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President Obama Makes Curious Appearance in Press Room Heralding AMA and AARP Endorsements of House Health Care Bill
November 05, 2009 2:07 PM
With cable television filled with images of conservative activists protesting Democratic health care reform legislation, President Obama made a surprise appearance at Thursday’s press briefing to herald two completely expected endorsements for the House Democrats’ bill.
“I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to a vote in the House of Representatives,” the president said.
The president painted the endorsement of the AARP as both a stamp of approval and protection from future attacks.
“When it comes to the AARP, this is no small endorsement,” he said. “For more than 50 years they have been a leader in the fight to reduce the costs of health care and expand coverage for our senior citizens. They are a nonpartisan organization and their board made their decision to endorse only after a careful, intensive, objective scrutiny of this bill. They're endorsing this bill because they know it will strengthen Medicare, not jeopardize it; they know it will protect the benefits our seniors receive, not cut them.”
The president cautioned citizens “to remember that the next time you hear the same tired arguments to the contrary from the insurance companies and their lobbyists, and remember this endorsement the next time you see a bunch of misleading ads on television. The AARP knows this bill will make health care more affordable, they know it will make coverage more secure, they know it's a good deal for our seniors, and that's why we're thrilled that they're standing up for this effort.”
Refraining from mentioning the internal discord at the American Medical Association about its endorsement – the American College of Surgeons and almost two dozen other surgeon groups are concerned about some of the provisions – the president said members of the AMA “are men and women who know our health care system best and have been watching this debate closely. They would not be supporting it if they really believed that it would lead to government bureaucrats making decisions that are best left to doctors. They would not be with us if they believed that reform would in any way damage the critical and sacred doctor-patient relationship.”
Doctors belonging to the AMA are “supporting reform because they've seen firsthand what's broken about our health care system,” he said. “They've seen what happens when patients can't get the care they need because some insurance company has decided to drop their coverage or water it down. They've seen what happens when a patient's forced to pay out-of- pocket costs of thousands of dollars that she doesn't have, to get the treatment she desperately needs. They've seen what happens when patients don't come in for regular checkups or screenings because either their insurance company doesn't cover them or they can't afford health insurance in the first place. And they've seen far, far too much of their time spent filling out forms and haggling with insurance company bureaucrats. So the doctors of America know what needs to be fixed about our health care system. They know that health insurance reform would go a long way toward doing that.”
The president said, as he has for awhile now, that “we are closer to passing this reform than ever before. And now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us, now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interest of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer. I want to thank both organizations again for their support, and I urge Congress to listen to AARP, listen to the AMA, and pass this reform for hundreds of millions of Americans who will benefit from it.”
And with that, he turned and walked out of the room, ignoring reporters’ questions.
-jpt
November 5, 2009 in White House Press Briefing | Permalink | Share | User Comments (25)
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No, what would be curious is if Obama met with McCrystal or actually did something good for the economy or small business or the unemployment rate. Making "appearances" with worthless "news" is not curious for this empty suit. Biz as usual.
Posted by: mjishernameo | Nov 6, 2009 8:41:34 PM
The AMA does not care about people, their priority is control and profit. They want to basically outlaw health professionals that don't cater or peddle their brand of patented medicine. Eliminating the competition under the guise of sheep clothing.
The allopathic approach is most effective in only four areas...Emergency, Trauma, Surgery, and Orthopedics. Their intent never is to cure but always to continue to "treat." This is like an ulitmate MLM network. Don't kid yourself.
This bill would grossly put our health care, which currently is nothing more than an oxymoron, because what the current approach is "sick" care. Healthy people won't make them rich.
If the government truly cared for its citizens, it would eliminate all the toxins and poisons they allow in our food, water, personal care products etc. And they would encourage less expensive, effective, non-patentable (seems to keep people more honest) approaches to health and healing.
This is just more propaganda and deception. Its time to stop this, and speak some truth!!
Posted by: Concerned citizen | Nov 6, 2009 12:05:49 PM
CURIOUS? I would say it was significant> WHAT WAS CURIOUS JAKE, WAS BOEHNER TELLING HIS SHEEP HE WAS HOLDING "THE CONSTITUTION" IN HIS HAND AND PRECEDED TO READ THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE!!!!!!! WHILE HIS "SHEEP" CLAPPED AND CHEERED! BOEHNER AND BACHMAN RUNNING THE "OKE-DOKEY" ON THESE IDIOTS THAT FOLLOW THEM, THEY DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER...THEY'RE ONLY PROTESTING THEIR ANGER, USING HEALTHCARE AS THE EXCUSE...ALSO WHY ARE THESE MEDICARE RECEIPETANCES SCREAMING....I WANT MY MONEY BACK. IT WAS LBJ THAT STOOD UP FOR THEM, WHILE THE REPUBLICANS IN 1964 ACTED LIKE THEY ARE NOW...SAYING "NO".....AND THE REPUBLICANS (BOEHNER, BACHMAN, ETC) WAS 'CLAPPING' WHEN BUSHY BOY WANTED TO "PRIVATIZE" ANOTHER DEMOCRATIC PASSED LEGISLATION, SOCIAL SECURITY...IMAGINE THAT!!! WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE MONEY FOR HIS BUDS TO STEAL!
