Sicko: GMA Uses Moore Movie, Liberal Group to Push Universal Health Care

Based on its own ABC poll, "Good Morning America" could have run a segment this morning on the theme "support for universal coverage slipping as Americans express increased concern for keeping taxes down." But that wouldn't have fit ABC's big-government paradigm. So instead, GMA used this prescription for pushing universal health care:

• Cherry-pick results from a poll you've conducted; ignoring inconvenient findings.
• Bring in a spokesman from a left-wing group that pushes universal care.
• Uncritically rely on a clip from, yes, Michael Moore's latest propa-mentary, "Sicko."

Today's "Good Morning America" took Barack Obama's announcement yesterday of his health care proposal as a jumping-off point for a segment on the broader issue. Co-host Diane Sawyer flashed a graphic showing that according to an ABC News poll, 56% of Americans favor Universal health coverage. What Diane didn't tell you: the number of people backing universal coverage has dipped since ABC last conducted such a poll, when support was at 62%.

Sawyer handed things over to ABC correspondent Claire Shipman, who promptly cited the poll finding that most people are more interested in universal coverage than in keeping taxes down. But again, she didn't disclose that the margin of people preferring coverage over lower taxes has fallen significantly since the last time ABC polled. Other inconvenient poll findings we didn't hear about: by a 2-1 margin, people think universal coverage would make the quality of their own care worse, and by better than 2-1 think it would worsen their choice of doctors or hospitals.

Shipman emphasized how times have changed since the Hillarycare disaster of 1993:

Clinton's effort to promote universal health care roiled her husband's presidency. But these days a healthcare plan is a must-have for candidates and for Democrats the buzz word is "universal."

We then heard from Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, who put in a brief plug for coverage. Pollack is a former Clinton appointee. Families USA is a liberal advocacy group that promotes universal coverage. Phillipe Villers, its founder and president, also serves on the ACLU President's Committee and the Amnesty International USA's Executive Directors Council. ABC predictably didn't bother to give us any background on the benignly-named organization.

Shipman then shifted to Michael Moore's upcoming documentary, Sicko. Said Shipman:

The issue could soon get hotter with this: [cut to a clip from movie] "He sawed off the top of two of his fingers," the upcoming release of Michael Moore's new film, Sicko, his scathing look at the healthcare system. [Back to movie clip] "The hospital gave him a choice: re-attach the middle finger for $60,000, or do the ring finger, for $12,000."

As she spoke, GMA helpfully ran a clip from Sicko showing drawings [displayed here] of the detached fingers.

ABC found it unnecessary to invite any guests to balance with a free-market perspective Pollack or Moore's weighty, big government views. To the contrary, she closed by again suggesting that the tide was moving in the direction of support for universal coverage:

Who would have thought, candidates fighting over ownership of the phrase "universal health care"?

Co-host Robin Roberts was happy to agree: "Who would have thunk it?"

Shipman & Co. didn't let ABC's own poll, showing support for universal coverage dropping, rain on their big government parade.

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net