CNN’s Elaine Quijano failed to mention the left-wing political affiliation of Wendell Potter, whom she touted to be a health care “insurance company insider” on Wednesday’s Situation Room. When her network featured a glowing segment on the former Cigna spokesman over a month earlier, her colleague Jim Acosta also omitted Potter’s work as a senior fellow for the liberal Center for Media and Democracy.
Anchor Wolf Blitzer introduced Quijano’s report, which aired just after the beginning of the 5 pm Eastern hour, and described Potter as a “one-time insurance insider...turned whistleblower on industry tactics to try to sway the health care debate.” The CNN correspondent further described the former Cigna spokesman as being part of the pro-ObamaCare forces’ arsenal: “In the heat of the summer battle over health care reform, Democrats are deploying another weapon- he’s a former insurance company insider who’s speaking out once again.”
Quijano played up the former spokesman’s accusations against the health insurance industry, which echoes the left-wing argument that the anti-ObamaCare protests are being manufactured by the health care industry and conservative special interest groups: “Wendell Potter used to work as the chief spokesman for Cigna insurance, but he’s now accusing the industry of playing what he calls dirty tricks to manipulate public opinion.” The correspondent even gave an admission of sorts later in her report that “his [Potter’s] concerns fall right in line with the Democrats’ strategy of hitting insurance companies hard this summer.” Quijano, along with the on-screen graphics, would only identify Potter as a former Cigna spokesman during the segment.
Near the end of the report, the CNN correspondent claimed that “Potter insists he has no agenda, and says his decision to speak out is deeply personal, to expose what he says are dishonest practices.” If Quijano had only run an Internet search on Potter and discovered his position at the Center for Media and Democracy, she would have found out that he indeed has a left-wing agenda.
The full transcript of Elaine Quijano’s report from Wednesday’s Situation Room:
WOLF BLITZER: A one-time insurance insider is now turned whistleblower on industry tactics to try to sway the health care debate. We asked CNN’s Elaine Quijano to take a closer look. She’s here in The Situation Room with some answers. What are you finding out, Elaine?
ELAINE QUIJANO: Well, it’s interesting, Wolf. You know, in the heat of the summer battle over health care reform, Democrats are deploying another weapon- he’s a former insurance company insider who’s speaking out once again.
QUIJANO (voice-over): Wendell Potter used to work as the chief spokesman for Cigna insurance, but he’s now accusing the industry of playing what he calls dirty tricks to manipulate public opinion.
WENDELL POTTER, FORMER CIGNA SPOKESMAN: Words matter, and the insurance industry is a master at linguistics and- and using the hot words, the buzz words- the buzz expressions that they know will get people upset.
QUIJANO: Potter first came to Washington in June to testify before a Senate panel about insurance company practices.
POTTER (from June 24, 2009 Senate testimony): I know from personal experience that members of Congress and the public have good reason to question the honesty and trustworthiness of insurance companies.
QUIJANO: Now, he’s back, at the invitation of Democratic Representative Louise Slaughter. Potter is questioning insurance companies’ public relations tactics, and says some of the rhetoric at recent town hall meetings is familiar.
POTTER: People talk about a government takeover of the health care system, for one. That’s a buzz term that comes straight out of the insurance agency. It’s not true. It’s not at all proposed. It’s not going to happen.
QUIJANO: His concerns fall right in line with the Democrats’ strategy of hitting insurance companies hard this summer.
REPRESENTATIVE ELAINE SLAUGHTER: There’s no question that this is a whole setup here to try to protect one industry.
QUIJANO: But many Republicans argue insurance companies aren’t solely to blame for the health care crisis, and they know many of their constituents are perfectly happy with the current system.
For his part, Potter insists he has no agenda, and says his decision to speak out is deeply personal, to expose what he says are dishonest practices.
POTTER: This is hard to do. It’s- it’s scary to do something like this, and I don’t think I’m any more courageous than anybody, but I just felt I was- I had to do this.
QUIJANO (on-camera): Now, a Cigna spokesman wouldn’t comment directly on Potter’s accusations. Instead, the company released a written statement saying, ‘Officials agree that health care reform is needed.’ But the statement went on to say that officials don’t see how a quote, ‘government-sponsored plan can accomplish that.’
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Oh good, Potter is another
August 12, 2009 - 17:42 ET by bigtimerOh good, Potter is another weapon for us to destroy.
Just because the leftist msm omits info like this millions find out the truth, the problem with the SRM is they have a real problem people, millions and millions of us have a thing called the internet and radio stations we listen too.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
Acts of (C)Omission
August 12, 2009 - 19:04 ET by DeskpilotIt seems that since the MSM is so COMMITTED to Obamacare, they are doing everything they think is iwithin their power to influence the stoopid among us by commiting such egreigious acts of OMISSION, such as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Every act of OMISSION is punishable by the six viewers of each MSM operation to call and complain to advertisers.
