Those Dufus Television Commercials

The best thing about President Barack Obama and the First Lady starring in their own political coup in tonight’ first state-run television presentation from the White House is you don’t have to watch it. In a broadcast that could easily be entitled “Street Organizers Out of the Windy City Make Good”, Obama will do his made-for-TV savior of America’s health system gig with or without his Teleprompter.

Scheduled for 10 p.m., the Obama Reality Show coincides with the Death of Journalism, starring ABC. At least it wasn’t kept for the witching hour. If you think there is something wrong with a national television network giving Obama an unchallenged infomercial, you are probably right wing, or an advocate of conspiracy theories with far too much imagination. ABC News President David Westin, is here to tell you that it’s all above board and journalism’s finest hour. You think that ABC moving its equipment right into the White House is not fair journalism? Westin promises the exclusive will be “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,” Westin said. “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.” As George Orwell might have said some “political high theatre” is more important than other political high theatres. As Canada Free Press says, “How sanctimonious can anybody be?” Wednesday nights are reserved as cocktail party nights at the White House. White House social secretary Desiree Rogers said last February that the Obama administration was making Wednesday night social events a tradition. Think of tonight’s show as a longer than usual commercial break. Not everybody is blinded by the fog of the ObamaCult. Yesterday the Republican National Committee launched a new national cable ad attacking `a national TV network’ for “turning its airwaves over to President Obama’s pitch for government-run health care”. Grousing about the unfairness of it all will only get you branded as a “right-wing extremist”. There’s something better than grousing. In two words it’s called “Ignore them”. The television networks were in the tank with Obama long before tonight’s ABC “exclusive”. The network is merely jumping out of the tank into the White House. There are so many more meaningful things to do besides watching Obama on ABC in the White House tonight. Rent a movie, take a late evening stroll, watch the real stars out on your balcony. Obama is already a legend in his own mind. Don’t make him one in yours.

Judi McLeod——Bio and Archives -- Judi McLeod, Founder, Owner and Editor of Canada Free Press, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in the print and online media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared throughout the ‘Net, including on Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.