Conservative Health Care Group Caught Fabricating Ad Controversy

As the fight over health care reform heats up, the teevee airwaves have become one of the battlegrounds. And the rivalry between pro-reform Health Care For America Now and pro-something-other-than-reform Conservatives For Patient Rights is aflame! And aflame with persnicketyness! CPR is bugging out big time, over this ad from HCAN:

And CPR thinks they've caught their rival in a tough spot over this. In a blog post today from "CPR Staff," the organization asserts that Comcast has "Order[ed] Misleading HCAN Ad About Rick Scott Off the Air."

After reviewing ads produced by Health Care for America Now that attack CPR Chairman Rick Scott personally, Comcast has determined that they are indeed misleading and have been pulled off the air. "Supporters of government-run health care were taught a lesson today - they can try to change the subject, but they can't lie to change the subject. Their misleading ads against me were a desperate attempt to change the subject. They don't want to debate the substance of what we want in health care reform -- choice, competition, accountability and personal responsibility - versus their goal which is a government-run health care system where bureaucrats, not patients make the decisions. We'll continue our fight to put patients and patients' rights first and bring true competition to lower costs," Scott stated. Now that Comcast has put an end to HCAN's misleading personal attack ad, it is time for the proponents of government-run healthcare to stop misleading the American people about the pitfalls of a government takeover, including fewer choices and longer waits for patients.

But is there any truth to this claim of Comcast laying the mad kibosh on HCAN? The Huffington Post contacted Jacki Schechner, National Communications Director of Health Care For America Now, and as it turns out, the ad was not pulled.

"Uhh, no," Schechner said, "The ad buy ran out on Wednesday." And far from being ordered down by Comcast, a second ad buy will soon see the spot returning to the airwaves. At Comcast's suggestion, HCAN will be making a single change to a single graphic on the original advertisement. "And because we stand behind the ad one hundred percent," Schechner says, "We will make Comcast's one suggested change and go back up with a second buy."

In a statement, Sena Fitzmaurice, Comcast's Executive Director for Corporate Communications and Government Affairs, backs up Schechner's side of the story: "To clarify -- Comcast has not pulled any ads produced by Health Care for America Now (HCAN) off our systems. The media buy for the ad in question expired on May 13. Comcast has asked HCAN to include a clarification in future versions of the ad."

And the change? It's not anything that alters the ad's premise: "It is literally nothing more than adding the Hospital Corporation of America logo to additional portions of the advertisement," Schechner says.

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Comments

[CW-Florida]

I am so glad to see someone taking on CPR - everytime I see their ads I get sick to my stomach. This organization is such a fraud. We spend more money for health care with fewer results than any other first world country. This is a national disgrace.

[ncmom54]

follow the money.... this isn't going to be easy, they know what's at stake

"I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it." FDR

[doober]

Could it be that Obama is bringing the Banks, healthcare. Pharmaceutical and phoney Religions out from under their rocks so the people can see how corrupt and greedy they are. He is looking for pressure from the people to get things moving in the direction he wants them to go..

[underoath]

Rick scott is really good at using those talking points that frank lunts threw togethor and were reported on by politico.

[Gidster]

Rick Scott, perpetrator of the biggest Medicare fraud in history.....That's who you want as a spokesperson!!!

Geniuses........

[twistedknickers]

While Rick Scott was CEO of HCA the corporation committed insurance fraud and paid $1.7 billion in fines. Those are the facts.
Scott got off easy. He should have been prosecuted like Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling were.

[drkazmd65]

And the 'Big Lie' continues,....

As the old '70s saying went,.... "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance,... Baffle them with bullsh*t!"

[RobertHenryEller]

They can call themselves whatever they want. But follow the money. The people who are against healthcare reform are precisely those who profit so "handsomely" (if not attractively) from the overly expensive system we suffer under.

UK citizens pay half of what US citizens do per head for health care, and are no less healthy. Italians pay about one third per head what we pay in the US, and they live longer than any people but the Japanese.

The "Conservative" value being defended by the people behind these ads is their "right" to continue to reap inordinate profits on our backs. They are no better than those on Wall Street who brought us the toxic asset debacle.

If they have an honest argument why our health care system is great the way it is, it would be simple to make that argument. But they can't make that argument. So they lie.

