Karl's evidence that Kennedy's death hasn't "inspired newfound unity on health care reform" predates it
ABC's Jonathan Karl claimed that if "last night's town hall meeting in Phoenix is any indication" of whether Sen. Ted Kennedy's death will "inspire newfound unity on health care reform," "the answer seems to be no." But the video Karl aired to support his claim was from an August 25 event that occurred before Kennedy's death, not from "last night."
From the August 27 broadcast of ABC's World News with Charles Gibson:
CHARLES GIBSON (anchor): Even though he was away from the Senate for much of the last year, until just days ago, the senator was actively involved in the health care reform debate, on the phone with colleagues. Some of his allies in Congress harbor hopes that his death might generate a change of heart among opponents. If that is to be the case, there are few signs of it yet. Here's Jon Karl.
[begin video clip]
KARL: Could Senator Kennedy's death inspire newfound unity on health care reform? If last night's town hall meeting in Phoenix is any indication --
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: No compromises, no compromises, no compromises. Senator, nuke it now. Thank you.
KARL: -- the answer seems to be no.
Town hall meeting in Karl's video occurred before Kennedy's death
Meeting occurred afternoon of August 25, not "last night." According to ABCNews.com, "Ted Kennedy died shortly before midnight Tuesday," August 25. However, the town hall meeting held by Sen. John McCain in which an attendee said, "Senator, nuke it now," occurred earlier that day, shortly before 3 p.m. Eastern time.
From the 2 p.m. ET hour of CNN Newsroom on August 25, which carried McCain's town hall live:
KYRA PHILLIPS (anchor): As you know, we've been dipping in across the country, listening to all the various town halls that are being held by our Democrat and Republican leaders. Now it's Sun City, Arizona, with Senator John McCain. Let's listen in.
[...]
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: First, the health care proposal needs to be killed now in its entirety. No compromises, Senator, please. Because if it passes in any form, it will give the Obama administration opportunity to build on it, and I think we all know that.
With all due respect -- Senator. I propose that you go back to D.C. and propose that Congress return to the Medicare health care plan and the Social Security retirement plan, because if these plans are not good enough for you and your family, sir, then they certainly aren't good enough for us and our families.
[applause and cheering]
No compromises, no compromises, no compromises, no compromises. Senator, nuke it now. Thank you.
The right's concern is who the left is going to exploit Kennedy's death to get what they want. To heck with what the people want; it's all about what I want! That's today's politician.
When are they going to realize they are servants-not the ruling class. At least not yet!
No compromise in healthcare reform means a compromise in your healthcare.
Just wander by PolitiFact and look at their analysis of the 6o most recent statements made about health care.
Of those 60 statements...they found only "6" to be true. And those statements come from the far left...the far right...and all in between. No one has a monopoly on the bad information.
Even Pres.Obama is not exempt. Covering his last 11 statements...they found only 1 to be true and 3 as outright false.
Shameful.
Even caught Paul Krugman on a misstatement on protests. Bet that doesn't happen too often.
I didn't see any democrats in the pants on fire category though.
So on their own scale Your "shamful" coment is partially true versis you being often in the pants on fire area.
The media is contractually mandated to never mention that fact. Politifact doesn't care much about it either, producing only one item around a distortion of that fact, and failing to zero in on the heart of the matter.
If the debate would have started with that fact, we'd all agree on day two that the private insurance companies are an epic fail and should be thrown on a bonfire. Then we'd agree on day five that single payer works spectacularly everywhere it's tried, including the US. Then on day 14 we'd pass the friggin' thing and move on to our difficult problems.
The United States is a backwards nation, unable to keep up with the advanced countries.
Here are the dollar figures in descending order on Politifact's list that are supposedly "near the top with the US": 6267 5660 5447 4994 3974 3973 3937 3917 3872 3871 3726 3718. The US is 6719.
With ridiculously few outliers, health care spending clusters around HALF of the United States. Politifact yawns, snores, and obfuscates around that astonishing fact, which should be the focus of the entire debate.