About That C-Span Coverage of Health Care Negotiations

As you may or may not know, C-SPAN is asking the Democrats to open up their health care bill meetings to C-Span television coverage-just like President Obama promised.



It's not just one time Obama said this; he said it multiple times.

Here is an exerpt from today's White House press briefing involving our old friend and comedian, Robert Gibbs:



Chip.

Q Following up on Dan's question, during the campaign the President on numerous occasions said words to the effect of -- quoting one -- "all of this will be done on C-SPAN in front of the public." Do you agree that the President is breaking an explicit campaign promise?

MR. GIBBS: Chip, we covered this yesterday and I would refer you to yesterday's transcript.

Q But today is today and --

MR. GIBBS: And the answer that I would give today is similar to the one --

Q But there was an intervening meeting in which it's been reported that the President pressed the leaders in Congress to take the fast-track approach, to skip the conference committee. Did he do that?

MR. GIBBS: The President wants to get a bill to his desk as quickly as possible.

Q In spite of the fact that he promised to do this on C-SPAN?

MR. GIBBS: I would refer you to what we talked about in this room yesterday.

Q But the President in this meeting yesterday --

MR. GIBBS: And I addressed that --

Q -- pressed for something that's in direct violation of a promise he made during the campaign.

MR. GIBBS: And I addressed that yesterday.

Mike.

Q Well, does the President think it would be more helpful if this process were more transparent, that the American people could see --

MR. GIBBS: Mike, how many stories do you think NBC has done on this?

Q Speaking for myself --

MR. GIBBS: Just a guess.

Q That's not the issue. The issue is whether he broke an explicit campaign promise.

MR. GIBBS: So the answer is --

Q I deal with the information that --

MR. GIBBS: So the answer is hundreds, is that correct?

Q Right, but that's got nothing to do with it. I deal with the information, however much or little of it, there is. I'm saying would people benefit by having more information?

MR. GIBBS: Have you lacked information in those hundred stories? Do you think you've reported stuff that was inaccurate based on the lack of information?

Q Democrats ran against the very sort of process that is being employed in this health care --

MR. GIBBS: We had this discussion yesterday. I answered this yesterday. Is there anything --

Q But the President met with members of Congress in the meantime --

MR. GIBBS: And he'll do so today.

Q -- and pressed them to --

MR. GIBBS: Do you have another question?

Q -- short-circuit the process.
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And here is Nancy Pelosi's reaction to a question about the C-SPAN promise:



Fousesquawk comment: Do I really need to comment on this?