Stossel defends appearance at health care forums

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Fox Business Network host John Stossel criticized Democratic-led moves to reform the nation's health care system on Thursday and defended his appearance at a series of town hall forums on behalf of a conservative group.

The former anchor for ABC's "20/20" said the efforts in progress would eventually lead to government-run health care.

"Reform means it will make something better. How do they know this is going to make it better? They ought to call it a health plan or health scheme than health reform," Stossel told more than 800 people gathered at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. "I think it will make it worse because it will make health care cost more and it will give us fewer choices."

Stossel's appearance at forums organized by Americans for Prosperity comes as his employer, Fox, is at odds with the Obama administration. White House officials have argued that the network operates more like a wing of the Republican Party than a balanced news organization.

Americans for Prosperity says it supports improving health care, but is opposed to a government-run health care system.

Stossel said he made three speeches for the group in August, when he still worked for ABC. Stossel said he's on Fox as a commentator, not a straight news reporter.

When Stossel joined Fox, the network said he would host a weekly program on Fox Business that would feature "in-depth reports on domestic and international libertarian issues," as well as make regular appearance on the Fox News Channel and host a series of one-hour specials for the network.

"If John Stossel's role as a journalist includes traditional straight reporting, then it's reasonable to question whether he can do that reporting with any degree of independence or credibility," said Bob Steele, a DePauw University journalism professor and scholar for journalism values at the Poynter Institute.

Stossel said his comments at the forums aren't different from his criticism of businesses when he was a consumer affairs reporter.

"When I woke up to the fact the government controls were a bigger problem to consumers and started saying that, suddenly I was breaking the objectivity canon of journalists ... I've always had a point of view. It only bothered my colleagues when it was a point of view that upset them," Stossel said after his speech.

The forums in Little Rock, Texarkana and Jonesboro come as Arkansas' two Democratic senators are under scrutiny on the proposed health care overhaul. Legislation unveiled by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid includes a public option, but would allow individual states the ability to opt out.

Sen. Mark Pryor has said he's open to the idea of a government-run insurance option and likes the idea of allowing states to choose whether to participate. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, who is seeking re-election next year, has said she is undecided on Reid's proposal but is still opposed to the public option.

"Your state is literally ground zero in this debate on health care," Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, told the audience in Little Rock.

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