The 4th branch of government is desperately trying to sell Obamacare

[Wimbly]

As we near the vote on Sunday for the highly unpopular Obamacare bill and the usual suspects distract with meaningless stories about Glenn Beck, our 4th branch of government and check on power, is turning on the American people and is acting as the bill's personal PR department. In typical fashion, also smear any of the opponents.

I'll post non-Newsbusters links when I can, but who else covers this stuff?

ABC Casts Democrats as Profiles in Courage, Republicans as Grief-Exploiting Meanies (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/rich-noyes/2010/03/20/abc-casts-democrats-profiles-courage-republicans-grief-exploiting-meanie)


On Saturday’s Good Morning America, reporter Rachel Martin cast President Obama and Democratic leaders as working hard to nail down the votes needed to pass their massive health care bill, but made no suggestion that liberals were using devious or heavy-handed tactics. But when it came to the Republicans, reporter David Kerley included an indignant Democratic congresswoman, who charged that the mean-spirited GOP was casting her as “soft on cancer” just weeks after both of her parents died of the disease. (Friday's ABC World News highlighted the same complaint (http://www.mrc.org/biasalert/2010/20100319084026.aspx), MRC's Brent Baker noticed.)Jim Lehrer Worries About 'Problem Democrats,' David Brooks 'Out of His Skin' Against Deem-and-Pass (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2010/03/20/jim-lehrer-worries-about-problem-democrats-david-brooks-out-his-skin-aga)



The Friday night discussion with Mark Shields and David Brooks on the PBS NewsHour (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june10/shieldsbrooks_03-19.html) was surprisingly heated. First, anchorman Jim Lehrer seemed to suggest the liberal lingo when the "no" votes were "problem Democrats," as opposed to the Pelosi Democrats:
Where are the -- what -- who are the problem Democrats left right now? We know about the Stupaks and the anti-abortion folks. Who else?
Shields insisted that come the fall, no one will be talking about the process the Democrats used to pass a health-care bill, but Brooks said deem-and-pass was "so repulsive, I'm out of my skin with anger about it." Here's how it unfolded:



ABC Highlights Congresswoman Upset ObamaCare Opponents Dare Pressure Her via TV Ad (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2010/03/19/abc-highlights-congresswoman-upset-obamacare-opponents-dare-pressure-he)




Complete with a photo of her late parents, ABC's Jonathan Karl concluded his Friday night story on undecided Democratic House members by conveying the complaint of Pennsylvania's Kathy Dahlkemper (http://www.dahlkemper.house.gov/), who contended a TV ad about how further government control of health care will lead to delays in cancer treatment as has occurred in Britain, is inappropriate because her parents recently died from cancer. /\ /\ Ah, the ever present criticism proof, victim Democrat.

MSNBC's David Shuster Slams Conservatives for 'Targeting' Pro-Obama Care Child: 'Is the Right Sinking to a New Low?' (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2010/03/19/msnbcs-david-shuster-slams-conservatives-targeting-pro-health-care-c)




MSNBC's David Shuster on Friday attacked conservatives for "targeting" an 11-year-old child who lost his mother and is now lobbying for government-run health care. The liberal anchor sneered, "Is the right sinking to a new low? We'll let you judge for yourself." He then interviewed the young Marcelas Owens and his grandmother, for the second time in ten days (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2010/03/10/msnbc-grilled-conservative-teen-tosses-softballs-child-promoting-oba).



All the MSM was claiming the GOP attacked this boy, when it was the Dems they were attacking for using him as a pawn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ONtDL0HWkg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GNwQBON4qE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cfSYqXxPuQ

Wolf Blitzer Presses Scott Brown: 'What's Wrong' With Passing ObamaCare? (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2010/03/19/wolf-blitzer-presses-scott-brown-whats-wrong-passing-obamacare)


On Thursday's Situation Room, CNN's Wolf Blitzer engaged newly-elected Republican Scott Brown on his opposition to ObamaCare, and asked him the same question from the left twice in succession: "What's wrong with giving 30 million-plus more Americans access to health insurance?" He also later added, "What's wrong with spending money...if it's going to give access to 30 million Americans?" [audio clips available here (http://media.eyeblast.org/newsbusters/static/2010/03/2010-03-18-CNN-TSR-Blitzer.mp3); video clips available here (http://media.eyeblast.org/newsbusters/static/2010/03/2010-03-18-CNN-TSR-Blitzer.wmv)]




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa62MV-5L7s

MSNBC's Scarborough Dismisses Importance of ObamaCare Vote (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/alex-fitzsimmons/2010/03/19/msnbcs-scarborough-dismisses-importance-obamacare-vote)



As conservatives rally opposition to ObamaCare in the waning hours of the health care debate, MSNBC "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough didn't seem to think the upcoming health care vote is such a big deal. On his show this morning, Scarborough concluded that the outcome of the health care overhaul vote will not have a significant impact on the American health care system.



