Political Punch

It strains credulity to think that the movers in Barack Obamma's campaign don't remember the Harry and Louise attack ads against Hillary's health care reform attempt in the 90's. This issue of taking money from someone's paycheck to pay for universal health care is a red herring. Hillary Clinton said her plan would include help for people who couldn't afford the premiums. On the other hand,there would be some people who could afford the premiums who would want to ride on the back of the system, making it more expensive for the rest of us; those people might need a push or a penalty. Couldn't we also look at Social Security as garnishment of wages? But anyone who has a parent or relative depending on Soc Sec knows the value of it to them.

If there is anything Nazi-like it is coming from the Clinton camp.

>>>Ah, yes. It's now time for Hillary and Barack to play the new game that is sweeping the nation, or at least the candidates running for President: "Could You Possibly Be More Offended Than I?" <<<

Well, I think Obama has already lost this one. When Clinton sent out clearly false and misleading mailers about his proposals, he simply tried to get the correct information to the voters (phone calling in NH, a follow-up mailer in Nev.) .... but when Obama sends out an *accurate* mailer about one of her proposals, there is an immediate conference call to the press, loud squawking and, for extra points, a toss-in of the term "Nazi". Match to Clinton.

Maybe Obama should just retire from this game and simply try to run for office on the issues and his character. Hmmmm .... maybe that's what he has been doing all along, do you suppose?

I saw the mailer and it simply raises the fact that with a mandate there will be penalties. Hillary refuses to answer how she will enforce a mandate and how she will pay for the cost of monitoring and enforcing a mandate. It is only reasonable to expect penalties, but the point is, she refuses to answer that question. When she alleges there are 15 million uninsured on Obama's plan in every national debate, he answers the question clearly that the 15 million are young, healthy adults who may think they don’t need insurance, and they will be covered up to age 25 under their parent's plan, so they will be covered.

Do you trust a candidate who answers the question or one who refuses to answer questions and holds a press conference but claims no responsibility for an allegation she wants the press to focus on against her opponent?

That Hillary is sure stuck in the 90's isn't she. First thing she does is revert to her 1994 plan's defeat.

The truth is, in the debate SHE NEVER SAID HOW SHE WILL ENFORCE MANDATORY health care. I can only think of two ways...fines...jail. What will she use?

The truth is the ad is not wrong. Her plan WILL put additional financial burdens on American people if they do get fined. Ask people in Massachusetts. The truth is Hillary's polizaration will never get ANYTHING passed.

Obama's plan will pass. Even the Republicans know this country has to do something. The truth is Obama can work with them to devise and pass "A PLAN".

Looks like Hillary had another lapse in judgment again though with her advisers. The truth is the Clintons don't say or do ANYTHING that isn't planned down to each breath they take or lie they tell. The truth is to use a term like Nazi is way over the top.

The truth is she owes another apology?

I just re-read the article and caught this: "Today ON A CLINTON CAMPAIGN CONFERENCE CALL, a health policy expert said a new Obama mailer is as offensive as "Nazis marching in Skokie." So
Nichols may not be "affiliated" with the Clinton campaign but he was taking part in the conference call (with the press, I assume) that THEY SET UP!

Now, maybe it was known he'd say that, maybe not - we can't know. And kudos to Wolfson for immediately disassociating the campaign from the remarks if they didn't know. -- But what the HECK were they doing having a conference call for in the first place?

To complain about a picture???? a picture that might sorta look like one in a TV ad that ran FOURTEEN YEARS AGO??

What did the mailer say that was in any way innacurate? (You know, like the total inaccurate statements in Clinton's own Soc Sec and pro-choice mailers used in 3 states.) Apparently nothing or I'm sure that would have been screamed about also.

Is she going to be as thin-skinned and hysterically over reactive dealing with our opponent on the international stage if she becomes President? For a smart woman (and she is) she sure treats the public like we're a bunch of idiots or sheep -- "He was unfair because I say he was unfair (don't ask for details, okay?) so don't vote for the mean man."

