C-SPAN Calls for More Transparent Health Care Talks

(AP)

As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama called for completely transparent health care deliberations and even promised to hold all negotiations on C-SPAN. Now, as the health care debate reaches its final stages, the nonprofit cable company is asking Washington leaders to follow through on that promise.

C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb sent a letter to congressional leaders last week, asking that they "open all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings, to electronic media coverage."

"Many of your rank-and-file members, and the nation's editorial pages have all talked about the value of transparent discussions on reforming the nation's health care system," , Lamb said in the letter, which was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). "Now that the process moves to the critical stage of reconciliation between the Chambers, we respectfully request that you allow the public full access, through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every single American."

As Lamb notes, "literall hundreds of hours" of committee hearings, debate and meetings have been broadcast on C-SPAN through the health care debate, allowing journalists, bloggers, watchdog groups and citizens to follow the process. Other significant parts of the health care debate, however, have remained behind closed doors, such as Mr. Obama's negotiations with the pharmaceutical industry which resulted in a deal committing the industry to a specific contribution to reform.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Now that Democrats have passed a health care bill in both the House and the Senate, they will need to reconcile the two bills. That process could take place through the formal "conference committee" process, or it could happen informally. Either way, there are sure to be important negotiations and meetings taking place among Democratic leaders that remain private.

Lamb said the C-SPAN networks are willing to commit all of the resources necessary to comprehensively cover the upcoming conference committee sessions live.

"We are most willing to employ the latest digital technology to make the cameras, lights and microphones as unobtrusive as possible," he added.

When asked last week about the level of transparency so far in the health care debate, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the legislative process has played out clearly in the hearings and debates that have been aired on C-SPAN.

"I think, quite frankly, people have a pretty good sense of who is battling on behalf of thousands of lobbyists that are trying to protect drugs profits and insurance profits, and who's fighting on behalf of middle-class Americans," he said.

Pressed on the issue again today, Gibbs said he has not seen the C-SPAN letter but that he doesn't think "the American people have lacked for information on what's in these bills," or "the political and policy arguments around people's position."

[TruthAnn]

Obama is a terrible disappointment. Just when many believed there could be an honest president after the Bush debacle we have another liar in the White House.
Open the transparency to the public! allow c-span in! We have a right to know. What are they afraid of? What are Obama and his cronies hiding?

[stopthewaste]

Contact and protest to your politicians about the health bill. This is just a diversion until it's too late for the public to do anything about it.

[bkeller01]

Who are you kidding. I called Senator Boxer's office today and got a major run around. She hasn't read the bill. She doesn't care. I'm hoping CA gets smart soon and gets rid of her and Feinstein. They are terrible and could care less about their constituents.

[stopthewaste]

C-SPAN is a tool for the Obama administration. WHO ARE THEY KIDDING? This is just a distraction...a diversion for the public while the Democrats work in private rooms away from the public's eyes. Slight-of-the-hand, look at my left hand while my right hand is in your pockets is how it works until a bill passed. That's how they get things done.

[robertg222]

The Speaker says this is the most open process in her memory. She must have Alzheimer's.
She always forgets why she is working for. (the American people)

[wisconsin_conservative]

Can you say Speaker of the House Boehner? Get ready, this is what is coming.

[wisconsin_conservative]

Has anyone seen Pelosi's approval rating lately? Putting her online live could take her to new record lows......

[wisconsin_conservative]

Oh I forgot we are all gun toten Nazi's. GOP has NOT been invited to participate.....wake up.

I can't understand why the unions are not barking louder about the tax they will be required to pay on the bill.

[1947marie]

That's because the unions are all getting a special deal. Just like Nelson.

[wisconsin_conservative]

And the mainstream press still wants to slam FOXNEWS. You would think that they would want to bump the ratings and give people what they want (Love them or hate them, but you will watch them)? I have not seen Lou Dobbs turn up anywhere yet? Any clues?

[sjc_1]

That was HIS promise, not their promise. Besides, the word "promise" is misused. Promise is what dad tells the kids, grown ups know these are political statements. The Republicans had their chance to participate and all we got was gun toting extremists at so called town meetings during the August break.

[wisconsin_conservative]

How about they read the final bill, word for word out loud on C-SPAN?

At least it would be read by somebody? I am very concerned at the rush to get this done....

I've heard anything is better than nothing. That's nuts, take the time to get this right.... (just like they fixed the economy, fixed unemployment, and kept us secure from terrorists).

Did you hear that fossil Helen Thomas keep trying to setup Gibbs today to blame Bush for making the jihadists hate Americans? I was glad to see him not take the bait. He was wavering, but did not bite.