CNN's Blitzer: 'Health Care Executives Making Billions at Your Expense'

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Wolf Blitzer, CNN Anchor | NewsBusters.orgOn Tuesday’s Situation Room, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer used a left-wing talking point on the health care debate during a brief about a web ad made by comedian Will Ferrell and other celebrities: “One of the most famous comedians joins some of your favorite actors to promote health care reform. So why are they defending health care...executives making billions of dollars at your expense?” [audio clip available here]

Blitzer devoted three news briefs during the 5 pm Eastern hour of the CNN hour to the ad, all the while omitting how Ferrell and his group made it in conjunction with the leftist organization MoveOn.org. After playing a clip from the web ad during the first brief, which came 10 minutes into the hour, the CNN anchor highlighted how the celebrities were “using comedy to make some serious points about health care. This video [is] getting a lot of attention out there.”

Story Continues Below Ad ↓

Nine minutes later, Blitzer gave his second brief on the MoveOn ad, which included his liberal talking point: “A comedic spin on a serious issue- one of the most famous comedians joins some of your favorite actors to promote health care reform. So why are they defending health care- health care executives making billions of dollars at your expense?”

The anchor did note how Ferrell’s cast “hopes the video makes the case for a public health care option” during his third brief on the ad, but again left out any mention of MoveOn.org:

Still from Will Ferrell's MoveOn.org Ad, as shown on CNN's 09/22/2009 Situation Room | NewsBusters.orgBLITZER: A few well-known comedians put their talent together to sarcastically portray one of the challenges facing our nation right now. Will Ferrell is among the stars taking a shot at how insurance industry executives handle health care. Check it out.

WILL FERRELL: And insurance companies are detail-oriented enough to deny claims for things like typos. If you spell something wrong, do you really deserve surgery? I don’t think so.

BLITZER: The group hopes the video makes the case for a public health care option.

It certainly seems from all of this that Blitzer is doing his best to help promote Ferrell and company’s left-wing cause.

—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.


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Obama why?!

Man, this video is hilarious.  

Wolf Blitzer also failed to know which cameras were used to film the skit.  He didn't mention which studio lot is was shot on.  He didn't mention who did the make-up.  He didn't mention who catered the event and what was on the menu. I mean this is the most shoddy bit of "reporting" I have EVER seen.

Wake up America! The MSM is failing you. 

→ Barry

That is the most insignificant post you've ever excreted.

But not by much.

A Democrat killed Harvey Milk, Nancy!

CA, See, the joke Bonds

CA,

See, the joke Bonds excreted isn't really funny, because like so much liberal mockery against conservatives, he has to make something up to mock. I don't see calls for agonizing details here - just for fairness and neutrality. 

The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.

Fine: what significance does

Fine: what significance does mentioning Moveon.org add to the story?

The video is on the front page of their website and at the bottom after you click on the video it says: "The "Video: Will Ferrell stands up for the real health care victims" campaign is brought to you by MoveOn.org Political Action™"

Bias by omission

How many viewers do you think are going to do that? What Blitzer did is called bias by omission. He's not giving the complete story, even with his hint that the celebrities are advocating a left-wing position.

Thanks for not answering my

Thanks for not answering my question.

Your question was answered

Your question was answered but it appears your reading comprehension is just not up to snuff.  Could it be all the roids have affected the area of your brain that handles language and understanding?

 

The Obama Administration: THE most fiscally irresponsible Administration EVER

Question: "What significance

Question: "What significance does mentioning Moveon.org add to the story?"

Answer: "[B]ias by omission."

Yeah, you're right, the question was answered.  I stand corrected.  Please forgive me for ever doubting you. 

sarcastic obtuseness

Let's see, the mission of this site is to expose Liberal media bias.  Portraying the ad as if the popular celebrity is speaking for himself is omitting a fact that is not just relevant, it's essential: that he's being paid to present someone else's opinion.  And if that someone-else happens to be one of the principal partisan media oufits, then omitting that connection is partisan bias.  Hence, "bias by omission" IS the answer.

The law requires political ads to disclose their sponsor of origin.  A news report on the ad should carry the same obligation.

Thanks for the lesson in

Thanks for the lesson in legality and decorum.  

But, no, the questions is not answered because knowing the person who paid Will Ferrell et al,  for this comedy skit does not in any way change the ad.

You call it a political ad, maybe to further your argument or maybe you don't know better, because it deals with politics but it isn't - its a skit. 

You know mentioning Moveon.org doesn't add anything to the video BUT you have to carry water for Newsbumblers so I understand. 

make up yer mind

First you say the skit's an ad, then you say it isn't a political ad, it's a skit...

