Obama criticizes TV's emphasis on 'ruckus' over healthcare

Source: LA Times

Belgrade, Mont. - President Obama today denounced the news media's emphasis on scenes of angry protesters at healthcare town halls as he fielded polite but tough questioning on his efforts.

"TV loves a ruckus," Obama said.

Trying to sell his overhaul plan amid an increasingly noisy and partisan debate, Obama told a crowd gathered in an airport hangar here: "What you haven't seen on TV, and what makes me proud, are the many constructive meetings going on all over the country."

While hundreds demonstrated outside, there was no sign of protesters on the airstrip where Air Force One landed or inside the hangar at the airport near Bozeman.

The crowd, estimated by the White House at about 1,300 people, was civil, although Obama did get some pointed questions. One came from a man who called himself "a proud NRA member," referring to the National Rifle Assn., and said he got most of his news from cable TV.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-naw-healthcare-obama15-2009aug15,0,5477479.story

that actually SAY SOMETHING? The ads currently running show a helter-skelter ambulance chase scene and accuse the RW of lying but never debunk a single one of the lies specifically.

How about this: use the analogy of post office = govt OPTION (like medicare.)

Point out that if one doesn't like the way the PO delivers packages, they can use private carriers UPS or FedEx. State that if a person doesn't like the govt (single payer) health care option, they are free to subscribe to private insurance (or keep the Cigna or Blue Cross or whatever that they have now.)

How hard is this??? It fits into a single soundbite. Can't the Obama admin come up with some meaningful adverts like the one I just described to actually DEBUNK the lies? As with the "proud NRA member," most people get their news via cable network. So use this medium to address them!!

And I also wish they would yank that hate-spewing drug addict, Limbaugh, and his contemporaries. There are federal laws on the books against fomenting hatred. I say employ these laws and pull the plug. Rush L's tirades are a long way removed from free speech. He is yelling fire in a crowded theatre.

..to run ads?

and controversy with politicians? Ratings gold ...

as I keep telling Mrs. ZBDent ... "This is when the TV news crews suddenly find out that there are prostitutes on the street ..."