“People just need to take a deep breath,” insisted Scarborough. “We’re going to be fine. Whichever way it goes, we’re going to be fine.”

Where were these voices of reason 8 years ago?

CBS Continues to Recite ObamaCare Talking Points; Dems Praise Reporting (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-drennen/2010/03/19/cbs-continues-recite-obamacare-talking-points-dems-praise-reporting)




On Friday's CBS Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez proclaimed: "After more than a year of debate, Democrats say they're on the verge of passing historic health care legislation." And touted the massive legislation as fiscally responsible: "The government says the final version of the bill will cost $940 billion over ten years, but will reduce the projected budget deficit by $138 billion."

In a report that followed, correspondent Nancy Cordes gave a fully positive description of the legislation: "The final bill would extend coverage to 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured. It would close the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage for seniors by the year 2020 and it would penalize businesses with more than 50 workers if they don't offer insurance."
I'll stop there for now, but there are at least 10 more stories like this showing how our media has abandoned its role as a check on government power.

[seraosha]

I'll stop there for now, but there are at least 10 more stories like this showing how our media has abandoned its role as a check on government power.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

I wish this was something new.

[Wimbly]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

I wish this was something new.

You're correct and Fox has been guilty of it like all of the others. Its just depressing how rampant and unopposed it is these days.

[shocker1]

Funny no one mentions that the Public Option is in the House Reconciliation Bill. No one I have seen and yes I read portions of the new bill which is the same as the old bill.

[Atlantic Friend]

Infotainment. That's what the market wants, and the market is always right.

[shocker1]

All of this in the beginning fraction of the bill. Upon scanning the outline it is the same bill as the one introduced at the beginning of this fiasco. After all the propaganda about compromise and "changes" nothing has changed but the increased cost. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-4872 In addition we now have IRS enforcement of coverage requirements at the direction of the HCA Secretary. This bill is massive to say the least.

TITLE IV--AMENDMENTS TO INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986

Subtitle A--Shared Responsibility


Part 1--Individual Responsibility

Sec. 401. Tax on individuals without acceptable health care coverage.



Part 2--Employer Responsibility

Sec. 411. Election to satisfy health coverage participation requirements.


Sec. 412. Responsibilities of nonelecting employers.



SEC. 155. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this division, or any application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of the provisions of this division and the application of the provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected.



Subtitle B--Public Health Insurance Option

SEC. 221. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION AS AN EXCHANGE-QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN.

[budgie]

Where were these voices of reason 8 years ago?



They were shamelessly cheerleading Bush's leadup to the Iraq invasion. As for 'chcking' the government in power again I don't see the media overly supporting the bill. Those journalists who have come out and said it's a good idea acknowledge the drawbacks (cost, lack of public option, etc...). There's a real mix of opinion in just the quotes provided in the OP. I don't see them particularly 'selling' Obamacare. As for Beck and his insistence that Healthcare is moving America in the direction of China, what's Fox selling there? Opinion. And opinion gets ratings.

Once again, you're complaining that the media isn't spinning the story the way you'd like it. If CNN or MSNBC don't agree with Wimbly's assessment that the healthcare bill will be a complete disaster, they're somehow not doing their job failing to 'check' the president.

[Wimbly]

If CNN or MSNBC don't agree with Wimbly's assessment that the healthcare bill will be a complete disaster, they're somehow not doing their job failing to 'check' the president.

It has nothing to do with that and everything to do with actively selling the plan, as opposed to be critical about it. Asking Republican senators, "why not vote for the bill?", is something you might hear when being sold a service plan on a computer. Its not the media's job to sell policy.


what's Fox selling there? Opinion. And opinion gets ratings.

Beck openly admits hes not news, is opinion and is not a journalist. All these people play journalist, while being the propaganda arm of the DNC. I dont know how else you "make Obama successful". Do you?

As far as Iraq, as far as anyone knew, Saddam did have WMD. The MSM had no choice but to listen with guys like Al Gore and Bill Clinton saying the same thing Bush had said. In fact, it was the same message from all throughout the Clinton administration. So, it was a case of not having clairvoyance, or 20/20 vision on the event like we do now. The media quickly turned on Bush (and ignored Democrats and in it), once the war become unpopular.