Hard to keep up with all the transformations of reality, ain't it.

→ Barry, don't be dumb

". . .knowing the person who paid Will Ferrell et al,  for this comedy skit does not in any way change the ad."

You're kidding, right?  Please tell me you're not as ignorant as you present yourself.

You're honestly telling us that if Coke commissions an ad, they should have every expectation of getting a GEICO commercial?

With whatever analytical capacity you've gleaned during your existence on this planet, you might want to rethink your premise that a patron shouldn't expect what they pay for.

EXPLAIN TO ME HOW NOTING

EXPLAIN TO ME HOW NOTING MOVEON.ORG MADE THIS VIDEO CHANGES IT IN ANY WAY!

I'll wait. 

It's already been explained

It's already been explained to you.  If you'd stop shouting long enough, wipe the drool off your monitor and actually READ once in awhile, you'd realize this.

 

Barry, Barry, Barry...this

Barry, Barry, Barry...this isn't hard.  The left, along with big media has been shoving it down your throat that the TEA Parties and "far right wing" protests against Obama's healthcare reform were astroturf movements.  Events put together and funded by "conservative" organizations.  Now of course you swallowed all that because you're in locked goose-step with your comrades, but you're missing the point...as usual.

MoveOn.org is a large, virulently left-wing political machine and they've clearly put this little video out there.  Here you have CNN giving it some airtime and publicity. 

So stop and breathe for a moment.  Read very slowly.  Think very hard after you read this bit twice - there's a seriously astroturfed pro-Obama healthcare reform video out there and the media is generating publicity.  This is a blatant double standard.

Now I know you probably didn't even read the first paragraph and even if you did, you still don't get this simple point, but hey, you trolls can be a real hoot to play with sometimes.

Wait, wait...

I agree, Rich Sanchez was dead wrong.  Fox didn't promote the tea parties as he alleged in his cry-baby commentary.  I mean think about it what would Fox gain by organizing these "tea parties".  I know it wouldn't further their Fair and Balanced (Right Wing) agenda.  I mean think about it - is a billion dollar corporation even capable of organizing such events?  I doubt it.

So, there is a "double standard" because CNN mentioned this very funny video about a relevant, important topic? Please go cry to someone else about double standard. I had to listen to the media say "death panel" and "kill grandma" for the entire summer.  No one in the media said "hey, we read the bill and there is no such thing." They simply asked the question as if they couldn't read themselves.  They left a hanging chad on the minds of American to the advantage of the lying Right.

Me thinks Newsbumblers doth protest too much. 

For the love of all that is

For the love of all that is holy, you really need to slow down when you read.  You apparently missed the part where I said it wasn't the point whether or not the TEA parties and anti-Obama sentiment was astroturf.  Stop fumbling around the internet and go back and re-read it slowly at least three times.

The point (which you routinely miss) is that the media and high ranking political figures derided those protests as astroturfed and disingenuous.  With this one, they fail to do the same.  The "importance" and "relevance" of the topic is ironically irrelevant to the immediate discussion here. 

You didn't listen to the media promote "death panels" or "kill grandma", so stop lying.  The "media" has been trying to deflate those charges the whole time.  (Unless of course you count the Newsweek issue whose cover story is actually about killing Grandma.)  I'm not sure what alternate universe you occupy, but this...

  • "No one in the media said "hey, we read the bill and there is no such thing." They simply asked the question as if they couldn't read themselves."

...is clear evidence you are not from this one.  You don't even need your friend Google for this one.  You don't even have to navigate from this site to find sourced references (something you are completely unfamiliar with) that prove your pitiful asserion absolutely false.

And if you think me educating you is "crying", no wonder your reading comprehension is so abysmal.  You must have thought your teachers were all crying to you throughout your school years.

  • "...the lying Right."

Methinks Barry doth project too much. 

Blitzer

Hard to comprehend how this guy could be such a loser on a TV game show that gives the answers to current events and asks for the question. He doesn't have a clue. (Another A-hole news reader to quote a former czar)

The fringe medai HAS FAILED

The fringe medai HAS FAILED AMERICA ...

He also failed to note

how much these celebrities made last year.

Jeopardy

Somehow I can no longer see the name of Wolf Blitzer without instantly thinking about his humiliating loss on Jeopardy. He was actually in the minus points stage before they mercifully gave him some extra points. And even one of the few "correct" answers he gave they later found out to be wrong: Julia Childs. Sorry, Wolf, that "s" at the end cost you the few points that you won.

Exactly....

This two-time loser couldn't even beat average citizens in a game show.  He's proved his intelligence is barely average, probably sub-par - because he's never had to study anything.  He just reads his scrolling teleprompter each night, just like his puppet-master, Obama.

