It's a classic example of the MSM's use of sympathetic individual anecdotes to manipulate public opinion in favor of more and bigger government. Today's Good Morning America segment on the looming government shutdown, narrated by former New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny, offered the stories of just two people, both African-Americans, both of whom might be hurt by a government shutdown. And check out the screen graphic: not to dramatize things or nuthin', but ABC plaintively wonders how federal workers would "survive."
ABC could have balanced its report with stories of younger people who will see their health insurance premiums double or more if ObamaCare is implemented. But why would Good Morning America want to go there? View the video after the jump.
Imagine the way this segment was planned, as reporter and producers scurried around the country looking for people whose stories would fit the approved pro-Obama line.
JEFF ZELENY: In the middle of it all is Maria Njoku, one of the 800,000 federal employees who won't be at work or getting paid Tuesday morning if there's a shutdown. She has student loans, and recently moved out of her parents' house.
MARIA NJOKU: I do live paycheck to paycheck. I haven't saved up money to pay my bills, so I would have to find a way to manage to take care of my bills.
ZELENY: For two years, she's worked as an information assistant at the Pentagon. Riding the roller coaster of budget cuts, furloughs and uncertainty.
NJOKU: It's just one of those cases where, here we go again.
ZELENY: The fears of a shutdown reverberating far outside Washington to the Keesler Air Force base in Biloxi, Mississippi.
JOE JONES: It's definitely going to impact the amount of money I may make.
ZELENY: Joe Jones fears his business will suffer if government employees can't come to work.
JOE JONES: If they were to lose their paychecks like everbody else, that might motivate them to probably solve some of the problems they're facing right now.
