CNN’s Castellanos Problem: On-Air Contributor Revealed To Be Paid By GOP, Insurance Industry

[G_j]

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/15/castellanos-ahip-gop/


CNN’s Castellanos Problem: On-Air Contributor Revealed To Be Paid By GOP, Insurance Industry

The Washington Post’s Greg Sargent has confirmed that CNN contributor Alex Castellanos’ political consulting firm, National Media, is the ad buyer for the insurance industry group America’s Health Insurance Plan’s (AHIP) new ad blitz attacking Democratic health reform plans.

Not only does he fashion himself as the “father of the modern attack ad,” but Castellanos is also the father of the Republican approach to health reform. In July, Castellanos wrote a memo for the GOP leadership on how to kill health reform. The memo emphasized the use of buzzwords to characterize Democratic plans — like “risky” and “experiment” — but most importantly defined the ultimate goal: “If we slow this sausage-making process down, we can defeat it.” Additionally, according to the FEC website, the Republican Party has been paying Castellanos’ firm for media work. Starting on July 23rd, Castellanos received four payments totaling $434,336 from the Republican National Committee.

Since Castellanos is being paid by both the private health insurance industry and the Republican Party, why has the network given him a platform to attack President Obama’s plans to overhaul the healthcare system? Here’s a look at some recent comments made by Castellanos about health reform while appearing on CNN:

CASTELLANOS: The Republicans actually have a very different approach than the Democrats do, but it’s very concrete. Instead of a big gamble, this one <... > I believe the insurance industry supports that. Obama and Republican — President Obama put that on the table. If he put tort reform, if he put portability, if he put shopping across state lines, he could put together a package right now and Republicans would stand with him 100 percent.

CASTELLANOS: Democrats are not signing on to this huge, expensive trillion-dollar experiment. <...> That, one, this is a huge experiment with health care. You know, President Obama has spent really, his family, more time picking the family dog than they have crafting this health care plan that’s going to transform 20 percent of the — of our economy and your health care forever.

CASTELLANOS: The more people learn about health care plan, the less they seem to like it.

A network spokeswoman has confirmed that CNN will soon clarify the conflict of interest Castellanos has in regards to AHIP. However, CNN should note that he has been paid by the RNC, and if he is to continue opining on the health debate, disclosure should be made during every segment in which he appears. Indeed, the policy of full disclosure should extend to other CNN pundits, including Frank Donatelli, a GOP lobbyist who represents Blue Cross Blue Shield.

[barbtries]

1. how can they even let him on the air?

oh, never mind..."liberal" media strikes again. gawd they suck.

[RT Atlanta]

2. Grayson stood up to him

on air and it was quite the performance the other week. This information really ads a whole other level of perspective to the "discussion." I would love for CNN to have Grayson back on their "situation room" with Mr. Castellanos again in tow.

on edit:

adding link to the particular Situation Room episode I was referring to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H3gND4M9HA

[HowHasItComeToThis]

5. WE MUST STAMP OUT THE REPUB PROPAGANDISTS

THAT IS AL THEY ARE

[Kermitt Gribble]

3. That's why they're called the 'Corporate Media'. n/t

[CitizenLeft]

4. I really loathe him.

Snide bastard.

[FrenchieCat]

6. If they dig a little bit, they will find that most of these talking heads

are getting paid to spew their disdain and disapproval about every single fucking thing this President has done, is doing, and will do.

When I turn on the TV any morning on any of the the "news" station, it feels like they are having their turn on shitting on this President.

I have never seen anything like it.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

7. ABSOLUTELY CORRECT

[Blue_Tires]

12. +1

[G_j]

13. yep

[Cass]

8. Back during the primaries they wouldn't allow Carville and Begala to do political

analysis until the primary concluded because they were affiliated with Hillary Clinton's campaign. So this isn't exactly new territory for them.

On January 24, Talking Points Memo blogger and media critic Greg Sargent wrote, "I've just learned that CNN has told top Dem strategists James Carville, Paul Begala, and Robert Zimmerman -- who are CNN mainstays but are all Hillary supporters -- that they will not be doing any more political analysis on the network until the Democratic primary has reached a conclusion." Since then, Carville has appeared opposite Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist and supporter of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), and both have been identified as supporting their respective candidates. Indeed, in the same edition of The Situation Room, Blitzer noted Carville's and Simmons' support: "Two top Democratic strategists joining us James Carville, who supports Hillary Clinton, and Jamal Simmons, who supports Barack Obama."

Turns out they also failed to disclose Bill Bennett donated $2000 to McCain...

On the February 7 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, radio talk show host and CNN contributor Bill Bennett defended Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) against criticism he has received from radio host Laura Ingraham and other conservatives, noting that McCain "argued for the surge" of additional U.S. troops in Iraq and received a rating of 82 from the American Conservative Union. However, at no point during the discussion did Bennett or host Wolf Blitzer disclose that Bennett has given more than $2,000 to McCain's presidential campaign.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200802080016


Alex Castellanos is a nasty piece of work. I will never forget his comments about Hillary last year saying that it is accurate to call some women a "white bitch". He is a jerk.

[bamacrat]

9. Ive noticed that since the election..

He is the most partisan person and a total douche. People on party pay rolls shouldnt be correspondents

[Whisp]

10. holy crap, I hate the sob.

among so many other sobs.

I HOPE CNN GETS MAJOR SHIT FOR THIS. They would HAD to have known...
fucking most trusted news sure.

now to read the rest of the thread.

thanks for info.
this is huuuuuugely important, sobs. I just hope cnn gets a big embarrasment about this and possible even do a segment - doubt it!

[samsingh]

11. unbelievable

[Whisp]

14. i've got CNN on for all day, waiting to see

if any mention of this is done on any of the shows.

hahaha, doubt it.
lousy fuckers. the damage has been done and they are happy enough with that

[G_j]

16. good luck!

:rofl:

[Whisp]

20. Balloon Boy will pre-empt all. n/t and nvm. ;)

[quiet.american]

15. "The most trusted name in news" continues their race to outFAUX FAUX. nt

[MinM]

17. CNN's as bad as NPR

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6765347

What a shocker??? :sarcasm:

[depakid]

18. Anyone really surprised? CNN is simply Fox lite- and is much more insidious

[G_j]

21. no surprise at all nt

[Subdivisions]

19. So much for "The Most Trusted Name In News". Any reasonable person

hearing this would consider CNN's credibility to be zero.

[Quantess]

22. K & R

[SoCalDem]

23. Probably 99% of their "on-air consultants" are paid shills for somebody else.. n/t