Some journalists finally focusing on GOP and health care

[babylonsister]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/200909230031


Some journalists finally focusing on GOP and health care

September 23, 2009 4:20 pm ET by Eric Boehlert


Yesterday morning I complained that so few members of the Beltway press were taking time to weigh what the political consequences of the health care 'debate' might be for Republicans, as GOP members uniformly oppose the Obama legislative push. The only angle that appeared to be in play for the press was what the "risks" are for Democrats.

Well, late yesterday WSJ.com posted a good item on its Washington Wire blog which examined how the politics of health care are playing out for the GOP:

There’s more bad news for Republicans: about three times as many Americans disapprove of how they are handling the heath care debate than approve, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

A clear majority, 65%, said they disapprove of how congressional Republicans are handling the issue of health care overhaul, while just 21% said they approve. Those numbers are little changed from last month—their approval rating stayed the same, but the disapproval was slightly lower at 62%.

With atrocious numbers like that, I'm sure the GOP would prefer that the press goes back to its previous Democrats-only reporting model.

UPDATED: There's growing evidence that many in the press are missing the larger story by training most of their attention only on Democrats in terms of the political "risks" in play with health care.

From MSNBC's First Read:

Who will get blamed if health care doesn't get passed this year? Per the poll, 10% say Obama, 16% say congressional Democrats, and 37% say congressional Republicans.

[NewJeffCT]

1. I'd be happier if nobody got blamed for lack of passage

but, that's just me.

[babylonsister]

2. I hope we will all be happy soon, but it's nice to know Americans aren't

being hoodwinked by the rethugs.