Why would anyone bother listening to anything this mental midget has to say?

Two words:  NEWS READER

Two words:  NEWS READER

I'll take Uninformed News

I'll take Uninformed News Readers for $100,  Alex.

 

Who is Wolf Blitzer?

The intelligence of Blitzer

The intelligence of Blitzer and Ferrell combined is measured at about 0.18 Andy Richters.

Speaking of earning money at the public's expense, please stick to your day job Mr. Ferrell.  The world needs more trite, formulaic un-funny 'comedy' movies.

Monday, September 21, 2009,

Monday, September 21, 2009, 6 p.m.

Glenn Beck  -  2,786,000 viewers

Blitzer    -           780,000 viewers

 

TE... You've got me

TE...

You've got me laughing now....you're on a roll, a good one too.

'Go Green...Recycle Congress'

→ TE

An audience 30% smaller than the population of my hometown watch Blitzer?

He's quite the celebrity, isn't he?

A Democrat killed Harvey Milk, Nancy!

Cool,

I thought you were in the San Angelo area. Have they experienced a growth spurt that I'm unaware of? 

"If the man, with the power, can't keep it under control...some heads are gonna roll." -Judas Priest

He doesn't have enough

He doesn't have enough viewers to even warrant mentioning his insignificant butt on this site.

 

A liberal who is actually working and not sucking on the gov teet...must be a Republican in training.

The Whole Ratings Story

Thanks to TE for the ratings list.   The full ratings story is even more inter4esting.

Here is Media Bistros full listing

  5PM – P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Glenn Beck– 2,786,000 viewers (720,000) (1,287,000)
Situation Room—780,000 viewers (168,000) (279,000)
Hardball w/ Chris Matthews—486,000 viewers (93,000) (199,000)
Fast Money—236,000 viewers (54,000) (83,000)
Prime News–286,000 viewers (117,000) (166,000)

"This video [is] getting a

"This video [is] getting a lot of attention out there."

Really? It must have been your attention, becasuse I never heard the hell about it until you brought it up. 

The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.

Who gives a rat's patootee about Wolfy Boy?

"It certainly seems from all of this that Blitzer is doing his best to help promote Ferrell and company’s left-wing cause."

Why shouldn't he? Wolfy Boy's own left-wing arrogance, snobbery and egotistical narcissism is right up Hollyweird's alley. I can't even stand to look at him let alone listen to any of his so-called commentary.

He is just one more example of left-coast, bleeding-heart, 'do as I say, not as I do' socialistic journalism gone berserk!

"Inferior people should not be employed." - Firesign Theatre  

Wolfy Boy's own

Wolfy Boy's own left-wing arrogance, snobbery and egotistical
narcissism is right up Hollyweird's alley. I can't even stand to look
at him let alone listen to any of his so-called commentary.

gt...you aren't alone, I can't either, I quit watching him about two years ago...I cannot stomach him any longer.

'Go Green...Recycle Congress'

See how desperate they are?

CNN, MSNBC and all the other Obama apology networks are losing viewers and market share faster than water from a toilet flushes into the sewer.

It's a sign of how desperate they are for some kind of attention that they feel they have to make more and more outrageous statements every day in their flailing attempts to lure back the viewers who have abandoned them.

Keep it up fellas - for all your so-called brilliance,  you don't even recognize that it's exactly this kind of behavior and 'reporting' that has driven you from #1 to the bottom of the trash heap.

Even Fox's lowest-rated shows have more viewers than their highest rated ones, and they're only making it worse by unveiling themselves blatently as Obama apologists.

Well.  That video was two

Well.  That video was two minutes of my life that I'll never get back.

A desperate monotony of the standard stupid, entropic, stagnant crap that passes itself as humor.

Maybe we hylee &bedder edjucated consurvativs doen't undurstand that tipe of hoomer.

Two more ignorant lefties in

Two more ignorant lefties in need of basic economic knowledge.  The healthcare industry gives us something in return for our money, unlike govt employee union members and union officials, who are both taking money from our pockets, while giving us nothing in return.

Yeah of course Blitzer is in

Yeah of course Blitzer is in awe of this ad, cuz we all know he's in awe of how smart comedians are, how much more they know than him.

If Edison were to invent the light bulb today, the head- lines would read, '200,000 candle makers lose their jobs.'

Will Ferrell - the clarion

Will Ferrell - the clarion voice of wisdom :) - a thespian whose college education was studying Sports Broadcasting and graduating with a degree in Sports Information (no joke).

This is a guy who makes a living acting stupid by running around in his jockey shorts. He is Frank the Tank.