Nah, those six are too stoopid to bother learning anything. Maybe that's what the >4M of us can do instead, since we're the more informed ones
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read it in English, You're welcome - Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN (Ret)
When did they come to that agreement?
August 12, 2009 - 21:35 ET by nwahsInstead, the company released a written statement saying, ‘Officials
agree that health care reform is needed.’ But the statement went on to
say that officials don’t see how a quote, ‘government-sponsored plan
can accomplish that.’
When did they come to that agreement and why in the hell has nothing been done, no hint of reform, since 1994? Sounds more like your bits and pieces are in a vice, than honest concern.
I am the mob. Don't tread on me.
"When did they come to that
August 12, 2009 - 21:53 ET by ckc1227"When did they come to that agreement"
Probably about the time Obama started talking about government run health care.
"and why in the hell has nothing been done, no hint of reform, since 1994?"
Probably because the world isn't about to end despite being told otherwise. Also probably because the only reform anyone wants to discuss is government taking over more of the system. By the way, what reform have you made in your life since 1994 to make the system better for yourself?
Health insurance companies don't write the laws in this country, and under the current framework, there' only so much "reform" an insurance company can make without Congress changing the law.
But you knew that. You're not really for reform anyway, you're for someone else paying for your health insurance.
Well I doubt it will be you
August 12, 2009 - 21:59 ET by nwahsI really doubt you work as you constantly reveal a naivety of how insurance works.
I am the mob. Don't tread on me.
Can somebody help me
August 12, 2009 - 21:39 ET by ckc1227Can somebody help me here....if insurance companies treat their cusomers horribly, and are ripping people off left and right while refusing to pay for treatment, why the heck are so many people voluntarily giving them their money? I don't know about you folks, but I don't make a habit out of giving my money to people with a history ripping people off....well, except government. Don't have much of a choice there though.
Where do you live?
August 12, 2009 - 21:52 ET by nwahsInsurance isn't voluntary. You can't get a mortgage without it, you can't drive without it, you can't practice law or medicine without it, you can't run a business without it, and you can't risk financial ruin without it.
Thats as dumb as asking, if gas is so high, why do people buy
it? Electricity is a great bargain, 99.9% of people buy it! Sales tax is a bargain, most everyone pays it!
Thats a funny post. All those folks willingly giving those insurance guys their money and smiling all the while. LOL
I am the mob. Don't tread on me.
Where do YOU live?
August 12, 2009 - 22:33 ET by ckc1227"Insurance isn't voluntary."
Isn't this discussion about health insurance? Last I checked, no one is forced to buy health insurance. I don't. That means it is voluntary. But don't worry, Obama is working on that.
"Thats as dumb as asking, if gas is so high, why do people buy"
Well, you would know all about being dumb, so I bow to your experience. But riddle me this, batman....would you buy gas to put in your car if you knew it wouldn't work? Well, you probably would, but I mean people in general. If HEALTH insurance doesn't pay, won't reimburse, and kicks people off when they need it, what's the point of buying it? Why do people buy something that won't do what they buy it for?
They don't. That was the point that, not surprisingly, went right over your head.
By the way, you should change your tagline to "I am the fool". It's much more appropriate.
Oh my child
August 13, 2009 - 08:58 ET by nwahsYou don't have health insurance because you're probably 17 and have no assets to lose. People buy insurance that doesn't pay for certain treatment or isn't particularly good, because most people have their insurance picked for them by their employer. Its probably a PPO.
Now before you call me a fool, are you claiming to know a lot about insurance? Because you strike me as not knowing crap about insurance but mouthing off just the same. Now, son, thats a fool.
And be nice to me. As you float through the world without insurance, I'm subsidizing your medical bills. You're leeching off of me. Don't bite the hand that feeds you :)
I am the mob. Don't tread on me.
Look nwahs, insurance is a business; government is a service.
August 13, 2009 - 09:15 ET by acaiguanaIf you don't like your insurance, you can move to a different company.
There is only one government. Last I looked, if you don't like the fact that when you pay SSI and other payroll taxes you don't ever expect to get a simple return on investment and the government will go out of its way to spend the money on anything but your retirement or health care; you can't decide after the fact that you would have done something different.
The truth is there are three simple ways to 'reform' health care.
1. Define the terms. Set up principles by which to frame the debate. For example, exactly who are we going to save from a lack of health insurance? Illegals, the young who have better things to spend their money on, families who are temporarily out of the job market and can't afford the COBRA plans offered (through a Federal Mandate) when they are laid off or fired?
