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WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday evening, all but one of America's television networks blew off their prime-time programs and dutifully trotted off to the White House to cover an hourlong self-congratulatory news conference celebrating the first 100 days of the Obama administration. Only Fox kept regularly scheduled programming -- the network's new hit "Lie to Me." ABC, CBS and NBC should have used the same title for the O-Team's news conference.

The Fox "reality drama" drew a million more American viewers than any network airing Mr. Obama's version of "Lie to Me." Those who tuned in to the White House coverage were treated to an astounding defense of profligate spending, a litany of broken promises and a deceitful denial of foreign policy failures. The fawning network executives who decided to forgo an estimated $10 million in ad revenues to cover the hundredth-night carnival from the East Room have to hope their shareholders don't fire them all.

Ever mindful of what's "playing" in front of the American people, Mr. Obama led off, as he does consistently, with the crisis du jour. This time, it was the swine flu, which members of the O-Team and the media have labeled a "possible pandemic."

On Wednesday evening our physician in chief assured us that he is doing everything necessary "to closely monitor the emergency cases of the H1N1 flu virus throughout the United States" and that our "government is taking the utmost precautions and preparations." After noting that he has "requested an immediate $1.5 billion in emergency funding from Congress to support our ability to monitor and track this virus and to build our supply of antiviral drugs and other equipment," the good doctor advised, "Keep your hands washed; cover your mouth when you cough; stay home from work if you're sick; and keep your children home from school if they're sick."

His flu-prevention prescription is reminiscent of guidance during last year's campaign on saving fuel by keeping the tires on our cars properly inflated. Presumably, someone at the White House's press office is preparing a news release reminding us all to eat our green leafy vegetables.

The next item in the teleprompter was kudos to Congress for passing the 2010 O-Team budget. Though it passed the House of Representatives without a single Republican vote, Mr. Obama gushed about "how gratified (he was) that the House and the Senate passed a budget resolution today that will serve as an economic blueprint for this nation's future." If that "blueprint" statement is valid, our nation's economic future will be very bleak indeed.

Though he claimed that "this budget builds on the steps we've taken over the last 100 days to move this economy from recession to recovery and ultimately to prosperity" and asserted that he "has already saved or created over 150,000 jobs," there is scant evidence any of that is true. Rep. Mike Pence, chairman of the House Republican Conference, described the funding measure as "the most fiscally irresponsible budget in American history." Congress should be doing what every American family is doing: cutting expenses, finding within themselves the faith and, yes, the courage to get through these times with sacrifice. Instead, here in Washington, it's more government, more spending, more debt and more taxes.

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