Having failed to convince ABC News to include the GOP in a planned special on the White House health care plan, Republicans are trying to do some programming of their own.
In a memo to House and Senate Republicans, the Republican National Committee urged lawmakers to conduct interviews with local networks on the same day -- on the RNC's dime.
MEMORANDUM
TO: House and Senate Republican Chiefs of Staff, Communication Directors, Press Secretaries and SchedulersFROM: RNC Communications
DATE: June 17, 2009
RE: June 24th Republicans' Opportunity to Respond to President Obama on ABC News
On Wednesday, June 24th, the ABC News network will devote an entire day of programming to President Barack Obama's health care agenda. According to an ABC News report, in addition to a primetime health care reform "town hall" at the White House, Good Morning America, World News, Nightline and ABC's web news "will all feature special programming on the president's health care agenda."
The Republican National Committee asked ABC News to include Republicans in their health care reform programming on June 24th but our request was denied. This means that President Obama and the Democrats will have an entire day to push their government-run health care agenda without hearing Republicans' policy ideas and principles on health care reform.
Next Wednesday, the RNC will make our television studio available, for the entire day, for House and Senate Republicans to conduct satellite interviews with local network affiliates in their home states or congressional districts, including the 211 ABC affiliates nationwide. The RNC will absorb the cost of the satellite time and offer assistance in setting up the satellite interviews with the local affiliates. Republican Members of Congress can use this opportunity to discuss his or her views on health care reform as well as to respond to President Obama's health care plan.
The RNC TV studio will be available the entire day of June 24th. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience as space is limited.
Republicans offered a "centrist, practical" health care plan on Tuesday.