His impression of GW Bush stinks but people buy tickets because he does a great job of recklessly insulting the former President.

Given Wolf Blitzer's low ratings, no one watched.

right, while health care

right, while health care insurers are making a whooping 2.2% profit margin; Wolfie makes a great salary for an ijit protraying a learned person and Willy makes an obscene salary for an inane buffoon portraying a comedic actor

The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” -- Chief Justice John Roberts 

How much was Wolfee making

How much was Wolfee making covering up for Sadam Hussein? How much will CNN and GE get out of the stimulus package?

HAHAHAHAHA. HEHEHE. I didn’t even know about it. Um. So, you’ve got me at a loss. I don’t know. (Charles Gibson of the dead media.)

um, let's see

Cable TV executives make billions at my expense.

Google executives make billions at my expense.

Hollywood producers make billions at my expense.

Athletes make billions at my expense.

...but why is it wrong when healthcare does it?

 

Because cough drops are a constitutional right.

The selfless government, information and entertainment industries on the other hand, are looking out for your best interests without thought of any personal gain and should be rewarded in direct proportion to the amount of smiles they bring to their own faces.

Have you no gratitude, candance?

 

Hi. My name is John Q. Public, but some just call me racist for sport.

Because its the Hollywierd

Because its the Hollywierd saying you should.  We should pay more attention to these people.

What a profound, ironclad

What a profound, ironclad argument.

I've often wondered why women ever wanted the Right to vote.  Thing obviously were so much better the way they were. 

Bye bye Troll !

Bye bye Troll !

Barry Bonds

The overpaid, under talented, steroid induced (yeah, with a little, um, you know)....loser....was so better off before he came here, and got his liberal moon-batt a** (and other parts) kicked all over the boards.

Ta ta, Barry....it hasn't been very nice to know ya!

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

See, this is what wanton steroid use does to a person.

Please, NBers, don't let this happen to your children.

-Dave

I agree with Rush. It's time for Obama to resign.

let this be a lesson to the kiddies

Liberalism will rot your brain.

 

weak angle

I state up-front that MoveOn.org's ad sucks, CNN's reporting on it sucked even worse, and the Socialist vision of "health care" sucks worst of all......

In fairness, though: the logic of your answer here is specious, candance:  All four of the analogies you offered refer to luxury expenditures, not necessities.

While medical care is not a right, per se, it certainly is a necessity.  And guarding against price gouging and profiteering is appropriate for food, medicine, et al, but totally inappropriate for discretionary entertainment purchases.

Actually, health care is

Actually, health care is only occasionally a necessity (Emergency room treatment etc).  And when it is actually a necessity it is provided whether the consumer can afford it at that moment or not.

wolf is very concerned

and will therefore sign over the whatever is above and beyond what is necessary to live, to charity.

____________________________________________ 
The Emperor, he has no clothes

It Was Legal!

Those healthcare executives make their money legally, unlike Barney Frank, Charlie Rangel, Chris Dodd, William Jefferson, Teddie Kennedy, etc. Executives in Government Sponsored Enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac took home millions in salaries and bonuses with the approval of Congress.

Take a look sometimes at how the net worth of those in Congress takes off starting on the day they take office.

Isn't this the same putz

That got, like, -2,000,000 dollars on Jeopardy. I'm surprised he can form a complete sentence. 

 

"If the man, with the power, can't keep it under control...some heads are gonna roll." -Judas Priest

H/C Exec's - $billions? Prove it, Blitzer.

Granted that there are more executives than the CEO's, but someone ought to publically challenge Wolfie Blitz to prove his numbers. These numbers are taken from Forbes, annual top 500 list. I copied it from here, Politicfact.com:

Here are seven health insurance CEOs who made the 2009 Forbes list. (All lead publicly traded companies, which have more stringent disclosure requirements than private firms.)

-- 22nd place among all CEO's: Ronald A. Williams, Aetna, $38.125 million

-- 135th place: H. Edward Hanway, Cigna, $10.27 million

-- 269th place: Stephen J. Hemsley, UnitedHealth Group, $5.035 million

-- 306th place: Angela F. Braly, WellPoint, $4.07 million

-- 359th place: Robert B. Pollock, Assurant, $3.14 million

-- 387th place: Allen F. Wise, Coventry Health Care, $2.6 million

-- 399th place: Michael B. McCallister, Humana, $2.39 million

The average for the other six executives on the list was $3.93 million

Sooo.. the sum total of all of the health care CEO's on the Forbes' top 500 list is $89 million. That is an "M," not a "B." That's 8.9% of $1 billion.

Someone want to inform us as to how we get that number to "$billions?"

