State of health care debate: Pundits attack 11-year-old

OK a new low for Party of No.

I am sure the neocon apologists will justify this deplorable response to a human interest story.

"Swiftboating" kids..........classy.

news.yahoo.com...

Conservative talk show hosts and columnists have ridiculed an 11-year-old Washington state boy's account of his mother's death as a "sob story" exploited by the White House and congressional Democrats like a "kiddie shield" to defend their health care legislation.

And while displaying sanity and dignity, the 11 year old schools the classless hacks.

Marcelas Owens , whose mother got sick, lost her job, lost her health insurance and died, said Thursday he's taking the attacks from Rush Limbaugh , Glenn Beck and Michelle Malkin in stride.
"My mother always taught me they can have their own opinion but that doesn't mean they are right," Owens, who lives in Seattle , said in an interview.

In a word.....despicable.

reply to post by kinda kurious


The White House did use it as a sob story to defend their legislation. It is a sad story used only because it is a sad story.

What is worse.

Using a very sad story to guilt people into doing what you want or calling out those who use a very sad story to guilt people into doing what they want?

In a word.

Relax.

Originally posted by Miracle Man
What is worse.

Worse than a heart-warming, directly related human interest angle?

Well, since you asked..........fear mongering.

news.yahoo.com...

Thanks, I'm chill dude.

Limbaugh's contributions (according to the article):

Limbaugh, Beck and Malkin are skeptical about the story, saying there were other forms of medical help available after Owens' mother, Tifanny, lost her health insurance. They lambasted Democrats for using the story.

"Now this is unseemly, exploitative, an 11-year-old boy being forced to tell his story all over just to benefit the Democrat Party and Barack Obama ," Limbaugh said on March 12 , according to a transcript his show...

Beck's contributions (according to the article):

Beck, according to a transcript of his March 15 show, pointed out that Owens' recent trip to Washington was paid for by Healthcare of America, a group that has been lobbying for a health care overhaul.

"That's the George Soros-funded Obama-approved group fighting for health care," Beck said. "Since all of the groups are so concerned and involved now, may I ask where were you when Marcelas' mother was vomiting blood?"

Beck, who's from Mount Vernon, Wash. , said there were plenty of programs in Washington state that could have helped Tifanny Owens .

There is, absolutely, zero ridicule of the 11 year old, in these quotes. Then, on top of that, the title of the article uses the word attack then replaces it with the word ridicule, in the first paragraph. Sensationalistic?

I'll cede the last sentence, of Limbaugh's quote, was sensationalistic and unnecessary, but is neither ridicule nor attack, of the 11 year old.

Ridicule of those who exploited the boy? Without a doubt. But not the kid.

Edited to correct my false assertion that the OP had substituted wording, when in fact it was the article's actual text. My apologies to the OP.



[edit on 27-3-2010 by WTFover]

[edit on 27-3-2010 by WTFover]

reply to post by Miracle Man


Agreed. Politicians on both sides merely exploit these people and their stories for manipulative purposes. Its all about votes, and, as you say, all about making the public feel guilty and shaming them into supporting a position.

yeah...right...it's shameless to have actual people tell their stories...amazing how they attack the political leaders and not the insurance companies. look, if the insurance companies were doing the right thing in the first place, there wouldn't be these tragic stories.

this is like letting bernie madoff go free, and blame the government for not catching him doing what he did.

Originally posted by jimmyx
yeah...right...it's shameless to have actual people tell their stories...amazing how they attack the political leaders and not the insurance companies. look, if the insurance companies were doing the right thing in the first place, there wouldn't be these tragic stories.

this is like letting bernie madoff go free, and blame the government for not catching him doing what he did.

AGREED! It is like blaming the chickens at KFC for getting fried.

To be crystal clear, the smear campaign began BEFORE the bill signing:

Right-wing media set sights on family of 11-year-old who spoke about his mother's death at health care event

Right-wing media -- including Limbaugh and Malkin -- previously attacked family of 12-year-old who spoke in support of SCHIP

Right-wing media target Marcelas and family; portray them as "liberal activists"

SOURCE

Spin this as you like but THE FACTS as they say are stubborn.


[edit on 27-3-2010 by kinda kurious]

OP,

Do you know what WCAN is? As far as I can tell through using the internet, the Washington Community Action Network is precisely an Alinsky-style community organization and activism organ.

What you seem to be accusing these pundits of is telling the truth. Of course, if you want to point out in their own words where they lied about this issue, I'd be glad to see it. I'm just not sure what your beef is here. it looks like you just copy/pasted the bold sections of a website. I can do that too:

"Welcome to CafeMom

CafeMom is an online community where millions of moms meet each day to talk, share advice,
make new friends and play games. It's fun, it's free, and it's for moms only."

Actually, let me post the byline of the article you cited:

"Posted by

* SxyMartini

on Mar. 16, 2010 at 7:00 PM "

I wish I could access "SxyMartini's" profile, you know, so I could determine where she got her J-school degree.




[edit on 27-3-2010 by Professor Tomorrow]

[edit on 27-3-2010 by Professor Tomorrow]

Now I understand! It turns out that what you cited was actually a post from, can you guess?

Media Matters!

If you want to argue that Media Matters is an objective, fair, or even remotely reliable media outlet, it's your credibility, not mine.

Be careful. It's hard out there for a pimp.