Posted by: sara | Nov 6, 2009 10:06:55 AM
NO, you mean stopping The Huge Healthcare Insurance Companies from having a "monopoly" over my Healthcare.....telling my "physicians" HOW and WHAT to Do for My CARE!!! ...and threatening the "Physicians" that they would be "booted" from their "NETWORK" if they Consult with Me for a Specialist and WRITE THE REFERRAL TO SEE ONE! GET A BRAIN!
Posted by: sara | Nov 6, 2009 9:58:12 AM
The American Cancer Society joined the AMA and the AARP in endorsing the House health care reform bill.
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Alyson don't you know the American Cancer Society is evil too. Anybody who supports this administration or the Democrats is evil! In fact everybody is evil except right wingers and Republicans!
Posted by: tierra | Nov 6, 2009 12:20:13 AM
The AMA is rapidly approaching complete estrangement from practicing physicians.
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Please provide a source and a date for this claim.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 6, 2009 12:18:13 AM
Tierra, what percentage of practicing physicians are members of the AMA today? What was the percentage in 1980?Q.E.D.
Posted by: Nephron | Nov 5, 2009 11:49:13 PM
The Mayo Clinic is against the public option in the bill but then what do they know about health care.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Nov 5, 2009 9:24:23 PM
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with the walls of extreme liberalism crumbling around him, Obama is desperate for anything that supports his ideology, even if it's organizations like AMA and AARP that stab their own members in the back for their own power grap.
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Posted by: N Waff | Nov 5, 2009 9:15:20 PM
The American Cancer Society joined the AMA and the AARP in endorsing the House health care reform bill.
Posted by: Alyson | Nov 5, 2009 6:05:17 PM
The AMA is rapidly approaching complete estrangement from practicing physicians.
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Please provide a source and a date for this claim.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 5, 2009 4:53:18 PM
The AMA is rapidly approaching complete estrangement from practicing physicians.Most specialists depend on their specialty organizations for representation at the national and political level. The AMA has been a joke since they tried to endorse Sunbeam products without the knowledge of their members.What members they have left are often members as a condition for hospital priviledges.
Posted by: Nephron | Nov 5, 2009 4:34:02 PM
The AMA does not represent most doctors just like the AARP doesn't represent most seniors. This is more smoke and mirrors.
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Of course, anybody who supports the Obama administration is just smoke and mirrors.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 5, 2009 4:32:38 PM
But of course, you would prefer to attempt to demean and demonize the organisation.
Typical right wing tactic - you have nothing better to offer?
Posted by: tierra |
You seem to think that the best way to counter demeaning and demonizing is by demeaning and demonizing.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Nov 5, 2009 4:29:57 PM
Keep em busy guys, we just Rahmed through a climate change bill when no Republicrats where in the room.
Another victory! We won!
Take that America. How's that Chicago bratwurst treating you?
Posted by: Axe | Nov 5, 2009 4:16:16 PM
The AMA does not represent most doctors just like the AARP doesn't represent most seniors. This is more smoke and mirrors.
Posted by: Shane | Nov 5, 2009 4:06:38 PM
"AARP has long been just another lobby arm of the Democrats"
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You've got it wrong, but it's fairly easy to understand - the Democrats best represent the interests of seniors.
But of course, you would prefer to attempt to demean and demonize the organisation.
Typical right wing tactic - you have nothing better to offer?
Posted by: tierra | Nov 5, 2009 2:45:58 PM
jhw, the only requirement to be eligible for AARP membership is to be 50 years old. Not only that, but if you are 50 and your spouse is under 50, you can both join. Not all, maybe not even most, members are on government run health care.
Posted by: jennifert7 | Nov 5, 2009 2:44:54 PM
AARP has long been just another lobby arm of the Democrats, but even the seniors have caught on to the scam.
My grandparents never even open the AARP garbage anymore & anytime he sees their logo he starts cussing.
They have made a grave miscalculation on this stunt and are paying for it with canceled memberships.
Posted by: Stop Already | Nov 5, 2009 2:41:24 PM
"Why would it be curious? Seems to me that they are two important endorsements. It would be Curious if he didn't herald it."
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Seems Jake Tapper has trouble reporting the news without trying to spin it for sensationalism.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 5, 2009 2:36:57 PM
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