During an October 3 7News at 10 p.m. report about President Bush's veto of a bill to expand the federal government's State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), KMGH 7News anchor Mike Landess stated, “The president said the bill would move America toward socialized medicine and was way too expensive.” Landess then reported, “Congressional Democrats vow to fight the president over this issue,” but he failed to provide any of the reasons why they believe the bill merits a veto override. In contrast, several other Denver-based media outlets reported Democrats' comments. For example, KWGN CW2's News2 at Nine reported on October 3 that Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter “says without the program, thousands of Colorado children will no longer have access to basic health care.”

From the October 3 broadcast of KMGH's 7News at 10 p.m.:

LANDESS: President George Bush visited Pennsylvania today, and he talked about why he vetoed the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP. The president said the bill would move America toward socialized medicine and was way too expensive. Congressional Democrats vow to fight the president over this issue.

The 7News report did not include a Democratic response to Bush's criticism, and it failed to provide comments from Democrats or other supporters -- 18 Republican senators and 45 Republican House members voted for the legislation -- about why they back the measure.

In contrast, CW2 anchor Vida Urbonas reported that Ritter “is reacting to the news of the veto. He says without the program thousands of Colorado children will no longer have access to basic health care.” She further reported that “GOP lawmakers and top Democrats” would lobby “to override the veto”:

From the October 3 broadcast of KWGN CW2's News2 at Nine:

ERNIE BJORKMAN (anchor): Also ahead, President Bush under fire from Democrats as well as Republicans tonight. Why his latest veto is so very controversial.

[...]

BJORKMAN: As promised, President Bush today vetoes a bill that would have provided health insurance to even more underprivileged children.

URBONAS: A bipartisan group of lawmakers has been working to extend and expand the state children's health insurance, or SCHIP. The president said the program is too expensive and goes too far in attempting to help three and a half million children more than are already covered.

BUSH [video clip]: What you're seeing when you expand eligibility for federal programs is the desire by some in Washington, D.C., to federalize health care.

URBONAS: Many Republicans say they will lobby their fellow party members to override the president's veto. President Bush says he is not completely against the SCHIP program and is willing to negotiate a compromise. Here in Colorado, Governor [Bill] Ritter is reacting to the news of the veto. He says without the program, thousands of Colorado children will no longer have access to basic health care.

RITTER [video clip]: And this was really a way for the federal government to work with states just to focus on kids, so I'm really disappointed, and I think that the president of the United States has let us down in a very big way with this veto today.

URBONAS: In Washington, GOP lawmakers and top Democrats will spend the next two weeks lobbying for enough support to override the veto.

KCNC's CBS4 News at 10 p.m. broadcast on October 3 reported Bush's veto, but unlike 7News, CBS4 noted that "[s]upporters say the bill would have helped millions of low-income children" and quoted the comments of Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (MA).

From the October 3 broadcast of KCNC's CBS4 News at 10 p.m.:

KATHY WALSH (anchor): President Bush vetoes a bipartisan measure aimed at boosting a children's health insurance program. Supporters say the bill would have helped millions of low-income children. But the president saw the bill as too costly.

[begin video clip]

BUSH: This program expands coverage, federal coverage, up to families earning $83,000 a year. That doesn't sound poor to me.

KENNEDY: The ball is in our court. We can do something about it. This is a defining issue -- not only about children, but also about the values of this country.

[end video clip]

WALSH: The Senate has the votes to overturn the president's veto. The House needs at least a dozen Republicans to support the measure.

Further, an October 4 Rocky Mountain News article reported that Colorado U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette is “in charge of lining up votes for the contentious SCHIP reauthorization”:

Denver's congresswoman said she will lead the fight to override President Bush's veto of an expanded children's health insurance program.

In the meantime, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, said Congress will keep extending the current funding to make sure kids already covered by the State Children's Health Insurance Program don't suffer.

DeGette, in charge of lining up votes for the contentious SCHIP reauthorization, headed a chorus of voices Wednesday from political and health leaders in Colorado condemning the veto.

“We're about 15 votes short right now” of overriding the veto, said DeGette. But with nearly three of four Americans supporting the expansion of health care for children, that is going to “give some Republicans in swing districts some real pause.”

DeGette posted a press release on her congressional website October 3 noting her criticism that Bush's veto “will jeopardize health care for over 10 million children of the working poor,” and The Denver Post reported on October 4 that DeGette said, “Despite the falsehoods in (Bush's) rhetoric, this compromise bill targets the lowest-income uninsured American children whose parents can't afford health insurance.” The Post also offered comments about the veto from the rest of Colorado's congressional delegation and Ritter.

The Post further reported, “Under the vetoed plan, Colorado could have received about $85 million in 2008 if state legislators approved, according to Families USA, a consumer-advocacy group. It would have allowed the state to more than double the number of covered children, which was about 53,000 as of July.”