RNC Fundraising Off Of ABC Broadcast From Obama White House

The Republican National Committee is now fundraising off of ABC News' decision to host an hour-long special on health care reform from the Obama White House.

Chairman Michael Steele blasted out an email to supporters on Thursday morning asking them to help raise $100,000 to buy airtime to compete with the ABC broadcast. We need, Steele writes, to "get the truth about the disastrous consequences of the Obama Democrats' government-run health care plans out to the American people."

Charges of media bias are, of course, a staple of both political parties. And fundraising off of the actions of the press isn't rare.

But the RNC's assumption that ABC is acting as a mouthpiece for Obama as opposed to being solely interested in viewership and news seems particularly removed from the reality of the media business. After all, the networks gladly take access regardless of the administration.

In 2002, NBC took its cameras into the Bush White House for a 60-minute documentary, with "anchor Tom Brokaw at the side of President George W. Bush chronicling the behind-the-scenes workings."

Here is the full Steele letter:

It seems that the mainstream media has finally decided to dispense with the pointless denials of favorable coverage of the Obama Administration. Now one network, ABC News, has actually turned its entire programming over to President Obama and his big-government agenda."

On June 24th, ABC News and anchor Charles Gibson will broadcast "World News" from inside the White House, and make Barack Obama's case for nationalized health care for him, without any opportunity for opposing views to be aired.

The liberal special interests have clearly learned from their missteps the last time they tried to force Americans into a socialized health care system -- the abysmal failure of the Clinton Administration's "HillaryCare."

Story continues below

advertisement

That's why their friends at ABC News will be promoting Obamacare at virtually every opportunity, from "Good Morning America" to "Nightline," and reach from ABC News' websites all the way to the White House's East Room.

NAME the Republican National Committee's request for an opportunity to add our views along side those of the Obama Democrats' -- to ensure that all sides of the health care reform debate are heard -- was flatly rejected by ABC News.

What are the Democrats and their media allies afraid of? The truth?

That is outrageous! And we will not take it!

We will be heard!!

Please help us raise the nearly $100,000 we need to buy air time to get the truth about the disastrous consequences of the Obama Democrats' government-run health care plans out to the American people. Make a special donation of $25, $50, $100, $500 or $1,000 to the Republican National Committee today, and your gift will support our fight to counter the ABC/Obama "special programming" with our plan for meaningful, genuine health care reform.

Please stand with us. Help us get on the air and get our message to the American people! President Obama and the Democrats are blurring the lines between government and the private sector to pass their big government agenda. Help us keep things clear. Thank you.

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[Shayrae]

Steele: '' Please stand with us. Help us get on the air and get our message to the American people! ''

Mikey, you got the message on Nov. 4th, 2008. Ask Rupert nicely and maybe he'll let you lie on his network for free. BTW, what's with the double exclamation marks? Smacks of desperation to me.

[timetosecede]

If the MEDIA were the LIBERAL LAPDOGS the Publicans say they are.......­wouldn't you see nothing but PRAISE for a UNIVERSAL, SINGLE-PAYER PLAN ???? DUH !!!!!

You never even see this plan mentioned except to give it derision, and even worse, totally mischaracterize what it actually is!!!!

GIVE US A FREAKIN' BREAK !!!!

[DestinationsUnknown]

Where is the CBO calculation for Fraud- ?

2009-The Wall Street Journal reported that Richard Scott, "the former chief executive of HCA Inc," had formed the non-profit organization Conservatives for Patients' Rights as part of a "lobbying campaign to derail or modify" President Obama's health care proposals, but failed to note Scott was terminated from HCA in 1997 amid a federal investigation into the company's Medicare billing, physician recruiting, and home-care practices.­..

This is just what was settled- under BUSH by the way- not the true robbery of our HEALTHCARE.

Did CBO calculate this:

JUNE 26, 2003; WWW.USDOJ.­GOV;
HCA Inc. (formerly known as Columbia/HCA and HCA - The Healthcare Company)
LARGEST HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE IN U.S. HISTORY SETTLED

IF so, where and when?

CBO- calculate the cost for ignoring the largest cost to our healthcare system-Fraud!

Fraud - government ignores-turns a blind eye- over 20 years!

Senator Grassley has tried to prevent fraud- to no avail.

AG Holder addressed this at the hearing, but it was LTC / Medicare- Fraud.

AG should explain why a settlement is offered for thieves - Rick Scott and friends at HCA- a perfect example.

Maybe if he was prosecuted for his fraud he would not be allowed on CNN as the expert for our healthcare.



HCA Inc -LARGEST HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE IN U.S. HISTORY SETTLED in 2003-


It did not end here either.

CNN should be ashamed

[DestinationsUnknown]

Columbia/HCA is a partnership of financier Richard Rainwater of Ft. Worth and lawyer Richard Scott. Scott was terminated by Darla Moore, the wife of Richard Rainwater .

