Posted on 06/16/2009 9:32:00 AM PDT by Reagan Man
On the night of June 24, ABC News will turn their broadcast over to the White House so that Obama can sell his national health insurance program.
Here's the Drudge piece on this radical, dangerous, and outrageous threat to freedom of the press:
"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."
The GOP requested time to present their health care plan -- rebuffed by ABC. The Republicans are also saying that this is little more than a White House infomercial and they should have to pay for the privilege of all this free air time.
It is true that the networks routinely hand over time to the party in power so that the president can address the nation. But this is much different. In essence, I agree with Drudge; this makes ABC a part of the executive branch - a cog in the Obama PR machine. It makes a cruel joke of the idea of an independent press.
Exit question; will any journalists resign as a result of this insult to the idea of freedom of the press?
Hat Tip: Rich Baehr
Thomas Lifson adds:
This isn't even NBC, whose corporate parent is dependent on Obama for billions in windmill and "smart grid" underwriting, not to mention bailout for its financial interests. We seem to have the broadcast nets one-upping each other to support Obama.
“This isn’t even NBC, whose corporate parent is dependent on Obama for billions in windmill and “smart grid” underwriting, not to mention bailout for its financial interests.”
And their owner, GE, will be the largest recipient of monies if the illegitimate president gets his health care reform package thru.
Politics and journalism. Refuge for those who are incapable of producing anything of value.
ABC?
I wrote the following to my local ABC affiliate.
Gentlemen,
It has come to my attention that ABC, of which you are an affiliate, intends to turn their programming over to the Obama administration in furtherance of the President’s health care policies on June 24th. I would find this acceptable only if those in opposition to the President’s Big Government Plan where given the opportunity to showcase their ideas as well. Unfortunately we both know how Mr. Gibson and the rest of ABC have decided to play this. On June 24th your station will be used by your big brother as an extension of the White House. No opposing views will be allowed*. So in short, you will turn your facilities over to a particular ideology so they can help indoctrinate your audience into believing the President’s prescription for health care is the way to go.
Shame on WSB on two counts. First, by allowing this travesty to be broadcast, you show your tacit approval for this un-American display of bias. And secondly, you show those in your audience who do not share your love of all things Obama, your utter contempt for their views. When the media takes sides in what is decidedly a political fight for power, you have abrogated your responsibility as journalists.
ABC has its own agenda. Objectivity isn’t part of it.
Fight back. Boycott ABC.
I’ve said it before on FR. All of you people that think the 2010 “elections” matter are deluded. They learned their lessons with Clinton. They are not going to step down this time around.
And, as impossible as this may sound, the media is doing a much more thorough job on behalf of BO than they did for BC. They have learned to avoid making even a token criticism of BO to feign fairness of coverage. Why bother?
BO, ACORN et al have almost a year and a half to complete their sabotage of the election process. Republicans can not win if they turn out 100% of their people. And based on what the GOP appears to have learned (not a thimble full), it probably wouldn’t matter if they did make serious headway in the elections. But that is theoretical anyway. They won’t.
I have: Just finished banishing CBS from my home.
Interestingly, I tried to send an email “nastygram” to CBS and found their server is bouncing all emails with an error message. The message says, “please choose department” but continues to do so regardless of what department is chosen.
Appreciate it if other Freepers would try, just to make sure. I tried different browsers with same result.
FWIW: My (attempted) message to CBS:
The tacit endorsement of despicable attacks on conservatives, exemplified by the most recent Letterman “conservative women are sluts and rape is funny when they are targets, or even their children,” [joke?] is just a symptom of your corporate abdication of journalistic responsibility.
You probably don’t care, but it makes me feel better to inform you that last month I converted to a new High-Definition Satellite system and last Friday my new top of the line Mitsubishi HDTV was delivered and this morning I programmed CBS out of all the menu structures on my system.
