Republican National Committee mad at ABC for coverage
@thegreatdebater (7316)
United States
June 24, 2009 6:25pm CST
The RNC sent a letter to ABC claiming that they are not presenting an opposing view of president Obama's health care plan today. They even went as far to say that that democrates should have to pay for the air time. Yet, the RNC (atleast to our knowledge) has never paid for all of the air time their view get on FOX News. During the Bush years, FOX featured exclusive interviews with members of the administration. And devoted months to the run up to the war, featuring many members of the administration, with little to no opposing views offered. Do you think this is hypocracy, or do they have a point?
2 people like this
6 responses
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
25 Jun 09
Hypocracy. The RNC can moan and whine all they want, but they have FOX and a few other news channels. Let the Democrats have ABC and NBC.
Also, Obama is AMERICA'S PRESIDENT! Meaning, Americans chose him and elected him as their leader. If Obama wants to speak to the media or hold press conferences on national television, then he has every right to do so.
The Republicans are just mad because nothing is going their way right now and they need to get over it.
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
25 Jun 09
While I heavily look down on ABC for the way they are conducting themselves it is perfectly legal for them as a private organization to do however they wish. They are no more in Obama's pocket than MSNBC or CNN. They just lucked out by getting to be his pets for now. I don't see why anyone would have to pay for air time if they are only doing interviews and such. If Obama were campaigning than that would be different as it would be covered by campaign finance laws, but obviously that's not the case right now.
1 person likes this
@heathcliff (1415)
• United States
25 Jun 09
It's a little from column A and a little from column B. The level to which ABC has committed to this participation in the President's agenda is more than FOX ever dared do with Bush. There is currently no law enforcing equal time during non-election coverage, however I'll bet we see one proposed after this. Obama and ABC are really pushing this to the edge. The blame has to fall entirely with ABC, though. No legitimate political negotiator would turn down the opportunity to present their agenda so well.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
25 Jun 09
Heathcliff, I would have to disagree with you on this one. FOX News supported the Bush administration 100% for 8 years (actually before that, they were the first to call the election for Bush). From tax cuts, to the war in Iraq, to his legacy FOX News spent the entire time he was in office support him, and allowing his administrations voice to be heard above all others. Remember that one of Bush's press secretaries worked for FOX News, which was unheard of. I don't know how people can say that this is different from an interview with D!ck Cheney, or Karl Rove when they were pushing us into war. I have heard republicans attack his health care plan on all fronts, but one thing I have yet to hear is an alternative. They all say that the system is broke, but they don't want to change it. The one thing I personally can tell you right now is that Bush's plan didn't work, and my family has had to go without medical treatment because of his HSA idea. I have actually looked at health insurance on my own instead of going through my employer because it is more economical, and it is actually worth the money. Bush's idea was more of an out for employers so they could cut their health insurance cost down dramaticly. We have to do something about health care, and this is going to be the best chance we have to do so. The more attacks I hear from the right means that the lobbist are spending more and more money. I just hope that we can find something that works for everyone, but we need both sides at the table, and I don't mean democrats and the health insurance lobbist (which is the way it is now).
@xfahctor (14113)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
25 Jun 09
ABC is a private network and can give air time to whom ever for what ever it's little heart desires. the only way to force otherwise is with legislation such as the fairness doctrine....and I think you all know how I feel about that one. Anyone oposed to abc's bias in this is welcome to use the free market system to demonstrate their disaproval, stop watching it, write companies that buy adds on the network and ask them to stop giving them their money, boycot products that advertize with them, etc.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
25 Jun 09
If a member of the administration gives an exclusive interview to one journalist over another, he is simply stating a preference for one journalist over another, or a preference for the network. Media outlets like newspapers run editorials all the time supporting one opinion over another and even endorsing candidates and particular legislation. The difference is, however, they clearly state that this is editorial opinion and support and not news and not impartial. In order to be effective and useful, the press must seek truth and facts in news reporting and be honest when what they give is opinion rather than news or fact.
ABC didn't do this. They clearly support the President's proposal and so, if they intended to make this an extended editorial/endorsement, it should have been so stated. To pretend that this is an examination of the facts or that it is a news presentation is unprofessional.
The president has every right to put forth his proposals, but even when all networks give him airtime for a State of the Union address, the other party is given time for a rebuttal. That's fair reporting, and ABC neglected its duty to provide that. Legally, they can do as they please. But I think that asking questions of a sitting president and then going to a five minute commercial to let him think about it shows a definite bias towards a particular viewpoint. Our free press is important. Remember that it was two journalists that broke the Watergate story. Being in bed with politicians makes for a dangerous situation, let's hope ABC and all other press organizations keep some degree of impartiality and honesty in their reporting. We don't want to end up in a country where anyone gets a free ride to be dishonest or to unduly influence without proper scrutiny and examination.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
26 Jun 09
Rollo, if you watch the news most networks have had exclusive interviews with Obama, ABC decided to give him time to talk to a sample of Americans so they can ask questions. Every other network just had a reporter interview him, and ask him questions that the same reporter wants to. Don't you think that questions from normal Americans is better than questions from reporters that have their own bias (on both sides of the isle)?
I don't think what ABC did with this is as bad as what FOX News did during the run up to the war. This has been part of the news for one day talking about his health plan. FOX News the vast majority of their time everyday for months pushing Bush's war in Iraq agenda, and I never heard anyone from the right say this was wrong. When someone opposed the views of the FOX News "reporter" there was always two people to "set them straight".
"Being in bed with politicians makes for a dangerous situation, let's hope ABC and all other press organizations keep some degree of impartiality and honesty in their reporting"
Remember Tony Snow? He was Bush's press secretary, who worked for FOX NEWS before he became his press secretary. Isn't this a perfect example of a news network being in bed with a press organization? I think so.
1 person likes this

@fish666888 (57)
• China
25 Jun 09
I think it will take time to verify the hypocrisy!As long as it is for the people is good!On this issue i am looking forward to the follow-up reports..thanks for sharing