Richard Rainwater- GW Bush = Texas Rangers

[DestinationsUnknown]

Rainwater also owned a large stake in Magellan Health Care which controls Charter Medical. Magellan, run by Darla Moore, is the largest network of psychiatric hospitals in the country. They are becoming more and more involved in obtaining government money for services formerly not covered as health care, according to Fortune Magazine.

[DestinationsUnknown]

Balanced Budget Act of 1997- Home health - which was struggling under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997; about 1,400 agencies closed nationwide in 1998.

[DestinationsUnknown]

In 2002 FBI raided the offices of National Century Financial Enterprises in Dublin, Ohio

“This case is one of the largest corporate fraud investigations involving a privately held company headquartered in small town America,” said Assistant Director Kenneth W. Kaiser of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division.

Guess where ALL of those Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. - home-care units were?

National Century Financial Enterprises- the "...larges­t corporate fraud investigations involving a privately held company headquartered in small town America,”

[DestinationsUnknown]

Guess where all of Rick Scott's Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. - home-care units were?

National Century Financial Enterprises- the "...larges­t corporate fraud investigations involving a privately held company headquartered in small town America,”

11 Executives, including the CEO were found guilty in this Ponzi scheme called National Century Financial Enterprises

The last executive awaits trial one month before GW Bush leaves office.

In December 2008-James K Happ went oon trial.

james K Happ was the last executive to go on trial-and the only acquittal.

James K Happ, the ex-CFO of HCA- Rick Scott & Richard Rainwater’s ex-CFO!

James K Happ divested Columbia Homecare Group, Inc. beore arriving at NCFE, largest financial fraud of the FBI has ever investigated in 2002-2008.

December 18, 2008 - The ONE AND ONLY acquittal; James K Happ!
By Jodi Andes THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Prosecutors' case fell short, juror says National Century fraud case produces 1st acquittal, James K Happ the CFO of Columbia Homecare Group in 1997.

[tierone]

What kooky fellas!

[danusgram]

Republicans spend your money on something else we won by a landslide and healthcare was part of the platform you think people are going to sit and listen to your lies I hope ABC now sees who they dealing with when dealing with the republican party and start reporting more favorably on the Obama administration,

[miriamfl]

The Bush administration used FAUX NEWS to sell whatever they were promoting. The war in Iraq, the fear of another attack, gitmo, etc.....

[Marnie1]

Just like the Republicans. It always about money. With more money they can sell more lies to
the public.
Problem is 60-80% of the public want some type of universal health care.

Just remember That Bush/Repug Congress set the level of arsenic in drinking water at dangerous levels, rescinding a much lower level set under the Clinton Administration.
Bush set the acceptable level of arsenic in drinking at 50 parts/B, high enough to cause cancer in 1 out of every 100 people.
The percentage being highest in babies and young children and those with other health problems that have weakened their system.

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=6587770

The Republicans don't give a fig for the health of the American People and they don’t give a flip for the lives of babies..

[JessWonderin]

Why not sell copies of "that poster" to raise funds?

[Shayrae]

Great idea. You listening, Steele?

[jdt67]

Oh, the hypocrisy. Republicans have one of the most watched cable networks in this country to be their mouthpiece and they have the temerity to say ABC is being biased. And before someone pipes up and says Fox News is only countering the liberal bias that already exists on the big three networks, keep that crap to yourself. We all now the corporate media is far from liberally biased these days.

[eden4barack08]

RNC: " Give us your money, so we can tell you why you don't deserve health care."

[marvm]

look at this foxattack.com/facts

[Val49]

Mr. Steele, if ABC loves the President then I think you should go to your own station and talk as much as you want to seeing they fully understand your ignorance much better than ABC, you will have a much larger ordiance, the Palin crazies and others that believes in your crap, I'm sure FOX would not charge you anything to aire your Hate in fact they are the best station to aire that kind of stuff.

[jsgaetano]

Enjoy the pennies you can still grub for, Goopers.

Your future as an irrelevant and sidelined regional party awaits!

[StevenevetS]

Does this mean that the RNC (a wholly owned subsidiary of Fox News) wants an equal time rule?

Don't be shy RNC. You can say it... "We want equal time". You can even go all the way and say "We believe in the 'Fairness Doctrine'".

[Wallysmom]

This point is well taken. FOXNews is allowed to invent news and promote the platform of the GOP and that's swell. However, should any other news outlet give time to a sitting President, it is unfair and biased. The RNC has no health care plan of its own except for a silly 4 page document as filled with details as the Economic Stimulus puffpiece they paraded out earlier this year. The floor has always been open GOP, don't complain of anything in the works when you have nothing to offer. Point - Counterpoint. I think we're willing to listen to any alternative to the healthcare plan we have now...game on.

[SatinPanties]

Mr. Steele, you should also include in the letter an ask to defeat those racists in South Carolina and Tennessee.­.. oh wait! what?! nah!!!