CBS Touts ObamaCare 'Success Story'; Omits His Support of the Obama Campaign
On Wednesday's CBS Evening News, Carter Evans spotlighted Leslie Foster, an apparent ObamaCare "success story," who gushed about the "amazing things" in his subsidized health plan. But Evans failed to mention that Foster "campaigned for President Barack Obama's election," as the Wall Street Journal reported in an October 7, 2013 article. [MP3 audio available here; video below]
The correspondent zeroed in on Foster, an "independent filmmaker" in California, in the midst of a segment that underlined the findings of the latest CBS News/New York Times poll, which found "a lot of skepticism...about the President's health care law. Only 16 percent of the Americans we talked to told us the law would help them. Eighty percent said it would hurt them or have no effect."
Anchor Scott Pelley introduced Evans' report with the stunning 16 percent statistic from his network's poll. He continued by pointing out that "the law, as you know, requires most Americans to have health insurance. In California, about five million do not, and that is more than any other state."
Evans led with the first soundbite from his interview of Foster. He noted that the Los Angeles resident "ended up with a premium of about $60 a month", and asked, "Are you happy with that?" The Obama supporter enthusiastically replied, "That's right. I'm really happy with that premium."
The CBS journalist wasted little time before playing his second clip from Foster, who gushed about his plan under ObamaCare: "When I saw the preventative options, I actually started getting emotional, because all these amazing things that are covered under my premium. I thought it was amazing. You know, why wouldn't I take advantage of that?"
Evans then highlighted that "according to the CBS News/New York Times poll, 57 percent of the uninsured say getting insurance will make their health better." He followed this his final soundbite from his interview of the Obama booster. The correspondent wondered, "So, would you consider yourself a success story?" Foster affirmed that this was the case: "Yeah. I definitely consider myself a success story."
The journalist did provide balance later in the segment by playing two clips from an ObamaCare skeptic, along with negative poll results about the controversial law:
CARTER EVANS: But 57 percent of the uninsured told us the HealthCare.gov website was difficult to use; 59 percent said getting health insurance will hurt them financially.
Beverly Cena is a freelance writer in New Jersey. She has a family of three.
BEVERLY CENA: It's going to cost us, even with the tax break that they say they will give you. It's going to cost us about $409 a month for the lowest-priced plan.
EVANS: More than a third in the poll said they'll pay a penalty of either $95 – or one percent of their annual income – instead of signing up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
CENA: I'd rather pay the fine and – than spend a lot of money and have a health care plan that really – isn't going to do much for me.
The full transcript of Carter Evans' report from Wednesday's CBS Evening News:
SCOTT PELLEY: There is a lot of skepticism tonight that's been revealed in a new CBS News/New York Times poll about the President's health care law. Only 16 percent of the Americans we talked to told us the law would help them. Eighty percent said it would hurt them or have no effect.
The law, as you know, requires most Americans to have health insurance. In California, about five million do not, and that is more than any other state. Carter Evans is there.
CARTER EVANS (from pre-recorded interview): You ended up with a premium of about $60 a month. Are you happy with that?
LESLIE FOSTER: That's right. I'm really happy with that premium-
EVANS (voice-over): Leslie Foster is an independent filmmaker in Los Angeles. He signed up in October, and qualified for a government subsidy of $152 a month to help pay his premium.
FOSTER: When I saw the preventative options, I actually started getting emotional, because all these amazing things that are covered under my premium. I thought it was amazing. You know, why wouldn't I take advantage of that?
EVANS: According to the CBS News/New York Times poll, 57 percent of the uninsured say getting insurance will make their health better.
EVANS (on-camera): So, would you consider yourself a success story?
FOSTER: Yeah. I definitely consider myself a success story.
[CBS News Graphic: "CBS News/New York Times Poll: 57% Uninsured say insurance will make their health better; Margin of error: 5 PTS."]
EVANS: But 57 percent of the uninsured told us the HealthCare.gov website was difficult to use; 59 percent said getting health insurance will hurt them financially.
Beverly Cena is a freelance writer in New Jersey. She has a family of three.
[CBS News Graphic: "CBS News/New York Times Poll: Uninsured: 57%, website difficult to use; 59%, insurance will hurt financially"]
BEVERLY CENA: It's going to cost us, even with the tax break that they say they will give you. It's going to cost us about $409 a month for the lowest-priced plan.
EVANS: More than a third in the poll said they'll pay a penalty of either $95 – or one percent of their annual income – instead of signing up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
[CBS News Graphic: "CBS News/New York Times Poll: 35% will pay penalty"]
CENA: I'd rather pay the fine and – than spend a lot of money and have a health care plan that really – isn't going to do much for me.
EVANS (on-camera): California's goal is to have about half a million people enrolled by March. Now, about 110,000 had already signed up by the end of November. And, Scott, we are told the pace of enrollments has increased dramatically this month.
PELLEY: Carter Evans in our Los Angeles newsroom – thanks, Carter.
— Matthew Balan is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matthew Balan on Twitter.
