ABC News To Air Obama Health Care Special

[SpartanDem]

NEW YORK — ABC News will present a prime-time interview with President Barack Obama on health care issues next week.

The special will air June 24 at 10 p.m. Eastern, on two-hour tape delay. Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer will moderate the White House discussion with a live audience, also taking questions submitted by viewers. After a break for local news, the discussion will continue on "Nightline."

That morning, Sawyer will interview Obama for "Good Morning America." Gibson will anchor that evening's edition of "World News" from the White House Blue Room.

Obama has been carefully doling out access to broadcast networks. NBC had big ratings with its inside peek at the White House. Obama has also given interviews to CBS' "Face the Nation" and "60 Minutes."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/15/abc-news-to-air-obama-hea_n_215737.html

[FrenchieCat]

1. Appears that the Bully Pulpit strategy is hitting the airwaves

starting now!


Good!

[avaistheone1]

2. Let's see if they mention or tip toe around single payer.

Here's MSM opportunity to undermine and confuse the American public about health care reform.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. McGibson.

[avaistheone1]

4. lol McGibson stunning in his lack of compassion and insight.

[Cha]

5. Pres Obama..taking

it to the peeps. All the repukes could say about "Inside The WhiteHouse" was how "staged" it was.

Got great ratings and I bet this Health Care Live will get even more.

[alsame]

6. Uh oh, here's comes another

"New Rules" segment from Bill Maher. :rofl:

This is great, it's just what the Prez needs to do - keep talking directly to the people and explain his plan. That's the only way to conquer the propaganda being put forth against health care.

[ellacott]

8. I thought about the same thing. Bill's going to be mad a him

Bill will just have to get over it. :)

[nichomachus]

11. Why? Is Obama going to announce a single-payer universal plan?

If not, it's just more corporate giveaway in a cheap disguise. I hope BIll goes after him.

[alsame]

15. Criticism on the issues is absolutely fair...but complaining about

too many TV appearances, and comparing him to "Law & Order" reruns was just silly. No one forced Maher to watch 'Inside the WH', video of date night, the European trip or anything else.

[O is 44]

17. Why do some keep saying this in regards to Obama's

position on healthcare "single payer"? Obama never advocated for single payer it was always the public option. I look forward to this broadcast.

[SpartanDem]

22. Yeah I don't get it

people are upset Obama is promoting the plan he campaigned on like it's a surprise.

[rvablue]

7. This is good. I only wish it were on a little earlier. 10 pm is a little late and might

be missed by some who might otherwise watch.

Then again, most people DVR things now anyway, and watch them later!

[avaistheone1]

9. I wonder who will be the show's sponsors. Will it Big Pharma, AHIP, Merck, AARP....etc?

How contrived will the conversation be right from the starting gate?

[FrenchieCat]

10. One thing one has to give this President,

He does confront his critics quite openly......
as long as they aren't carrying a gun and/or shouting!

[slipslidingaway]

12. Live audience - Where do "the little single payer advocates" get to sit? n/t

[bluethruandthru]

18. Outside, down the block, around the corner,

Nowhere near cameras. Unfortunately!

[slipslidingaway]

19. Exactly, forget about the commitment to listen to all ideas :( n/t

[mopinko]

13. he just can't win-"carefully doling out access"

but bill maher tears him up because he is always on the teevee. can't win. just can't win.

[Clear Blue Sky]

14. If Congressional Democrats aren't pushing for reform, at least someone is.

[otohara]

16. At Least it's Not Charlie Gibson or George Stephanopoulos

there is a God.

[KittyWampus]

20. will definately want to watch this. Thanks

[TomCADem]

21. Will They Call Out Senators On The Take From Health Insurance Industry?

I am surprised that we do not get more reports about Senators on the take from the health insurance industry:


http://www.campaignmoney.org/pressroom/2009/06/08/senators-who-signed-letter-opposing-public-health-plan-took-17-7-million-in-campaign-cash-from-health-care-

###

SENATORS WHO SIGNED LETTER OPPOSING PUBLIC HEALTH PLAN TOOK $17.7 MILLION IN CAMPAIGN DONATIONS FROM HEALTH CARE AND INSURANCE INDUSTRIES

Public Campaign Action Fund analysis finds that nine Republican Senators took nearly $2 million on average over their careers

Washington, D.C. – The nine Republican Senators who sent a letter today to President Barack Obama to express their opposition to a central part of his health care plan have benefited greatly from health care and insurance industry donations, a new analysis from Public Campaign Action Fund shows.

The Senators have collectively taken $17.7 million from insurance and health care interests, according to data analyzed at the Center for Responsive Politics website, opensecrets.org. That amounts to nearly $2 million per Senator over their careers.

“Americans want a government that is responsive to our needs, not a Congress that listens to its donors from the insurance and health care industry,” commented David Donnelly, national campaigns director of Public Campaign Action Fund. “These Senators appear to be carrying water for their donors at the expense of advancing health care reform.”

All nine Senators sit on the Senate Finance Committee, which is actively engaged in debating health care reform. The nine signers include Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), John Ensign (R-Nev.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas). Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) was the committee’s only Republican Senator not to sign. Sen. Snowe has taken $1.1 million from the same interests, less than all but two of the signers.

Public Campaign Action Fund is a national nonprofit dedicated to comprehensive public financing of elections, and to holding anti-reform politicians accountable for the favors they give to their wealthy donors.

###

[tomreedtoon]

23. Then, John Stuffel and George Stuffitupyurass...

...will expose Obama's health care for the socialist, pregnant-welfare-mother, money-wasting fraud that the Republicans claim it to be.

These two in-house right-wingers, clearly supported by the rich megacorporations that are ABC's sponsors, will destroy anything the Obama Administration hoped to do with this broadcast.