A Fox Nation headline declared, “Diane Sawyer 'proud' of Obama Health Care Infomercial.” But in a video clip the Fox Nation included, Sawyer stated, “It is not an infomercial. ABC News does not do that.”
Fox Nation smears Sawyer, saying she's proud of ABC “Infomercial”
Published
In a June 23 headline, the Fox Nation declared, “Diane Sawyer 'proud' of Obama Health Care Infomercial.” But in the video clip from the June 21 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources the Fox Nation included along with the headline, Sawyer stated, “It is not an infomercial. ABC News does not do that,” adding that “people ... are going to be able to ask questions from every single vantage point. And they are going to challenge the president, many of them.”
ABC News senior vice president Kerry Smith has similarly stated that the ABC special will give “voice to questions and criticisms” of President Obama's health care plan and that “ABC News is looking for the most thoughtful and diverse voices on this issue,” as Media Matters for America has noted.
From the June 21 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources:
HOWARD KURTZ (host): As you know, the Republican national chairman Michael Steele has said that ABC is promoting ObamaCare. And Fox's Sean Hannity took a shot at this, noting ABC being owned by parent company Disney. Let's play a little bit of Hannity. Let me just play the bite.
SEAN HANNITY (Fox News host) [video clip]: President Obama's love affair with the mainstream media continues. But as we learn more about next week's Mickey Mouse-sponsored infomercial, one thing is becoming clear, and that is our headline this Wednesday night, journalism in America is dead.
KURTZ: I'm sure you would like to respond to that.
SAWYER: Oh, Sean. Again, you know, ABC -- I'm so proud of ABC. And I hope that there is some recognition for the fact that this network is trying to tackle a serious issue in a serious way, and we are doing something that we would love to see a lot more air time dedicated to.
What is more important than a dialogue about health care? It is not an infomercial. ABC News does not do that. We will be there, and these people in this room are going to be able to ask questions from every single vantage point. And they are going to challenge the president, many of them.
And, as I said, this is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. It is an American issue. And I don't think Republicans or Democrats can argue that only people on Capitol Hill should be addressing this issue. We should have a great debate about these issues with people on the front lines as well.