Once this definition is made; we can look at alternatives dispassionately.
2. Break the silly bill down into 5 or 6 parts, each one dealing with the so-called problem areas (which I have yet to hear defined clearly) debate each bill on its merits and make them simple to read and easy to understand.
This would take maybe two years of racous debate, but it is better than a pork laden, special interest driven bill that pads the pockets of professional politicians and hoodwinks the people by scaring them with a rush rush get it now mentality.
3. If there is $500 billiion in waste and fraud going on in Medicare today; where have our professional politicians been? Oversight has become a political hammer to force a political advantage against either party and not what it is supposed to be - a means to control out of control bureaucracies.
That's my plan. Keep private insurance and let the marketplace do its thing. Help those who are temporarily in a bind due to circumstances that are no fault of their behavior; and finally, get the government off our backs. Kill the NIH and let drug companies actually do research without government incentives (tax and spend schemes that only clog up the drug pipelines) and provide oversight over the safety issues which is a legitimate role.
Deemonizing profits in a world that has only one real capitalist economy is not only stupid and counter-productive, but also is unreal. Property and Casualty Insurance companies have one of the lowest profit margins of any industry and if one looks at their balance sheets; often post annual losses.
Demonizing profits removes any incentive from any market and turns us into non-productive slaves to a "from each to their ability, to each according to their needs," society. That really worked in Russia, huh?
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana notes from the Underground' (Soon to be at theaters near you)
I'm not pushing the present reform
August 13, 2009 - 10:32 ET by nwahsWhat I would like to see is health insurance move away from mostly employer provided to mostly individually purchased. That would create an actual insurance market. Your health insurance shouldn't be wrapped up in your employment. You should be able to move from job to job without losing the coverage you've been paying for, for 20 years. I'd like to see your family's health care package handled just like your 401k. Your employer can help you make the payments or match dollar for dollar, but YOU choose your plan, and you carry it to your next employer if you choose to change jobs.You carry it with you if you take 3 part time jobs. You carry it with you if you are unemployed and make the payments.
Its removed from your job.
I'm easy. I don't believe the BS about 40 million uninsured, and I know everyone can get health care in this country. Just walk into an ER. But I don't like the fact health insurance is usually attached to a job. That part is wrong.
I am the mob. Don't tread on me.
Insurance
August 13, 2009 - 22:13 ET by UnsaneYour employer can help you make the payments or match dollar for dollar, but YOU choose your plan, and you carry it to your next employer if you choose to change jobs. Hmm. You don't want health insurance bound up in your insurance, yet you want them to help with the payment of the health insurance.
Bad idea. No employer I have had ever paid for my auto insurance or my property insurance. Why should they pay for my health insurance? And oh by the way, I don't leech off of anybody for my health care. If anything, MasterCard and Visa leech off of ME. Well, actually, they don't, so long as I pay the balance off in the grace period.
Instead, it should be legal for insurance companies to do business with individuals straight up for coverage, so the employer is cut completely out of the picture. If I am paying for my own policy, and paying my own insurance company for my medical insurance, if I get fired or laid off, I still have coverage so long as I pay my premium. What's the problem?
By the way, I don't know where you live, but while there is a great deal of pressure to make all drivers insured, for some bizarre reason, I STILL have a provision for "uninsured/underinsured" coverage on my auto policy. My apartment only recently began requiring property insurance of its residents and their minimum requirements were laughable. I have twice their minimum at less than $10 a month! (Personally, people who don't have renter's insurance are idiots. Come on! It's dirt cheap and readily available...) And why do I have no health insurance? Because my cost-benefit analysis showed that it was much cheaper to just swipe my credit cards for care than to pay the premium every week. I'd LOVE to pay a premium that was individually tailored to my desired level of coverage and the risk that I, and I alone, carry. It would be much cheaper for me and better off for the insurance company. Until they are allowed to underwrite such policies...
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
this same person did an interview with npr.
August 13, 2009 - 07:52 ET by tonemeisterhe made the usual claims of how evil and nasty the insurance companies are.of course he was all too happy to work for them and take there money. i guessed from the tone of the interview that there was some hidden agenda at work. maybe he was fired for cause?.didn't get a promotion?
August 13, 2009 - 08:56 ET by jessieHThe MSM proves, every day, how clueless they are. They can pull a rabbit out of their butt, but can't get it through their heads- It's not about healthcare. I don't care if they have a hundred "insiders" on healthcare. No one cares what they think. Healthcare is part of the issue but not the "big picture", as the govt. likes to say. It's about a piece of parchment called the Constitution.