Aside from one soap my wife sometimes watches, and an occasional viewing of the “chewing gum for the mind” program, “Wheel of Fortune,” news was the only programming you have worth the time and electricity to watch anyway. Now CBS has no News, only slanted spin on the news.
With the official abandonment of any pretense at actual news, in favor of blatant propaganda, CBS is now a threat to the mental health and well being of Americans.
I have been a CBS viewer since my father bought our first RCA TV in the 1950’s.
Actually, I am sad to see you go.
Yesterday Gallup released a poll that says conservatism is still the #1 political ideology in America today. Also, the GOP has picked up ground against Democrats in the generic Congressional numbers. The GOP is taking every opportunity to speak out against Obama and oppose his socialist agenda.
The leftwing is running the show today. Nothing can be done right now tom change that. Tomorrow could be very different, however. Conservatives need to be optimistic and positive and keep kicking their Republican CongressCritters in the butt. We've been here before.
Obama was the media candidate. The media party won. We have a media party government.
CBS wouldn’t even carry George Bush’s farewell speech.
The ABC-DNC Network.
“Politics and journalism. Refuge for those who are incapable of producing anything of value.”
I like that. Mind if I use it?
We should all stop watching ABC!! Thats including the internet! Boycott them!!!
Of course, Rush predicted this back in March of this year. The audio is in his archives.
MEDIACRATS!!!
“will any journalists resign as a result of this insult to the idea of freedom of the press?”
LOL Are they kidding?
Many folks have been predicting this for years.
Orwell predicted this in 1948, that trumps Rush and everyone else.
'On the night of June 24, ABC News will turn their broadcast over to the White House so that Obama can sell his national health insurance program.'
Somewhere Joseph Goebbels is smiling.
You WILL Like Obama's Plan!
Because WE know were you live.
Our Glorious Leader fully supports a free and independent press.
Now shut up and stop criticizing Him or it is off to a re-education camp for you.
I'm certainly not suggesting that. Quite the opposite. I attended the Louisville rally on 4/15, a Freedom Rally in Lexington on Saturday signing a petition demanding the KY legislature pass our 10th amendment resolution. I am taking the day off tomorrow to protest in Frankfort in front of the capitol building against our puke lib governor calling a special session to raise taxes. I have airline and hotel reservations to be in DC for 9/12. My wife lost her job and my business is down better than 25%, so doing these things is not minor for me.
The GOP is taking every opportunity to speak out against Obama and oppose his socialist agenda.
They better try a lot harder. I'm not impressed. If the left gets socialized medicine though before 9/12, we are cooked. The GOP had better find a way to stop that if they have to seize the capitol building. We are not coming back from nationalization of our health care sector.
And as regards seizing the capitol building, I am quite serious. Illegal and unconstitutional acts are being committed on a daily basis and if it takes that to halt them, it is justified. There is no rule of law now in DC, so we can't very well make it worse by resisting tyranny with massive civil disobedience. On the contrary, it looks to be our only hope.
Your post at #8 made it abundantly clear that you believe 2010 is a lost cause for the GOP. Also, that those who are holding out hope for some GOP gains are "deluded". Your words, not mine. Hence my response.
Btw, "Free Republic does not advocate or condone racism, violence, rebellion, secession, or an overthrow of the government. Free Republic advocates a return to constitutionally limited government ...
"Free Republic does not advocate or condone racism, violence, rebellion, secession, or an overthrow of the government.
Are you suggesting that calls for disobedience of illegal and unconstitutional acts by this administration fit any of these?
On the contrary. We have a Constitutional duty to resist these totalitarian maneuvers by the Democrats. Civil disobedience is not violence, rebellion or secession. It is a refusal to submit to these illegal "laws".
Suppose that when we gather on 9/12 to petition a redress of our grievances, that the authorities demand we disband and go home. Further suppose that we did not do that. Is that violence? Rebellion? The Constitution is quite clear that we have the right to do that.
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