This morning Nashville CBS affiliate WTVF ran a canned piece provided by CBS about yesterday’s anti-healthcare reform rally in Denver. They interviewed Jeff Crank, identified only as "a cancer survivor," who made the outrageous claim that he would have died had there been government healthcare during his ordeal. Seems there's a little more to Jeff Crank, however. More after the jump ...
Actually, a little digging wasn't necessary. Try 2 minutes on Google. Jeff Crank is Colorado state director of Americans For Prosperity--as well as a conservative talk radio host, failed Republican candidate for Congress, and a lobbyist. AFP is a right-wing group which first made its name--wait for it--fighting workplace smoking regulations.
Gee, you really want to listen to those guys on healthcare reform?
Interestingly, yesterday ThinkProgress revealed that a right wing astroturf firm called DCI Group coordinates PR for an anti-reform group called Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights. DCI Group was formed in the mid ‘90s to, you got it, “build public opposition to tobacco regulations.”
Methinks someone is doing some moonlighting, or else there’s a little more coordinating going on than just DCI’s work for CPPR.
Anyway, Americans For Prosperity is that Koch Industries-funded astroturf outfit that organized the April 15 tea bagger events, then tried to make it look like they were spontaneous “grassroots” affairs. You might also have seen one of their anti-climate change hot air balloons around the country. They flew over the Gores’ house in Nashville last month.
This is why "astroturf" is so nefarious, and so effective: Colorado TV viewers may be familiar with Crank because of his failed Congressional campaign -- indeed, some papers there correctly identified him as State Director of Americans For Prosperity. But by the time that clip made it to Nashville, he's simply a "cancer survivor." Any reasonable viewer would think, "gosh, he must know what he's talking about, having been through cancer treatment and all that."
And that’s what they want you to think. This is a big organization, well funded by corporate interests, with ties to the Republican Party. Their Colorado State Director makes an appearance at a Denver rally and CBS identifies him as a “cancer survivor”? Epic media fail.
Why does the news media keep falling for this crap? Here's a little tip for CBS and the rest of the mainstream media: whenever Congress takes up a major piece of legislation that threatens the corporate status quo, you will find astroturf. These folks don't give a crap about gays or God but they sure want to keep the cash river flowing straight to their door. So if there's an issue like, say, healthcare reform, cap and trade, or taxing the wealthy, and some group holds a rally to make sure things stay exactly the way they've always been, those ain't corn dogs you're sniffing, it's the aroma of bullshit wafting your way.
I didn't think I should have to tell you to check your sources twice and thrice, but apparently I must.
And to Jeff Crank I say: I'm glad your health is better. But please do a better job of identifying who you work for next time CBS comes calling.