ABC VP Says Network Includes 'Many Critics' of Obama Health Care, But Aired Voices 3-to-1 in Favor of ObamaCare

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ABC found itself in hot water this week after it announced on June 15 it would be airing a primetime special, "Questions for the President: Prescription for America," on June 24 from the White House. ABC also said "Good Morning America" and "World News" would also be broadcast from the White House that day.

ABC News' senior vice president Kerry Smith defended the network against critics saying in a letter the hour-long special from the White House will be "devoted to exploring and probing the President's position and the giving voice to questions and criticisms of that position."

Smith also claimed the network has "had many critics of the President's health care proposals on the air - and that's before a real plan has even been put before the country. In the end, no one watching, listening to, or reading ABC News will lack for an understanding of all sides of these important questions."

MRC's Business & Media Institute fact checked that claim and found that from January 20 to June 16 those quoted in health care stories on ABC's morning and evening news shows favored ObamaCare by a 3-to-1 margin (55 supporters to 18 critics).

One participant in ABC's special will be medical editor Dr. Timothy Johnson. His record reveals that he was an ardent supporter of "HillaryCare" and other universal health care proposals for years. Johnson's continual promotion of universal healthcare is advocacy, not journalism. It earned him a spot on the MRC's "Cheerleaders for the Revolution," a list of reporters who are avid supporters of President Obama's liberal policies.

Since ABC has tried to assure the public it will include critics, BMI consulted five experts on the health care issue to find out what they would ask Obama if they were given the chance at the June 24 town hall.