And I used to admire her so much.

Interesting. So there is absolutely no misinformation in Obama's mailer- simply a picture of a couple at a kitchen table? I have never even seen the ads Clinton is talking about, and would not know about them if they hadn't reacted in this vitriolic manner. Im sure couples the age of those in the picture wouldn't have 'gotten' it either if Clinton hadn't pointed it out. So from now on, any picture of a couple at a table is considered a nasty tactic? That's just stupid. Clinton and her supporters obviously had nothing they could say to repudiate the truth of the mailer itself, and so resorted to attacking the picture. I would like to see Clinton or any of her supporters speak honestly and forthrightly to the points made in the mailer. Can they do that?

If Hillary wanted to bring in universal health care she would have done it when Bill was president. She cannot convince everybody in the congress to vote for her health plan. Obama wants to go to the same goal but incrementally which is really a good strategy for the divided America.

As an Obama supporter I'm a little surprised he hit her so hard on this, though it's a fair question, how do you force those who don't want health care to take it up? But the overblown response from the Hillary camp makes this an own-goal for the Clintons.

Jack Jackson should be ashamed of himself. He exhibits the exact sort of intellectual fascism that his candidate does. Everybody must be in lock step with Hillary Clinton, else they are a Republican with an interest in keeping Americans disenfranchised. GOD FORBID anybody should make a substanitive argument against her, or suddenly they're mean, shameful, and maybe even support George W Bush...The mailer is making the case against mandatory health insurance. As an opponent of the policy that is very popular in my party, I'm grateful that someone will stand behind his beliefs, even though they are not well liked at times, and try his best to make the case for unpopular arguments.

Rather than stammer away and blame Bush for his or her shortcomings as a leader...

Obama should be ashamed of himself. No Democrat should vote for Obama after this blatant, mean-spirited attack on Clinton's proposals for universal healthcare. This attack is actually a mean-spirited attack against both Clinton and Edwards, who both believe that universal healthcare means making sure that everyone is covered. Obama has become a Republican in his disgusting campaign to make sure that not all people are covered. His plan is exactly what keeps wealthy insurance companies rich - because it creates a system where not everybody is covered and thus, where insurrance companies can continue to turn people away ruthlessly. Obama should be ashamed of himself. People should vote against this kind of smear tactic. More importantly, people should recognize that Clinton and Edwards had a much better plan.

I'm from Canada. I just don't understand why many Americans hate Universal Health Care (though I must admit those people who will get hurt are health insurance companies).

Nichols is another FOB who spews their toxic waste for them, like Shaheen, so that they can disavow it. Next Sec'y of HHS, I'm guessing.

What a sick bunch of people.

What is Len Nichols, director of health policy at the New America Foundation, smoking. I saw nothing offensive about the heath care ad. He is obviously in the Clinton camp or wants to be. Let's be fair, not throw mud or bring scare tactics into this election.

This smacks of the Clinton technique of getting something out there through someone else and the timing is right before Super Tuesday but after the debate when he could have addressed it. I will vote for any one who is running against her.

maybe i'm as dumb as politicians and journalists would like me to be, but i see nothing wrong with the mailer. my own opinion is that bringing a word like "nazi" into the mix, regardless of the context or intent, is a deserate plea for attention. if it weren't for that headline, who would have read this post? i expected to find something awful and offensive, or at least tasteless, and i found none of those. so, what's the big deal?

I read you article and it clearly says the person making the Nazi statement was not a part of the Clinton campaign. what are these people that are posting reading? Also seen the mailing and if they want to picture a family that can't afford insurance don't you think they should have used someone who was not wearing diamond earrings and a wedding band filled with diamonds? Don't think so, if you can afford diamonds you can afford insurance.

At the read of the mailer, I really don't understand what could have motivated such a pathetic comparison... Maybe Len Nichols should have his head checked.

I am so disgusted with people telling LIES that Obama pulled the race card. When did he ever do this? NEVER, that's when. Barack has never once made an issue about race. People, stop telling these lies. Or, at least learn to read.