(;~/ gary

C'mon Gary, you want to

C'mon Gary, you want to mess-up a good boogie man story by inserting facts? You won't be getting a job with the MSM anytime soon, that's for sure!

Young Students Indoctrination Video

 

 

http://iamnotaracist.wordpress.com/  

Yeah, Clear

That silly Gary and his silly FACTS!

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

Yea, Blonde..

.. was finally eating a smoked brisket sand for dinner with  jalapeño's, and it landed in my pesky fact center.

(;~> gary 

 

Pesky Facts!

Sheesh, they are WORSE than my mother!

And they are, now, chasing me off to bed.

Goodnight, Cinderella.

 

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

smoked brisket sand for dinner with jalapeño's

Damn Gary, all I had was a couple of chili dogs, chips, and a couple of beers.:-(

LOL-At least the franks were Hebrew National.

-Dave

I agree with Rush. It's time for Obama to resign.

Clear. I'm thinking..

that's fine with me.

Oh.. for your reference there to the 21:15 minute mark in the video link:

Genocide in the Congo (Zaire): In the Name of Bill Clinton, and of the Paris Club, and of the Mining Conglomerates, So It Is!

Who knew?

(;~. gary

you lie!

The question of "M" versus "B" for that ad was the first thing that crossed my mind, too.  Tip o' the hat to you for doing the research to follow up on that, Gary.

If we're going to talk about people who are obscenely overpaid for what they do, the discussion begins with MSM execs and ends with Congresscritters.

At least Blitzer is proving

At least Blitzer is proving his ignominious peformance on Jeopardy was no fluke.

Jer

hey Jer

Excellent observation!

(;~> gary

Even Carl Sagan waited until he had proof before he made the jump from millions to billions (OK, I took a little liberty there)

Blitzer lost all credibility

Blitzer lost all credibility during the Gulf War when he reported an aircraft "landing" in full afterburner.

No worries people, nobody

No worries people, nobody is watching Wolf at 5:00 pm anyway. Anyone watching news in this country at 5:00 pm is either watching their local news or Glenn Beck. Blitzer can say and do anything he wants and nobody will notice. Well, except for Matthew.

Young Students Indoctrination Video

 

 

 

http://iamnotaracist.wordpress.com/  

Let's Play Jeopardy...again !

And the categories are:

1. Number lower than CNN's ratings

2. Clinton or Obama apologists

3. America: The land that CNN forgot

4. Is Larry King still breathing?

5. Rick Sanchez's current I.Q.

6. My name is Wolf

Trebek:  Mr. Wolf Blitzer, you go next.  You're on the board with a negative (-) $4600 trailing Christiane Amanpour who answerd the whole 'Clinton/Obama apologists' category correcty and also trailing Lou Dobbs who also answered the whole 'Is Larry King still breathing' category although we did have to take a break to revive him, but nontheless..you're up....

Wolf:  Yes Alex, I'd like... "My name is Wolf"   for $1000

Trebek:  and the answer is... You can find me reinventing journalism.  I am a mind-numbed robot pushing the daily DNC talking points on a failing network.

1st buzzer  Trebek: Lou

Lou Dobbs:  Who is Jack Cafferty?

Trebek: Wrong.  Cafferty is a self proclaimed commentator with no journalistic value.

2nd buzzer  Trebek: Christiane Amanpour

Amanpour: Who is Paul Begala?

Trebek: Wrong.  You already gave that question in the Clinton/Obama apologists category, nice try...

3rd buzzer  Trebek:  Whew...Yes  (again) Wolf ???  May I remind you that you are already down more than any celebrity I've hosted in the past 25 years on Jeopardy and that you are playing for your own chosen charities namely:  ACORN, PETA and Code Pink who stand to lose even more let alone embarrass yourself and these fine morally bankrupt fringe groups?

Wolf:  Yes Alex! and my answer is:
.....Who is Bela Lugosi?

Trebek:  Bela Lugosi?  Huh?

Wolf: Yea, didn't he play the wolfman? C'mon.

Trebek:  Someone shoot me!

 

too funny!

too funny!

George Soros Making Billions at Your Expense

'MOVEON.ORG Executives Making Billions at Your Expense'

wolf

Fawning white guilt media makes billions off society as revenues fall. That's more true than his story.

2.2%

So now an average profit margin of 2.2% is profiteering and gouging. What ridiculous propaganda. On the other hand, such desperation on the part of the liberals means that they are losing the argument and they know it.

So is Bill,  Michelle,

So is Bill,  Michelle, Axelrod's kids, Biden's kids all on health care reform.

 

Ferrell is a high school drop out whose last funny movie was 3 years ago.

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