Questions Nobody Is Asking

The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

Questions Nobody Is Asking 
“How Would a U.S. Government Shutdown Affect Canada?”–headline, WSJ.com, Sept. 30

The Media and ObamaCare
“Can the Media Avoid Rush Judgment on Obamacare?” asks Politico in a Saturday headline:

Reporters . . . will be tempted to declare the health law a success or a failure in the first few days–a judgment that will certainly be stoked by advocates on both sides of the issue.

And any rush judgments could have a big impact on public opinion of the law. Right now, the majority of Americans in recent polls say they oppose the law, but the Obama administration is hoping that will turn around once people see it in action.

It’s weird to worry about “rush judgments” when opposition in those opinion polls has been consistent since before ObamaCare became law. And even ObamaCare supporters in the Politico piece seem unenthusiastic:

The storyline is now about consumers interacting with a complicated new health system, added Trudy Lieberman, a health journalist and press critic at the Columbia Journalism Review. Although the 24/7 news cycle is the new normal, Lieberman sees a need for “old-fashioned” consumer-focused reporting.

“I say that because people signing up, and there will be many of them, will need a lot of help,” she said. “I like to refer to this as a sort of insurance jungle they’re going to be facing . . . they’re going to need help hacking their way through it.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, is it? Then there’s this:

Drew Altman, CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation, said the challenge for the media will be to make sure the public doesn’t get spun silly–because the first days of open enrollment will give Obamacare’s supporters and critics a ton of material to work with.

“Each side will have their facts and their anecdotes, so the challenge for the journalists is to get beyond that and find out what’s actually happening,” he said.

The Weekly Standard reports that Kaiser is participating in an NBC “Multi-Screen Experience,” described in the network’s press release:

“Ready or Not, the New Healthcare Law” kicks off on Monday, September 30th with results from a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, conducted in conjunction with NBC News, that details public opinion and awareness about the ACA. That evening, “NBC Nightly News” will air an interview between NBC News’ Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. . . .

“Ready or Not, the New Healthcare Law” will also provide extensive coverage on the process of enrolling in health insurance marketplaces. The interactive tools, available on NBCNews.com/Healthcare on October 1st, will explain what these marketplaces are, where to find them, and how to evaluate the options and calculate costs.

Can mainstream-media marketing make a success of ObamaCare? It hasn’t worked so far, as those opinion polls suggest.

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