George Stephanopoulos, Good Morning America co-host, showcased media bias in an interview with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), pressing him on Republican opposition to a Democratic spending bill just hours after Senate Democrats themselves rejected legislation that would have kept the government open. Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton White House official, used his platform to accuse Republicans of endangering health care coverage.
“The Democratic proposal is designed to prevent millions of Americans from losing their health insurance, losing Medicaid coverage, or paying higher health care premiums. Why are you against that?” Stephanopoulos asked Johnson on Wednesday.
Johnson countered by pointing out Democrats’ role in the shutdown. “That’s an absurd statement,” Johnson said. “Forty-four Senate Democrats voted to reject a clean, nonpartisan continuing funding resolution to keep the United States government open. The Democrats said, instead, that they wanted to give health care to illegal aliens instead of keeping critical services provided for the American people.”
The failed resolution saw nearly every Senate Democrat vote against a stopgap measure that would have extended government funding. Only Sens. John Fetterman (PA), Catherine Cortez-Masto (NV), and Independent Sen. Angus King (ME) sided with Republicans. Sen. Rand Paul (KY) was the only Republican to oppose it.
Stephanopoulos dismissed Republican concerns, insisting, “Here are the facts. The proposal does not provide health care for illegal immigrants.” Yet Democrats’ plan includes Medicaid reimbursements for emergency treatments given to illegal immigrants—funding that Republicans had cut under a Trump-backed tax bill.
Following the interview, Johnson reiterated that Democrats forced the shutdown. “Democrats in Congress have dragged our country into another reckless shutdown to satisfy their far-left base,” Johnson said.
