ABC Wakes Up to 'Massive Technical Glitches' on ObamaCare Website: 'It's a Bust'

The journalists at Good Morning America on Monday woke up to the "massive technical glitches" "plaguing millions" of Americans trying to use the ObamaCare website. The morning show, which has largely minimized the troubled debut of HealthCare.gov, featured reporter Rebecca Jarvis to lament, "It was supposed to be an easy way for Americans to sign up for health care online. But this morning, the Department of Health and Human Services, which spent $500 million to build the site, is admitting it's a bust."

Jarvis attempted to navigate the web page, but offered this perplexed assessment: "But even when we tried to access the site,  we encountered this error, a registration page filled with question marks and incoherent data." [See video below. MP3 audio here.] Although the GMA journalists highlighted the problems, they also buried their impact. It wasn't until the very end of the segment that co-host George Stephanopoulos noted that the administration is "racing the clock." Jarvis agreed, pointing out, "They have to get people signed up for health insurance by January 1st, before the fines start kicking in."

Isn't the fact that millions are unable to sign up for health care, but will still be fined, the most important point?

Way back on October 1, World News previewed the new website. Reporter Paula Faris featured Max Dinette, a man trying to sign up. She explained, "He was excited to sign up today but couldn't get online because the website kept crashing, the same for many others inundating the government's health care website."

On the October 2 GMA, Josh Elliott noted that "Americans coast-to-coast are voicing frustration."

After that, however, ABC mostly downplayed problems with the website.

This week, the networks have had the story forced upon them. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is facing calls to testify about the problems. The House is investigating. 

On CBS This Morning, correspondent John Dickerson offered much tougher language than what ABC has managed. He insisted that the White House faces a "credibility death spiral" over the "total fiasco" of HealthCare.gov.

Via: Newsbusters
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Poor Obama: Nets Fret Over Shutdown That Left Obama With 'No Choice' on Canceling Summit

The three network morning shows on Friday worried about President Obama and the fact that he had "no choice" but to cancel an Asian summit as the government shutdown drags on. On ABC's Good Morning America, Jon Karl lamented, "These were two significant summits in Brunei and Indonesia. The White House says he could legally have gone, but he needs to be here to push for reopening the government and dealing with the pending possible default of the government." [See video below. MP3 audio here.]

Reiterating, Karl again noted that these are "significant summits" and the "White House did not want to cancel this trip." Karl read a lengthy statement from the White House (with accompanying onscreen graphic) blaming the "House Republicans for forcing a shutdown." GMA co-anchor George Stephanopoulos agreed that the "President really had no choice." At no time did anyone on the program put the responsibility on Obama for not engaging the GOP. One good question might have been: Why stay home from a summit if you aren't going to negotiate over the financial stalemate?

The best Karl could allow is to parrot, "...The White House is saying they won't give anything in exchange for the debt ceiling."

On NBC's Today, Chuck Todd commiserated with Obama, noting, "Third time in three years that something political has caused the President to cancel a trip to Indonesia." Todd even helpfully explained the political reasons why the President stayed home: "But they just thought the look and feel of the President being out of the country while the government is shutdown, he using government resources overseas, that wasn't a smart move politically."

But he didn't blame Obama for the shutdown or lack of progress in bringing it to a speedy conclusion. Instead, he said of the GOP: "Perhaps they'll come up with a new strategy or tactic to decide whether they try to end this now."

In an 8am update, Natalie Morales at least allowed equivalency. She pointed out: "The President says Boehner won't call a vote on a temporary spending bill because he doesn't want to extremists in his party who are demanding changes to ObamaCare. She then highlighted John Boehner labeling ObamaCare  "a train wreck."

CBS This Morning anchor Norah O'Donnell called the cancelled summit "another casualty" of the shutdown. The Bill Plante full report featured five clips (total) of Obama, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Harry Reid.

Plante allowed a solitary example of Republican Congressman Eric Cantor blasting the President: "The president’s refusal to work in a bipartisan way has led us to this shutdown." Later in the show, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi appeared for more slanted coverage of the shutdown.

Via: Newsbusters

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