newsobserver.com projects - Capstrat - Comments

Re: Obama's informal adviser in Raleigh

mvh9355 — Sat, 23 May 2009 03:03:09 -0400

Every so often you get a glimpse of the machinations behind the curtain and this is one of those pieces of investigative reporting.

This is all you need to know about Mr. Eudy: "We help corporations advance regulatory interests" ; "Eudy was the best man at the wedding of Bob Greczyn"; "CAPSTRAT'S LARGEST CORPORATE CLIENTS: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina." and, "Ken Eudy is one of Barack Obama's key supporters in North Carolina."

Couple that to this week's WaPo article outlining how BCBSNC is using the ill gotten gains from not paying for patient care (as a BCBSNC Advanta insured member, in a 3 member healthy family, I cannot get reimbursed screening colonoscopies or mammograms; and there is no mental health parity tho a law was passed last year: BCBSNC was allowed by state legislature to OPT OUT) and this is what you got: 'North Carolina's Blue Cross Blue Shield Trying to Kill Key Plank of Obama Plan.' :"the company has hired an outside PR company to make a series of videos sounding the alarm about a government-sponsored health insurance option, known as the public plan"

YO: MR OBAMA: THAT BA-BA BLEATING IS A SHEEP DRESSED IN WOLF'S CLOTHING.

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD Lic Psychologist, NC

Re: Krugman criticizes Blue Cross of N.C.

dahedgehog — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:38:10 -0400

Krugman argues that none of the plans currently being discussed would force people into a government-run health care plan.

The above is an example of crappy reporting. By using the contsruction "Krugman argues..." you do a disservice to your readers. If I'm uninformed on the topic at hand, I come away from this blog post thinking that one side says X, the other side says Y. I walk away from this piece of reporting no better-informed than when I started my day.

A good reporter would instead have written, "None of the plans currently being discussed would force people into a government-run health care plan." This is an unarguable fact. Such a statement from the reporter would leave his readers with a better understanding of the issues.

Instead, your readers are forced to choose sides between the Corporation or the Liberal, and nobody leaves any better off than when we started.

I'm sorry, but this is a huge pet peeve of mine. If somebody is making a factual claim that is verifiable, do some freaking reporting and figure out who is right! Tell your readers!

Re: Perdue appoints Willis, Crowder

FFC1304 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:31:25 -0500

carmen hooker odum? didnt she leave under duress and flee to new york?

Re: Perdue appoints Willis, Crowder

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:23:53 -0500

Fixed. Thanks.

— RTB

Re: Perdue appoints Willis, Crowder

englewood — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:18:59 -0500

Ahhh..... Courtney Crowder is a "he".

Re: Dalton raised $1.5m by end of June

Cdickson — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:32:56 -0400

Hmmmm...I went and looked. He has old loans to his Senate Campaign too. It looks like they were foregiven. That would make it seem pretty likely that he's not looking to pay the loan back.

Re: Dalton raised $1.5m by end of June

MattM — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:27:41 -0400

Pittenger's outstanding loan is from... his wife. Don't think the pressure to pay that one back is too high on the list right now.

Pittenger's in trouble

bnartist — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:41:48 -0400

Pittenger has an outstanding loan of $500,000 so he's actually $185,000 in the hole.

He has also failed to file electronically for two recent quarters.

Dalton's in trouble

Senate — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:42:14 -0400

Pittenger has $315,000 on hand and Dalton has $175,000. That spell big trouble for Dalton. If Pittenger out rasises him then goes into his deep pockets for supplemental funding, Dalton may just get overwhelmed with money.