From WNYC in New York, this is NPR's On the Media.

I'm Bob Garfield.

And I'm Brooke Gladstone.

Tonight, from the White House, a special edition of Prime Time.

On Wednesday night, ABC featured a town hall-style forum with the president about his health care plan.

Before the special even aired, the newly formed Congressional Media Fairness Caucus,

40 House Republicans led by Texas Representative Lamar Smith,

declared that there wouldn't be, couldn't be enough challenge to the president and his plan.

Smith went on to tell newsmax.com that media bias was a bigger threat to democracy than terrorism or a depression.

ABC's special was Exhibit A, despite some pretty tough questions for the president.

Your critics on the republican side of the

senate finance committee wrote you a letter would you potentially sacrifice the health of your

family for the greater good of ensuring million a little skeptical on cost mr president what

are you going to do for people like me so that we don't fall through the cracks congressman

lamar smith welcome to the show happy to be with you and your listeners as well.

So having seen it, were your fears realized?

Unfortunately, yes.

I think all ABC really did all day long from their morning newscast to their evening newscast

to the town hall meeting at the White House.

I think all that amounted to just showing one side of the health care issue, frankly, as they

have since January, ABC has interviewed 55 people in favor of the President's health care plan.

Only 18 were opposed.

...