[doober]

Could it be that Obama is bringing the Banks, healthcare. Pharmaceutical and phoney Religions out from under their rocks so the people can see how corrupt and greedy they are. He is looking for pressure from the people to get things moving in the direction he wants them to go..

[Gidster]

That would be genius!

That way, it is a mandate from the people, not a politically driven one!

[lvdragonlady]

Just more lies. Is anyone surprised?

[TomInJax]

CPR has a contact us. Just google them. I asked why they won't retract their ads. I also said I doubted any one who was running the deceptive ads they were wouldn't back down on a lie like that. This man disgust me. Every time I see his ads he gives me the creeps. Just like Michael Savage.

[pepperdude]

Acorn: The left-wing paragon of values and virtue.

[IllinoisTexan43]

Any right-winger that has ACORN anywhere in their post renders it a moot point.

[hackerblaster]

yes, you are correct.

[ProudLiberalDan]

As opposed to Bush/Cheney who lied the nation into war against the wrong country?

We'll take no lectures on "values" from conservatives.

[LeighAnnes]

Agreed. I am sick of these people who have none lecturing on "values."

[badfluffy]

yes, you should run and hide. acorn is TOTALLY out to get you and your children.
knucklehead.

[Tommygun264]

You don't even know what ACORN is, beyond a catchphrase your pub overlords have conditioned you to jump at.

[TomFox]

Yes, God-forbid that the common person be represented in government. Understand that change is in the air....

Of course you already know that in your bones so you and your ilk fight change that would benefit all instead of a minority of citizens.

[pepperdude]

Liberal heath groups not caught fabricating.

[jbrantow]

Why not defend your conservative pals to prove the liberals wrong instead of whining and throwing back an accusation like an adolesent. Oh yea you have no defense.
Republicans=greed and lies

[jbrantow]

Where's the proof of liberal health groups caught fabricating................
Like hannity (waterboarding challenge) your silence isn't surprising.

[hjfraser2002]

What liberal health groups? Projecting to the max.

[Gidster]

Dude... Name one.

Put up or shut up!

[Trainer12]

How many more Americans have to die before we get universal, single payer healthcare? How many more Americans will go bankrupt because they are denied coverage because of "pre-existing conditions" or "have exceeded their lifetime coverage allotment?" The only part of "reform" that they like is forcing everyone to buy their for profit insurance coverage or shifting the unhealthy, poor and elderly patients to the public, non-profit healthcare insurance. They don't believe in an "unregulated, free market." They want a monopoly. They still want to suck profits out of taxpayers and policy holders, not keep people healthy or cur them if they get injured or sick. Pass HR 676 and SB 703 now. The for profit healthcare insurance industry should be put out of business. They have no moral right to exist.

[TheThinkerCometh]

I hope the healthcare industry's recent betrayal of their promise to Obama is enough for him to take assertive action on this ASAP.

[TheThinkerCometh]

It's good to see a backlash like this against Rick "the dick" Scott.

[urnumbersix]

Busted!

I think I'll donate to HCAN, so they may buy more of these ads.

[snesich]

If the private, for-profit "health care" insurance system has worked so well, then why are so many Americans without any health care? And, among those who have "health care" insurance policies, why are so many of them in thousands of dollars of debt from "their share" of the bills?

The insurance industry has had decades to provide good health care to all Americans at a reasonable cost. And they failed miserably. The only reason we're even engaged in this debate is because the current system doesn't work.

The problem is this: Most people don't realize how truly horrific our "health care" system is until they become very sick. Then it's too late.

It's time for a public health care option now.

[twistedknickers]

Health care in this country started to decline when HMOs and PPOs refused to pay for yearly physicals.
How did that auto parts ad go?, "You can pay me a little now, or you can pay me a lot later.".

[LMPE]

If it was up to the right-wing 100%, we'd be back in the Stone Age.

[Danny Lesh]

scary, scary true: http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200905120009

[jbrantow]

Definitely check out the above link.....
http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200905120009

[PiscesPrincess]

That's correct. and drilling holes in suffering people's heads to let the demons. out. sad.

[Vyvjala]

Republican's aren't concerned with people who cannot afford healthcare coverage, when you terminate because you literally cannot afford the costs of medical treatment and drugs, that's one less so-called under achiever they have to worry about. So basically the republican's idea of lowcost coverage is dirt!, you're covered with it when you die then your patted in the face with a shovel.