There has been much handwringing and teeth-gnashing regarding the plight of journalism—newspapers failing, superficial infotainment on TV News, the lack of resources devoted to serious reporting, etc.
This decline in the integrity of news reporting was clearly on display this week in the news stories reporting Joe Wilson’s heckling of Obama during Obama’s speech. As Eric Boehlert reports:
Of course, the rude heckling by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) is being reported everywhere. And yes, his apology for the extraordinary outburst has been noted. But have you noticed what’s been mostly left out from the dispatches? It’s the fact that when Wilson called Obama a liar for claiming illegal immigrants would not be covered by proposed health care reforms, Wilson himself was lying.
What’s been completely glossed over by the press is the fact that the “You Lie!” was itself built upon a lie. That the rude outburst was yet more GOP misinformation. Instead, too many in the press treat the exchange as a he said/he said. i.e. Obama claimed illegal immigrants won’t be covered, and Wilson called him a liar. What are the facts? Which man was telling the truth? The press won’t say.
From ABC News:
“A Republican member of Congress interrupted President Obama’s speech tonight on the floor of the House of Representatives to yell “You lie!” at the president, in reference to the president’s assertion that his proposals wouldn’t provide health insurance to illegal immigrants.”
That’s it. ABC never even tries to inform online readers which side was telling the truth.
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised, since the press has spent the whole summer timidly looking away from the orchestrated, right-wing misinformation. What does a Republican have to do these days to get fact-checked by the press?
UPDATED: Politico’s Glenn Thrush hailed Wilson’s heckling as the night’s “defining moment” in a piece headlined, “Wilson’s rallying cry.” But was Wilson’s boorish accusation true? Did Obama “lie” when he claimed Democratic health care reforms would no offer up free care to illegal immigrants? On that count Politico remains politely silent.
As we’ve seen this summer, right-wing theatrics are far more important than facts.
My morning fishwrap also contained no information about the truth behind the charge of lying. Where did I go to find the truth—to blogs. Where else?
Via Crooks and Liars:
From FactCheck.org:
One Republican congressman issued a press release claiming that “5,600,000 Illegal Aliens May Be Covered Under Obamacare,” and we’ve been peppered with queries about similar claims. They’re not true. In fact, the House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety) specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage:
H.R. 3200: Sec 246 — NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS
Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.
Also, under current law, those in the country illegally don’t qualify for federal health programs. Of interest: About half of illegal immigrants have health insurance now, according to the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center, which says those who lack insurance do so principally because their employers don’t offer it.
Some commentators are striving to construe Obama’s claim as misleading.
The interpretation of Obama’s statement — and Wilson’s response — depends on how you define “insure” and “reforms.” Obama is clearly referring to the the false claim that health care reform would provide free health insurance to illegal immigrants. Many people may interpret Wilson’s outburst as a defense of this claim (it’s impossible to know what he was thinking). However, as Rob correctly points out, Obama’s reforms would apply to everyone — including illegal immigrants — who purchases coverage through health insurance exchanges, including from a proposed government insurance program known as the public option. If you define the public option as insuring someone and describe it as a reform, then Obama’s statement could be seen as misleading and Wilson’s point could be seen as more supportable.
In other words, there is nothing in the bills that would prevent undocumented persons from purchasing health insurance.
I fail to see why that is a problem. They purchase automobiles, food, housing, etc. Why not health insurance as long as it is not subsidized?
Wouldn’t we prefer that they have health insurance just like we prefer that they have auto insurance?