Stop playing into the media's hands and buying into their garbage. They'll fabricate any controversy to draw viewers and readers out of competition with new media.

Funny how the Clinton campaign had no problem misrepresenting Obama's record on abortion in NH and using scare tactics on seniors when completely misrepresenting his Soc. Secruity plan.

Also, odd how they had no issue with taking his comments on reagan out of context in the SC radio ads and falsely claiming he supported republican platforms.

Boy that is so strange.

Obama pulls the race card out just at the right moment. Now this. Look at what he and Rezko did to Chicago. We don't need Obama's type of experience.

Be wary of anything from the Politico.

At least you update your posts, though. Can you be the Political Punch blogger?

this is a non-issue...let the kids blow steam on the trail...brothers and sisters fight like mad in the real world...that's nature.
But, at the debate last night they showed that they are still family.
Move on...please drive through.
Hillary 08'
Obama 08'
I'll vote for either...
Save our supreme court!...that's the REAL ISSUE!!

Great post, Chuck.

Ah, yes. It's now time for Hillary and Barack to play the new game that is sweeping the nation, or at least the candidates running for President: "Could You Possibly Be More Offended Than I?"

The rules of the game are simple: a candidate or his supernumeraries say or do something which could possibly be misinterpreted as a highly prejudicial racial/ethnic/age/whatever comment. The candidate's opponent demands an apology or retraction while simultaneously comparing the incident to some historical event which was far worse and usually so emotionally-charged that any rational thought ceases thereafter. The accusing player receives more points the more bombastic the charges are, with a bonus number of points for making the charge in the first place.

The first candidate is now on the defensive and may lose the game unless he or she can either dismiss the opponent's charge as misunderstanding what was said, or can countercharge some even-more outrageous claim. Extra points are awarded if the countercharge is more outlandish than the first. If the countercharge can be linked to a highly-emotional historical scenario (like, say, the Hindenburg disaster or the Black Plague), then the tables are turned and the accuser is on the defensive. All the while, the candidates MUST show such a level of outrage as to question their opponent's moral decency, not to mention their sanity.

At the end, the one candidate who plays the best may be considered the winner of this game. The truth and all voters are considered the losers.

Maybe a future cabinet member or support staff of a Hillary Clinton presidency? It is policy people like this that the general population has to deal with when we elect a president. It tells a tale about the candidate they support.

Eric: Of course, the Clinton campaign distanced themselves from the statement immediately. That was the plan. Have the statement made (or have Bill say it) and then back-peddle and act all innocent and shocked that 'someone in my campaign would say that." Aah, but the words are out there and that's what counts. I did have hopes of some civility after last night's debate. It was, after all, Mrs. Clinton who said "It IS my campaign.

It is "HILLARY-OUS" that Senator Clinton has spent months (including a New Hampshire mailer) sending out MISINFORMATION about Senator Obama's health care plan, and now she cries foul about a mailer that tells the TRUTH about her plan. And she STILL will not specify the penalties. What a joke!

Has the Clinton campaign jumped the shark by invoking Nazis?

shocking!!!

Len Nichols is a former Clinton appointee. I would like an unaffiliated health policy expert to cite a factual error in this mailer. I am a health policy scholar...and I don't

Len Nichols
Director, Health Policy Program
nichols@newamerica.net
Len Nichols, a highly respected healthcare economist, directs the Health Policy Program at the New America Foundation, which aims to expand health insurance coverage to all Americans while reining in costs and improving the efficiency of the overall health care system. Before joining New America, Dr. Nichols was the Vice President of the Center for Studying Health System Change, a Principal Research Associate at the Urban Institute, and the Senior Advisor for Health Policy at the Office of Management and Budget during the Clinton reform efforts of 1993-94...

Apparently the debate was too civil for the media so they had to come up with something to stir trouble. Give the American people a break!

It was one supporter and the campaign distanced themselves from the statement immediately.