ABC: The All Barack Channel
Fox News: ABC News Teams Up With Obama White House to Present President’s Health Care Plan
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-Cnation