Flashback: Journalists Marveled Over Healthcare.gov Before It Opened
While the media are now calling the ObamaCare rollout a "mess" and the website a "bust," some journalists and pundits were a lot more optimistic right before the exchanges opened.
Despite warnings
that the website and exchanges would not be ready to open on time,
journalists marveled over how easy the website, Healthcare.gov, would be
to navigate. That optimism crumbled as, in one notable case, it took
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen two weeks to sign up for ObamaCare. Below are the five most embarrassing endorsements of Healthcare.gov:
[Video below. Audio here.]
'A Huge Breakthrough' for the Uninsured
"Tomorrow, ordinary Americans who don't have health insurance get a
chance to sign up for the first time. That's a huge breakthrough. You
can go to Healthcare.gov. If you're watching right now, you don't have
health care, or your mama doesn't, you can go to Healthcare.gov and sign
up for health insurance. That's a good thing in America. It's crazy
town up here because something good is happening in our country and some
people just can't stand for something good to happen for the American
people."
– CNN's Crossfire co-host Van Jones on New Day, September 30
'Easy to Read,' 'Easy' to 'Navigate' Despite Right-Wing Lies
"This is the website folks, Healthcare.gov. If you go to this website
you will find out how easy it is to read, how easy it is to navigate all
the information, all the basic questions, and all the direction you
need to take to get involved to get health care. This is a great guide,
if I may say, for any of you out there who feel so confused by all of
these right-wing commercials that are just permeating through your
television screen and also in the sound culture of the country with the
right-wing talkers of America."
– MSNBC host Ed Schultz on The Ed Show, September 30
Like Shopping on Amazon – Once It's 'Up and Running'
"Well, once it's fully up and running, you'll go online, and it will be
a lot like shopping for anything online on – on Amazon. You'll look at
the different health insurance plans that are offered in your area and
you will pick the one that works best for you and your family and you
will hit 'buy'."
– Bloomberg's Peter Gosselin on CBS This Morning, September 28
Like Shopping on Travelocity
"And you know what's interesting, is this is really like going to shop
for a flight on Travelocity. You're going to a place; you're comparing
costs, you're choosing coverage. That's what you need to know. This is
all starting tomorrow."
– CBS's Jill Schlesinger on CBS This Morning, September 30
'Easy to Read'; Like Mall Shopping
"Get ready to shop at the health insurance marketplace or exchange.
Think of it as a health insurance mall for your state, where each store
represents a different insurance company. You'll get an easy to read map
or menu of options to help you navigate which plan makes the most sense
for you and your family."
– ABC's Rebecca Jarvis on Good Morning America, September 30
— Matt Hadro is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matt Hadro on Twitter.
