Eager to promote the issues that Democrats want to talk about ahead of the midterm elections, on Tuesday, NBC’s Today show devoted a full report to the topic of health care. The story focused on boosting ObamaCare and hammering Republicans for voting to repeal the policy.
“In many key races all across the country, it is health care that happens to be the number one issue,” announced co-host Hoda Kotb at the top of the segment. Correspondent Morgan Radford followed: “That’s right. In fact, voters are saying they care more about health care than they do about gun control, immigration issues, even their own taxes.”
The reporter hyped the issue even further as she declared: “...the voters here in America’s heartland say this is such a personal issue, one that for many can mean the difference between life and death.”
In the waning days of the midterm campaign, the clear Democratic strategy has been to keep the focus on health care. The NBC morning show was happy to oblige, as the headline on screen blared: “Battle Over Health Care; Pre-Existing Conditions at Center of Ballot Fight.”
Radford proclaimed: “A new poll shows health care is the top issue this election year, with 71% of voters saying it’s very important in deciding who they’ll send to congress in November.” That poll was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a liberal-leaning health care organization known for its support of ObamaCare. The reporter forgot to mention those details.
Instead, she asserted that the “biggest question” for voters was, “Whether pre-existing conditions protected under the Affordable Care Act will still be covered after the midterm elections.”
Talking to a group of Missouri voters all diagnosed with diabetes, she asked: “How many of you voted or will vote Democrat for this election?” A quick survey of the five people found two planned to vote for Democrats, two were undecided, and one was planning to vote Republican.
After playing a soundbite of President Trump promising to “protect Americans with pre-existing conditions,” Radford decried GOP attempts at health care reform: “And despite assurances from the President....some who are most affected aren’t quite convinced after Republicans in Congress repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.”
Turning to one of the Missouri voters, Emiley Hurst, who identified herself as a Democrat, Radford wondered: “Do you believe the President when he says he’ll protect pre-existing conditions?” Hurst predictably replied: “No, I don’t.”
At no point did the NBC News report mention any of the problems with ObamaCare or the deceptive way in which it was presented to voters.
On Tuesday’s CBS This Morning, the hosts conducted a friendly softball interview with former Obama White House advisers Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer. When asked about the Democrats’ best midterm strategy, both liberal operatives agreed that health care must be the central issue in the campaign.
It’s amazing how Democratic Party talking points always seem to be the centerpiece of media coverage as Election Day nears.
Here is a full transcript of the October 23 report on the Today show:
7:41 AM ET
CRAIG MELVIN: Welcome back on this Tuesday morning. Now to our ongoing series, The Vote: America’s Future, with just 14 days now until the midterm elections.
HODA KOTB: In many key races all across the country, it is health care that happens to be the number one issue. NBC’s Morgan Radford is on the road, she’s talking to voters. She’s in Kansas City, Missouri. Morgan, good morning.
MORGAN RADFORD: Hoda, good morning. That’s right. In fact, voters are saying they care more about health care than they do about gun control, immigration issues, even their own taxes. That’s why we’ve seen health care featured in nearly 50% of midterm ads all across the country. And why the voters here in America’s heartland say this is such a personal issue, one that for many can mean the difference between life and death.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Battle Over Health Care; Pre-Existing Conditions at Center of Ballot Fight]
Health care is hitting the airwaves.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN [CAMPAIGN AD]: Stop making our health care a political football.
RADFORD: Republicans and Democrats in a fierce messaging battle.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [CAMPAIGN AD]: People with pre-existing conditions.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN B [CAMPAIGN AD]: Cover pre-existing conditions.
RADFORD: And voters are listening.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN C [VOTER]: We’re really concerned about it.
RADFORD: A new poll shows health care is the top issue this election year, with 71% of voters saying it’s very important in deciding who they’ll send to congress in November . The biggest question? Whether pre-existing conditions protected under the Affordable Care Act will still be covered after the midterm elections.
In Ohio, it’s a matter of survival for Colleen Bowman and her family.
COLLEEN BOWMAN [OHIO VOTER]: My daughter was diagnosed with melanoma at seven, one year after the ACA – sorry.
RADFORD: No, don’t worry.
BOWMAN: And it was life changing, what the ACA did for us.
RADFORD: Now cancer-free, the high school student still worries about life without insurance coverage.
ELLA BOWMAN: All of my friends are worrying about, you know, who their homecoming date’s going to be. But I’m sitting at home worrying about what congressmen voted on today.
RADFORD: And here in Missouri, where voters face one of the closest Senate races in the country, Chrisy Cater runs a pilates class and helps people with diabetes. Do all of you have diabetes?
GROUP OF MISSOURI VOTERS: Yes.
RADFORD: Every single one of you?
VOTERS: Yes.
RADFORD: How does having diabetes and a pre-existing condition affect the way that you vote?
EMILEY HURST [TYPE 2 DIABETIC]: Pre-existing is the most important thing because they say they’ll cover pre-existing, but they cover pre-existing at a much higher rate.
CHRISY CATER [TYPE 2 DIABETIC]: I also have an insulin pump. I mean, it’s $10,000 and insurance covered 80% of that. So I make payments on that.
RADFORD: How many of you voted or will vote Democrat for this election? Undecided, undecided, Democrat, Democrat –
UNIDENTIFIED MAN D [MISSOURI VOTER]: Republican.
RADFORD: Republican. Show of hands, how many of you would be willing to switch parties based on the issue of health care? You’d be willing to switch? You’d be willing to switch? And despite assurances from the President...
DONALD TRUMP: And Republicans will always protect Americans with pre-existing conditions. We protect you.
RADFORD: ...some who are most affected aren’t quite convinced after Republicans in Congress repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Do you believe the President when he says he’ll protect pre-existing conditions?
HURST: No, I don’t.
RADFORD: If you had one message to your legislators, what would it be?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN B [MISSOURI VOTER]: Don’t discriminate.
MAN D: Let’s fix our health care system.
HURST: Let’s fix the health care.
CATER: Put yourself in my shoes.
RADFORD: Keeping a close eye on the campaign trail through November.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And Morgan, at the top of your piece we saw all those ads. They’re just all over the airwaves in some of these key states. Are they having an affect? Are the messages resonating?
RADFORD: That’s what was interesting, Savannah. In fact, these voters said they were happy to see that candidates discuss the topic of health care, but that the ads themselves were actually backfiring. They said the ads were so negative and only focused on the problems of the health care system. But they said they really hadn’t heard a candidate come up with a solution to fix it, and that’s what they’re waiting to hear ahead of November 6. Savannah, Hoda?
KING: Alright. Morgan, thank you.
