ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE WHITE HOUSE – THE DRUDGE REPORT
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.
The Director of Communications at the White House Office of Health Reform is Linda Douglass, who worked as a reporter for ABC News from 1998-2006.
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
MORE
ABCNEWS Senior Vice President Kerry Smith on Tuesday responded to the RNC complaint, saying it contained ‘false premises’:
“ABCNEWS 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. ABCNEWS is looking for the most thoughtful and diverse voices on this issue.
“ABCNEWS 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.”
Developing…
Comments are closed.
Is this news? ABC has a right to do whatever they please just as MSNBC, FOX and so on.
The concerns of the RNC are valid but I hope it does not become another “Party of NO” hoopla.
I am aghast at the increasing evidence that we are going to become a full one party state because the GOP is everywhere and nowhere.
If ABC will not listen, then go to FOX. Why does there have to be so much whinning??
I was a Republican but on days like this, I am sure glad I am now an Independent voter. I voted Obama because he was obviously a better choice than McCain. I voted Bush because he was a better choice than Gore. Many Americans vote their conscience.
But these days the GOP reminds me of a fat woman who sits in a trailer pointing fingers at all those who are responsible for her grotesque bulk and looks while eating massive pieces of lard covered cheese cake!
My counsel? Find another network and air your opposition RNC. Thats all. Whining done.
Next issue please!
Ciao
Gosh, Charles Gibson conducting a pep rally for socialized medicine. What a shock. One has to laugh at ABC’s Senior Vice President Kerry Smith’s statement about his network presenting all sides of important issues even in the face of, oh dear, criticism from the extremes of both sides. ABC hasn’t seen the flip side of the Liberal Nickel in 20 years. Okay, we’ll give lonely Jake Tapper a pass. Come on, Linda Douglas as director of propa…. er, communications at the White House Office of Health Reform? Please. The “O” boyz just keep rolling the running dogs of the MSM.
Wow! This is big news! I mean, this never happens! Because it’s not like every network has a reporter in the White House reporting the news!… Oh, wait. They do… Don’t they call them the White House Press Corps?… I could swear I’ve seen some of them reporting from the front lawn, or the West Wing press room…
But didn’t that famous liberal Bill O’Reilly once get exclusive access to the President? See? That shows it right there! And former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan once admitted that Fox used to use his talking points as their script. So I guess that proves it, right?
Is it just me, or are you trying to make something out of a whole lot of nothing? But then again, I guess that if you’ll believe Drudge, you’ll pretty much fall for anything, won’t you?
Now why wouldn’t Fox News be covering this as well? This is making an old bag like me revert to nail biting. Thanks, MB, for faithfully staying on top of it all, no mean achievement.
Jeez, Nameless Cynic, for an anonymous nihilist you sure get worked up. So many exclamation points and question marks. I’m curious why you would join this discussion with such ardor. Seems to me cynics, particularly nameless ones, would be too consumed with themselves and their personal ennui to give a fig.
BTW, who said anything about Drudge?
Mrneige,
“Nihilist”? Moi? The two are relatively separate philosophies. And I have little or no ennui, I’m afraid – it’s a personal imperfection that I can’t seem to overcome.
BTW, who said anything about Drudge?
Where do you think that Lady Libstole this from, pretty much unattributed?
Cher Nameless Cynic,
““Nihilist”? Moi”"… Peut-etre vous etes correct. Nihilism c’est une philosophie, cynicism c’est une attitude. Et votre attitude, sans ennui, c’est une pose.
You’re defense of Drudge as a victim of theft is touching (check your copyright law vis a vis internet postings before you accuse).
You lack the fundamentals of cynicism, dude. A true cynic wouldn’t bother responding, especially in pretentious little French phrases.
Meanwhile you shouldn’t go stealing Miss Piggy’s material…
Check my blog post, credit is always given…
On ‘ABC’ breaking news I credit the story to The Drudge Report in my email blast.
Thank you for pointing out that I’d missed to do on my blog post, that is now corrected.
MB Snow
Now, now, Nieigey, cynicism does not require ennui, just a healthy disrespect for the brainless attitudes so prevalent in our society. I mean, everyone is entitled to their opinion; that doesn’t mean we don’t get to make fun of them.
And defend Drudge? Again, moi? I wouldn’t urinate on that tool if he was on fire. The man’s been caught lying so many times, I’m suprised aybody still takes him seriously.
(Ils sont toutes les poses, mon ami; la question est, que la pose vous choisissent?)
Mon cher Cynique sans Nom,
…”defend Drudge? Again, moi? I wouldn’t urinate on that tool if he was on fire.” This is healthy disrespect? Sounds more like rage to me. Whoa now, cowboy…. cynics don’t rage, they smirk. There’s no irony in that statement, only vitriol and, sorry to say, a somewhat “brainless attitude”. You can do better! Urbane detachment, my good man, urbane detachment.
Gotta say, I’m gaining a fondness for your spirit which, I gather, is based more in passion than cynicism. Bravo!
As to my choice of pose:
Certainement mon choix c’est ne pas cynisme, c’est trop facile. Je choisis le joie de vivre et enclenchement in l’affaires de l’humanité.
Meanwhile I still think Charles Gibson and his ilk are a bunch of Stalinists. And I think the biggest liar of all is obama.
Ha!
Avec le respect mon ami,
votre….
Neigey