ABC's Charles Gibson and CBS's Katie Couric led their newscasts on Tuesday night in a manner which suggested they are along for the ride with President Barack Obama as they celebrated how a Senate committee's vote moved Obama's quest to impose ObamaCare closer to reality.
“In 1912, almost a hundred years ago,” Gibson trumpeted at the top of World News, “Teddy Roosevelt called for universal health care. It now may be closer than at any time since then.” Couric championed “a major victory for President Obama” and how “health care reform cleared a major hurdle today” so “health care reform is closer than it's ever been,” but, she warned, “the battle is still far from over.”
Gibson teased: “Tonight, vital vote. A key Republican joins with Democrats in an historic move forward on health care. We cover today's vote, and talk with Senator Olympia Snowe.” With “Crucial Vote” on screen, he led:
Good evening. In 1912, almost a hundred years ago, Teddy Roosevelt called for universal health care. It now may be closer than at any time since then. The Senate Finance Committee today voted 14 to 9 in favor of a bill that would overhaul the nation's health care system. President Obama called it a milestone...
Gibson's first question to Snowe: “Senator, you are now the only Republican, House or Senate, to vote for any of the health care reform bills that are out there. What do you know that your fellow Republicans don't?”
Couric teased the October 13 CBS Evening News: “Tonight, a major victory for President Obama as the Senate Finance Committee passes a health care reform bill with one Republican vote. But there's still a long way to go.”
Over “First Hurdle” as the on-screen tag, Couric opened her newscast by seeing ultimate success within reach as she raised just one shortcoming, the lack of a public option:
Good evening, everyone. Well, health care reform cleared a major hurdle today when the Senate Finance Committee passed its version. It does not include a public insurance option. It was approved by a vote of 14 to 9 and technically you could say it's a bipartisan bill, but just one Republican joined the majority Democrats, Olympia Snowe. Although she's not making any promises. And with that, health care reform is closer than it's ever been, but the battle is still far from over. We begin our coverage tonight with Nancy Cordes and that long-awaited committee vote.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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Comments Policy
What did TR actually call
October 13, 2009 - 19:18 ET by HockeyKidWhat did TR actually call for with regards to health care? One wonders, given Gibson's very clued-in nature. I guess TR's big enough not to "leave to the cables". CNN--fact check on aisle CBS, please. Hah!
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
TR
October 13, 2009 - 19:21 ET by 10ksnookerwas the first progressive, he wanted to enslave America.
Teddy was also a big fan of
October 13, 2009 - 23:19 ET by KevindFTeddy was also a big fan of the death tax.
Gibson's first question to
October 13, 2009 - 19:22 ET by HockeyKidGibson's first question to Snowe: “Senator, you are now the only
Republican, House or Senate, to vote for any of the health care reform
bills that are out there. What do you know that your fellow Republicans
don't?”
More like "What have you missed that everyone else finds so obvious?"
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
A key Republican?
October 13, 2009 - 19:39 ET by JPR1This woman is unaware of her impending irrelevance.
I do believe if the Republicans actually had a bus she would be out the window.
One Republican = Bi-partisanship
October 13, 2009 - 19:49 ET by Sergeant ROCKDoes this moron realize the propaganda value of her treachery given to the oBama administration?
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
jumpin' jim
October 13, 2009 - 19:58 ET by jon_torlinRemember jumping jim jeffords?
-Jon
A key Republican
October 13, 2009 - 19:57 ET by acumenalong the same line as Benedict Arnold being a key Patriot.
Teddy Roosevelt wanting
October 14, 2009 - 01:23 ET by jkwtradingTeddy Roosevelt wanting health care is the biggest illusion so far from the left.
The o-Dumb-uh Duck
October 14, 2009 - 07:01 ET by kilrodJust a reminder.!!~~!!
(grins) kilrod
George Bush was no genius, nor was he a great president. If this is
true, then what about:
If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter
installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have
laughed and said
this is more proof of how he inept he is on his own and is really
controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?
If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take
Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM
stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have
approved?
If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special
Olympics, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and
incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful
and
historically significant gift, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing
videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly
narcissistic
and tacky?
If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia , would you have
approved?
If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the
non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor
slip?
If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with
people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you
have
approved?
If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de
Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the 5th of May
(Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you
have winced in embarrassment?
If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word "advice" would you have
hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potatoe as proof of what
a dunce he is?
If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a
single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?
If George W. Bush's administration had okayed Air Force One flying low
over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan
causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually
get what happened on 9-11?
If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims
throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than
in New Orleans ,would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue
with claims of racism and incompetence?
If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major
corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so,
would you
have approved?
If George W Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had
taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have
approved?
If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10
years, would you have approved?
So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and
impressive?
Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's done all this in 5 months --
so you'll have three years and seven months to come up with an answer.
If an unborn child cannot trust you, why should I,??
Another Non-Sequitur from the Left
October 14, 2009 - 08:47 ET by mattmThey wanted it 100 years ago, so we have to implement it now.
Not only is that a bogus argument, if we applied its "logic" to other issues, the leftoids would go ape.
150 years ago slavery was in practice - should we do it again?
Also, if something was proposed 100 years ago and it still hasn't caught on - even though there have been several attempts at it over the years - then maybe that's an indicator that the people don't want it because it's a bad idea....
...ever think of that, Charlie?
October 14, 2009 - 09:46 ET by jessieHI will not let the polititians in washington tell me what to do. I will not be put on their mandatory healthcare. I flat refuse! Put me in jail if you must, but I will not comply. I don't care if the whole country is for it, I will not be forced to bend to their will.
Teddy said what?
October 14, 2009 - 10:54 ET by CobraManGibson, you should be careful when dropping names, especially Teddy Roosevelt, for it was Roosevelt who said: "Quack remedies of the universal cure-all type are generally as noxious to the body politic as to the body corporal."
Universalhealth care? That sounds like a universal cure-all to me.
Let us remember the immortal words of Teddy:
If an American is to amount to anything he must rely
upon himself, and not upon the State; he must take pride in his own
work, instead of sitting idle to envy the luck of others. He must face
life with resolute courage, win victory if he can, and accept defeat if
he must, without seeking to place on his fellow man a responsibility
which is not theirs.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court