Bozell Calls on Media to Read Health Care Bill Before Reporting It

Alexandria, VA - NBC, ABC and CBS all aired exclusive interviews with President Barack Obama last night discussing his sweeping plans to assume government control over the nation's health care industry. Two of the three networks asked about limited choice. But no one seriously pursued the extraordinarily critical question: would the legislation pending in the House of Representatives limit the health care choices of Americans? If anyone at any of the networks had actually read the bill, they would have noticed the bombshell easily discovered by Investor's Business Daily [1] and confirmed by the House Ways and Means Committee: a provision in the bill that severely limits private health insurance choice.

CBS aired an excerpt of correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook's interview with Obama during which he asked, "Mr. President, when people hear you talk about a national insurance plan, there are fears of socialized medicine, rationed care, limited choice. How do you handle this?" If Dr. LaPook had read the bill, he would have had his answer on "limited choice" and could have challenged the President on the severely limited choice that would result.

Brent Bozell, President of the Media Research Center, called on anyone reporting on the bill read it before making the same mistake:

"You cannot accurately report on legislation - or intelligently question politicians who haven't read the bill on its effects on Americans - without reading it yourselves. Period. Congress has a history of being utterly irresponsible in passing massive legislation without reading it, and it appears the liberal media are following their reckless lead.

"Since many in the Congressional leadership refuse to pledge, we demand the media understand - and at the very least, read - the health care bill before any further reporting. It is their journalistic duty to inform Americans what is at risk and the severely limiting choices they will have in health care if this sweeping legislation is passed. They simply cannot do that intelligently without understanding the bill first.