Congressman Lamar Smith, Twenty First Congressional
District of Texas
Health care reform is an extremely complex issue involving one of the largest sectors of the economy. Directly or indirectly, it will touch the lives of all Americans. The decision by ABC News officials to devote an entire day, June 24, to the “President’s health care agenda” culminating with a primetime healthcare “town hall” gives the American people a slanted view of an important subject.
The manner in which the news programming is being presented – at the White House with the President and First Lady and without opposition – is unprofessional and contrary to the journalistic code of ethics to present the news fairly and independently. This is a not a Presidential news conference open to all news outlets. This is an exclusive arrangement from which the President and his viewpoint stand to gain. It’s as if ABC News is providing in-kind free advertising for President Obama.
The Director of Communications for the White House Office of Health Reform, Linda Douglass, left her job with ABC News last year to join the Obama campaign. This does little to alleviate concerns about the objectivity of this event. Furthermore, ABC News’ in-house medical expert, Dr. Timothy Johnson, has a long history of promoting government-managed universal health care. It all gives the appearance of a state-run television network.
Millions of Americans don’t want the government to come between them and their physicians. We take no issue with the President addressing the nation. But if ABC News wants to make this event useful to the American people, it should present both sides and offer the opportunity for rebuttal.
This is not television commentary or talk radio where the public expects to hear conservative or liberal opinions. Supposedly, this is ABC News presenting un-biased news programming. The American people deserve an honest discussion about all the options for health care reform, what the true cost will be, and whether or not it is cost effective. Without giving time to an opposing viewpoint, ABC News’ programming on June 24 will amount to a day-long infomercial for the President and his government-run health care plan.
We urge ABC to give the American people the facts and let them make up their own minds, not tell them what to think.
