ABC/Obama Healthcare Special Not so Special in Ratings Game
Obama: Ratings Killer
For those of you that are curious, Obama’s super special, ultra spectacular healthcare infomercial was a dud in the ratings last Wednesday night.
ABC’s Brarackspactacular Healthcare Extravaganza (I think that was the official name of the show, wasn’t it?) went up against the NBC premiere of “The Philanthropist,” widely panned as disappointing, and a repeat of “CSI: NY” on CBS, widely seen as already once widely seen. Unfortunately for ABC, its prop”O”ganda special got a dismal 1.2 rating to the 2.0 and 1.8 ratings respectively for the entertainment competition.
Apparently the TV show where he’s president but plays a doctor on TV didn’t go over well. The “Super-dooper, Obamalicious, Doctor Spock medicine woman show” was only able to cajole 4.703 million viewers into watching while NBC picked up 7.414 and CBS got 7.393 in the ten O’Clock hour. Remembering that we have 300 million citizens and healthcare is supposed to be the biggest emergency in history, well, that is a paltry number of viewers that Doc Barack got.
How ABC Stacked the Deck for Obama
ABC breaks out the knee pads for Barack McDreamy: MD
With the very first question of its prime time special, Questions for the President: Prescription for America, ABC set the tone that essentially confirmed for viewers that the president was right in his desire to radically remake America’s healthcare system. As the infomercial began, “moderator” Charles Gibson asked a seminal question of the doctors and other participants that were about to hear the president speak: “How many of you agree with the president that we need to change our healthcare system?” Naturally they all raised their hands.
Imagine that? This handpicked crowd all agreed with ABC and Obama that “change” was paramount. Surprised? Hardly.
So, as the viewer is introduced to the infomercial, they start off with the unanimous affirmation that the president is right, radical changes have to be made. The premise is set and even the sharp questions to the president later in the show are blunted by the assumption that some major change is needed. And since the president is the only person allowed to offer any plan during this ABC special, the further assumption promulgated is that he is the one that must affect that change.
For viewers of this healthcare infomercial, Obama wins thanks to an assist by ABC. The viewer is deftly led to the desired conclusion.
During Healthcare ‘Special’ ABC Refuses Paid Ads That Oppose Obamacare
What, no 'Fairness Doctrine' For ABC?
So, not only is ABC not planning to include opposing voices to President Obama’s healthcare proposals during its special presentation next week — though ABC does claim “those in the audience” will ask questions of the president — it is refusing to even allow groups that oppose Obamacare to purchase paid for advertisements to air during the healthcare special.
Rick Scott, chairman of Conservatives for Patients Rights, contacted ABC and inquired about purchasing some ad time during the Obamainfomercial, but was refused the sale. Scott wanted to air his 60-second ad before the healthcare show started. Though it was refused by the national Network, apparently it is still possible for Scott the buy time on local affiliates should he desire it.
ABC: Scaring Parents About Kid’s Friend’s Gun Owning Parents
More biased media scaremongering against our Constitutional rights.
Wait a minute Mom. Don’t let little Johnny go to his buddy Tommy’s house. Tommy’s parents are psychos that own — **gasp** — GUNS! This is the message that ABC is telling parents in an April 10 piece headlined, “Before Arranging Playdates, Ask About Guns.”
Here ABC attempts to make every gun owner seem like a lunatic just ready to blow and encourages parents to be deathly afraid of anyone that owns a gun. It encourages parents to pry into the lives of family members of their kid’s friends and bases it all on the lies passed off as scary gun violence statistics.
Naturally, ABC’s back up for this anti-gun screed is by a supposedly “non partisan” anti-gun group called PAX USA, an organization with board and advisory councils filled with left-wing Hollywood actors such as Richard Belzer, Tim Robbins, and Rob Reiner among many others.
Different Sheet of Music Alert: Contra Steph, the DNC Claims Eric Cantor, Rush Limbaugh are on the Same Page
Remember ABC host George Stephanopoulos’s claim last Sunday that House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) was rushing to repudiate Rush Limbaugh himself, along with Limbaugh’s willingness to fight for conservative principles and for American (rather than Obaman) success?
Well, it looks like the Democratic National Committee needs to start getting in on the daily strategy calls between Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Obama surrogatesmainstream media figures like Stephanopoulos, because DNC executive director Jen O’Malley Dillon appears to be singing from a different sheet of music than the rest of the DNC operatives mainstream media types out there.
Bill Clinton agrees that Obama should smile more.
Not in so many words, but he generally echoed something that I noted yesterday: our President is not being reassuring enough. Like all good poisoners, Clinton makes sure that the fatal dose is well-mixed with things designed to mask the taste. In this case, GOP-bashing:
Bill Clinton: Obama Should Sound More Hopeful
[snip]
Regarding Obama’s bleak warnings that “the economy could get worse before it gets better,” and that the economic stimulus program is only the beginning of the end of the economic crisis, Clinton said, “I like the fact that he didn’t come in and give us a bunch of happy talk. I’m glad he shot straight with us.”
But he added, “I just want the American people to know that he’s confident that we are gonna get out of this and he feels good about the long run.”
Clinton thinks Obama should talk to the public in greater depth about the economy.
“I like trying to educate the American people about the dimensions and scope of this economic crisis,” Clinton said. “I just would like him to end by saying that he is hopeful and completely convinced we’re gonna come through this.”
Media Turns on Obama, Part 2
The White House is treating the press like the press corp is Obama’s pet. They whored themselves to get Obama elected, so they can hardly be surprised by it. Nonetheless, they are upset Obama’s pay to play marketing operation continues.
Veteran CBS newsman Bill Plante was one of the most vocal critics, questioning the White House’s handling of Wednesday night’s second swearing in – which was covered by just a four-reporter print pool that didn’t include a news photographer or TV correspondent.
He also asked new press secretary Robert Gibbs why ABC, which paid millions to host the DC Neighborhood Ball, was granted the only inauguration day interview with President Obama – a move he equated to “pay to play.”
“We have a tradition here of covering the president,” said Plante, who is covering his fourth administration.
What’s fun about this is that not all the press has gotten the memo. As Fox News notes, not everyone in the press is upset. Some still want to sexually gratify themselves in front of The One:
Pressed further by the Politico reporter about his Pentagon nominee, Obama turned more serious, putting his hand on the reporter’s shoulder and staring him in the eye.
“All right, come on” he said, with obvious irritation in his voice. “We will be having a press conference, at which time you can feel free to [ask] questions. Right now, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to you guys — that’s all I was trying to do,” Politico.com reported.
The situation came to a close when a cameraman in the room interrupted, declaring: “I’d like to say it one more time: ‘Mr. President.’”
