Answer to Question "Why Are We Getting So Many Different Conflicting Stories on the Public Option?"

[PopSixSquish]

I give you the following:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/ahip-lobbyist-to-gop-dont_n_329828.html

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_42/news/39605-1.html

Oh no, you say Politico and others in the news media would never lie or confuse us by making up quotes or taking quotes out of context from "White House advisors" or "Senate Staffers" and whatnot. Are you sure about that? Really?

The same news media who told us that GWB "won" Florida? The same news media who bought everything the Bush administration said in the run-up to the Iraq war? The same news media that took the "Swiftboater" seriously in 2004? The same news media that refused to investigate the claims of vote-tampering in Ohio in 2004? The same news media that wouldn't investigate charges of torture at Gitmo and other places until they were shamed into it? The same news media that pratically foams at the mouth everytime President Obama's poll numbers move half a percentage point? The same news media that is sticking up for their buddies at Fox News?

The news media that was indeed burying stories, or ignoring important information or outright lying about each of the above is apparently now telling the truth on healthcare reform and support for the public option?

Who knew...

[HopeOverFear]

1. There ya go

[Enrique]

2. I think it's the officials, not the reporters

I think some of them are putting these quotes out there for some strategic purpose.

Also, people are probably changing their minds or haven't made up their minds. So one day they could be for the public option then a week later they wan't a trigger.

[PopSixSquish]

3. Perhaps Some of Both

There are those in our party who don't want a public option and might be willing to do just about anything to stop it...

[sandnsea]

4. Like there were some for the Iraq War

And were willing to use these same media outlets to spead disinformation and confusion.

[Cha]

5. Without the corporatewhoremedia

there would have been no bush or War On Iraq.

[eridani]

6. And why don't we hear more about what is actually IN it?

As opposed to thumbs up or thumbs down on something that is a complete black box.

[vaberella]

7. Because it's currenty being written and has not been written or fully written. n/t

[eridani]

8. There are several versions put out as of now. Why are they not being analyzed? n/t

[vaberella]

9. You're telling me that Reid has several versions of the plan out there?

No he doesn't. He didn't even write yet...meaning it's not been merged. Now if you're talking about the 5 bills in House and 1 bill from Senate...they have been discussed here. Or let me be more particular. There has been discussion, ad nauseum on the House HELP bill and the BAucus billon in GDP. You can do a search on them.

[eridani]

16. Sure they are analyze by us. NOT by the media though

Most low information voters think that they would be allowed to use a public option, which they won't.

[bunnysoft]

10. Because the media wants controversy

The media gets more traffic when it quotes some anonymous source saying this or that about the fate of the PO.

[Festivito]

11. Best way to turn people off.

If only they had found a way of doing this around privatizing SS, we'd all have lost our SS funds blaming ourselves for our own losses.

[hileeopnyn8d]

12. Yep

That about sums it up.

One habit I've got into is to check the press briefings for the question asked and the answer. I've seen some pretty fabulous spin come out of absolutely nothing. I do think some of that blame lies with Robert Gibbs style as a press secretary. I like the guy a lot, but I think his casual, somewhat snarky, and almost always conversational style as press secretary leaves too many holes to fill with spin.

I prefer the deputy press secretary Bill Burton. Still, it doesn't stop the media from completely fabricating stories, it doesn't stop the GOP from planting anonymous sources, no matter how clear the answer was.

This is from a Press Briefing aboard Air Force One yesterday morning:

Q Can you talk about the opt-in versus opt-out public option? It seems like there's apparently a vote being taken as you and I speak this moment in a caucus in the House on all of this. Do you -- does the President believe that some sort of public option will be in both bills when they pass the floors? And does he favor some particular approach to the public option that he thinks is the most likely to pass?

MR. BURTON: This may surprise you, but the President didn't send his number two spokesperson to the back of the plane to roll out a new position on the public option today. (Laughter.) The President thinks that the public option is the best way to achieve choice and competition and bring down health care costs for the American people. And he will continue to ensure that it is achieved in the final health care reform legislation.

And because they apparently couldn't accept that answer, they asked again:

Q What's going on with the vote counts? Valerie took a shot at Mike Allen this morning on MS saying that he probably -- she doesn't know if he can count votes. The White House obviously can count votes. Are there the votes there in the House for the public option?

MR. BURTON: Far be it from me to question Valerie's assessment of Mike Allen's vote counting. However, I will say that the President continues to think that the public option is the best way to achieve choice and competition, and that's what he's working towards.

And of course they got the same answer. An answer that even DU'ers seem to REFUSE to acknowledge has been given.

The President wants public option in the final bill. PERIOD.

[Odin2005]

13. Yep, it's sad that people are bying MSM spin hook, line, and sinker.

[FrenchieCat]

14. Yep....Same media that overcounted the teabaggers in DC March

and barely reported on the 200,000+ Gay Rights March just a week later.

Same ones we should believe IF the story they report, based on unnamed sources,
put this President in a bad light.

We should pretend that this media has no clue that on forums such as this,
Progressive folks are waiting to hang this President if he says the wrong thing
on this health care debate.....and like Presto and without any quotes from the President at all,
the media puts out story about what "those close to the negotiations" are saying that the President is saying, and it ain't what we want to hear.
Talk about convenient!

Are we really still that gullible? After all of the media foot that has been up our ass?
That's hard to believe....but yep; crazy as it sounds....I guess so.

[eppur_se_muova]

15. Politico is Stealth Faux News. nt

[Arkana]

17. Five words: IT MAKES FOR GOOD STORIES.

The media wouldn't have a job if there was no controversy, so when there is none (or, in this case, not NEARLY as much as they'd like), they invent one. They write inflammatory stories quoting the Chinese food guy as their "unnamed WH source". They misquote WH advisors. They flat-out lie about things Senators say--remember John Kerry?