The Real Town Hall Story

Washington Post ^ | September 3, 2009 | E.J. Dionne

[La Lydia]

Health-care reform is said to be in trouble partly because of those raucous August town-hall meetings in which Democratic members of Congress were besieged by shouters opposed to change. But what if our media-created impression of the meetings is wrong? What if the highly publicized screamers represented only a fraction of public opinion? What if most of the town halls were populated by citizens who respectfully but firmly expressed a mixture of support, concern and doubt?

There is an overwhelming case that the electronic media went out of their way to cover the noise and ignored the calmer (and from television's point of view "boring") encounters between elected representatives and their constituents.

It's also clear that the anger that got so much attention largely reflects a fringe right-wing view opposed to all sorts of government programs most Americans support. Much as the far left of the antiwar movement commanded wide coverage during the Vietnam years, so now are extremists on the right hogging the media stage -- with the media's complicity....

But the only citizens who commanded widespread media coverage last month were the right-wingers. And I bet you thought the media were "liberal."

[La Lydia]

"Who ya gonna believe, me, or your lying eyes?" Also, the underlying assumption here is that the proposed legislation is worthy, above reproach and shouldn't be questioned.

[CSM]

EJ,

You are an out of touch moron.

Keep your laws off my BODY.

[pgyanke]

Also, the underlying assumption here is that the proposed legislation is worthy, above reproach and shouldn't be questioned.

Exactly. I'm not biased, you are if you think America dislikes this holy writ of healthcare legislation.

[Semperfiwife]

E.J. has always lived and dwelled in the beltway bubble. Now if he clicks his heels three times and says “they really love Obamacare” he can convince himself that this so called health care plan is the best for the nation. Click away, E.J., there is no place for Obamacare in this nation of freedom loving people. No place.

[Zeppo]

But what if our media-created impression of the meetings is wrong? What if the highly publicized screamers represented only a fraction of public opinion?

Shhhh... Don't tell anybody. E.J. Dionne is actually a high-level Republican plant in the heart of the media beast - his assignment is to encourage the Obamunists to continue their gross overreach in their actions to destroy America, in the expectation that as a result, the Democrats will lose control of Congress in 2010...

[JohnQ1]

Dang! I almost started on a serious, substantive response before I noticed that this came from the washingtonpoop.

[Jmouse007]

Video Regarding Exeter, NH Town Hall Meeting... Speaking From the Heart Against Obamacare.

Here is a Youtube video of the event of August 31 where Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta spoke at an Exeter, NH town hall meeting in Exeter that you may not have seen and may want to view and forward to others involved in the battle against Obama Death care entitled:

...constituent speaks from the heart (about Obamacare)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRzlLa48Wps

I spoke shortly after the retired police man from NYC who was ejected the day before by Carol Shea Porter. There were paid activist (possibly union) thugs outside the hall dressed in SCREAM masks and gowns screaming "Stop Republican Scare Tactics". Needless to say, I let them, congress and Obama have it with both barrels.

[Tin Man Tex]

I suppose what EJ says could be true.... IF it weren’t for those darned polls that confirm that the public hates the proposed legislation. Those pesky polls just make it so hard to pretend the mob is just a violent fringe group. So I guess we should ban polling now.

[sauropod]

Thumbsuckers that suck their thumbs in public are a public embarrassment.

[ClearCase_guy]

This is the big Talking Point right now -- I'm hearing it everywhere: Americans LOVE Obama's health care reform! It's just a tiny, but vocal, minority who oppose it.

Suuuuuuuuuuure.

[Verginius Rufus]

The one thing E. J. Dionne can be admired for is consistency. No matter what subject he expresses an opinion on, it’s always wrong.

[N. Theknow]

What if most of the town halls were populated by citizens who respectfully but firmly expressed a mixture of support, concern and doubt?

Where might those meetings have been E.J.?

Any sources you care to name for this claim?

Tell your Mom "Hello" when you come up from the basement for supper.

[Nick Danger]

"Who ya gonna believe, me, or your lying eyes?"

Exactly. Who does he think he's going to fool with this drivel? The CongressCritters who held the Town Halls have by now decided for themselves what happened there, and nothing said by E.J. Dionne is going to change their minds.

The liberals are acting as though the anger expressed by citizens at the Town Halls was a 'right wing' version of one of their own MoveOn-operated, Soros-funded "demonstrations." They think that what they have to do now is scream in the press that the people do so love Obama and government health care, and then round up a bunch of union members and teachers, give them all pre-printed t-shirts and signs, and have them stage even bigger "demonstrations" of Public Love for Obama.

Except that that's not going to fool anyone.

Sure, there are doctrinaire liberal 'Critters who will insist that Obamacare is en route for an on-time arrival, but most of the 'Critters had to clean out their britches after visiting their districts last month. Obamacare really has changed into KennedyCare: it's dead.