ABC Responds

Responding to critics in the Republican party that claimed ABC was not being fair in holding it’s ABC World News broadcast inside the White House without a single opposing view point voiced, ABC says, “Don’t worry about it, we’re above all this partisan politics:

Westin wrote back to the members of Congress, promising a “thoughtful, respectful, and probing discussion of some of the issues raised by the calls for health-care reform.”

“We will include a variety of perspectives coming from private individuals asking the President questions and taking issue with him, as they see fit,” he wrote.

“Sadly, some inside government and within the private sector see every issue as material for a sort of political high theatre, to be used to gain votes or energize political bases or simply to raise funds. I would have thought that a subject as important as the health care received by the American people would rise above this sorry spectacle. Our citizens need and deserve more. We are proud to be making a serious effort to go beyond mere punditry or stylized, bipolar debate; we are proud to work for a network and a company willing to devote valuable airtime to serious consideration of a subject so worthy,” Westin wrote.  [The Note: Congressional Republicans Blast ABC; ABC Fires Back]

The problem is, having people that disagree with the President available to ask questions of the President isn’t like someone presenting a different set of ideas.  Presentation != Questions.

Just notice what President Obama did when people at his press conference asked him questions he didn’t like—he shrugged them off or said they were wrong.

Are you going to watch the latest episode of the Obama show on ABC?