Dr. Howard Dean: The Media's Treatment of Palin's Outrageous "Death Panel" Claims

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-dean/the-medias-treatment-of-p_b_255878.html

Howard Dean
Former Governor of Vermont and DNC Chairman
Posted: August 10, 2009 03:44 PM
The Media's Treatment of Palin's Outrageous "Death Panel" Claims


Former Governor Sarah Palin made some preposterous claims over the weekend which attracted mainstream media attention. She made up the term "death panel" and claimed that part of the health care reform bill now working it's way through Congress required that families with children with disabilities, or elderly people who are infirm, could be judged by one of these death panels, which could control their fate and decide if they would die. GOP leadership repeated this outrageous claim across the airwaves on the Sunday morning talk shows. The mainstream media gave this claim credibility simply by repeating it.

My wife and I have practiced medicine for over forty years combined. There is no truth now, nor has there ever been any truth to the idea that the government encourages euthanasia or infanticide.

Our country is in trouble. Claims like these are routinely refuted by people who know better, but they are recirculated because they are sensational, and the MSM purports to take a balanced position without a thoughtful assessment of the facts. Fox News actually has people on in support of these outrageously false claims.

In fact, these kinds of claims are lies. There is no nice way to say it. This kind of stuff is far beyond the usual politicians' tricks of shading words and imputing meanings that aren't there. To quote a famous American who began the process of ending the McCarthy era in the fifties I address the MSM: "At long last, Have you no sense of decency?"

[Pirate Smile]

1. Hey, Howard, park yourself on TV and stay there, pretty please.

[malaise]

2. Thank you Howard Dean

In fact, these kinds of claims are lies. There is no nice way to say it. This kind of stuff is far beyond the usual politicians' tricks of shading words and imputing meanings that aren't there. To quote a famous American who began the process of ending the McCarthy era in the fifties I address the MSM: "At long last, Have you no sense of decency?"

[abelenkpe2]

3. This stuff needs to stop

FOX news and media outlets perpetuating these lies need to be fined or sued, or encouraged somehow to tone down the bs. The people they have fooled are feeble minded at best and armed to the teeth. I fear violent tragedy is around the corner if things don't begin to settle down.

[rvablue]

4. Thanks as usual to the Good Doctor! Just wish he had included Palin in his final call out. n/t

[2Design]

5. Dean is right on so many things n/t

[TexasObserver]

6. Recommend

[Milspec]

7. K & R good work Mr. Dean

[newtothegame]

8. Naieve question: How would the fairness doctrine affect situations like this?

Would it not require that broadcasters give airtime to opinions like this just because it's the "opposing viewpoint," no matter how blatantly dishonest or wrong?

[horseshoecrab]

9. Thanks Dr. Dean!

K&R

:kick:

:patriot:

horseshoecrab

[jimshoes]

10. Alas, they have no sense

of decency.

[ljm2002]

11. I love Dr. Dean!!!

The only damned one who will stand up and call it what it is -- LIES.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. I loved it

when he told her to "quit makin' things up." :rofl:

I'm sure she'll be booking her face off this afternoon, since the legislature just voted to override her veto of the energy stimulus funds.

[spanone]

13. death panels = insurance companies