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Bill Clinton Says Criticisms of Hillary's Healthcare Plan are 'Bull'
April 19, 2008 9:20 PM
ABC News' Sarah Amos reports: Former President Bill Clinton continued on the campaign trail today, with time quickly ticking away before Pennsylvania’s presidential primary on Tuesday.
Clinton started the day completely focused on his wife’s policies. But by as the day wore on Clinton found himself in Waynesburg, Pa., where he couldn’t help but mention the latest round of ads put out today by Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign.
"I just got a briefing before I came in here on all the radio ads and mailings that Sen. Obama’s sending out in this, uh, positive campaign," said Clinton with a sarcastic chuckle. "And um, I want to tell you what I think this election is really about, what it is really about. It is about your future. And the only relevant choice is who would do the best job at helping you realize that future."
The new television ads, which deal with Sen. Clinton’s plan for healthcare in America, were clearly on the former president's mind throughout the day. While discussing his wife’s plan at an earlier event in Hermitage, he took offense with what he says are false claims by the Obama campaign.
"Hillary's being subject to a television ad that has been roundly criticized in the form of mass mailings all across this country saying she's trying to make you buy insurance you can't afford and you're gonna be fined and all that. It isn't true. It is not true," he said. "Every expert who has looked at this says if you provide the subsidies and you cap somebody's income, everybody'll be able to afford it, it'll be cheaper than anything you're buying now if you buying it. But I'm just telling you, we won't get control of cost unless we cover everybody. Doing the morally right thing is the economically essential thing. If you agree with that, if you agree with that, you have only one choice left with the three candidates for president. You got to vote for Hillary for president, she'll fix this problem."
Later, in Beaver Falls the former president had one word to describe the arguments being leveled against Sen. Clinton’s healthcare plan –- "bull."
"And, you know, you may hear some more about it before Tuesday. 'Oh, it's the end of the world. Oh, you're gonna be forced to buy health care you can't afford.' That's bull. The only way you can afford it over the long run is that everyone is covered. Every other country knows this," Clinton told the crowd.
Not one to shy away from a full days worth of events, Clinton managed to hit up both sides of the state today, starting his day in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and ending his day four events later at Waynesburg University.
The former president had quite a bit of company on the road though, bringing along a variety of Hillary Clinton surrogates, including Former Iowa Gov. (and Western Pennsylvania native) Tom Vilsack.
April 19, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (155)
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I know what Hillary is talking about the plan our goverment workers have is tops and the cost is low and with Edwards as her cabinet level poverty person it will be good for all.Obama will leave out people but make Mothers and Fathers insure thier children much mor costlier and manatory and if you have an accident and show up at a hosp. you will be fined and charged xtra cost.
Posted by: Bishop | Apr 19, 2008 9:34:51 PM
Again the devil is in the details> Give us the details. How much does cost? What will it cover? Will it allow us the drugs of Choice? How affordable? Wage garnishment given to whom, private insurance companies? Any caps on fees to doctors, hospitals, ect.
Too many questions for me to be for it or against it. She promises alot for someone who says it is tough work.
Do and Bill and Hillary really expect their plan to pass? Now we all know that it won't.
Bull Bill? hmmmm...... this whole capaign is bull.
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 9:36:20 PM
So, Obama's lost his credibility. No longer "transparent", "transcending" and certainly not "transformative".
What does he have left? Oh yeah, he's the black candidate who's trying to bully his way into the presidency.
Posted by: s. valenti | Apr 19, 2008 9:39:23 PM
Bill has to be reasonable, the plan is being implemented in Mass. and it has not worked, this kind of plan will work only under a Communist Regime that is where the HillCare will be implemented but in that case Castro is paying for everybody and Hill wants everybody to pay for him/herself. A state managed health care delivery system in a capitalistic society is a faillure. Hill the Bosnian General has missed it again. God bless America and God bless Obama.OBAMA08.
Posted by: BKMC | Apr 19, 2008 9:40:21 PM
Government for all
You seems to miss the point this is about Hillary's mandatory health care plan.
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 9:43:37 PM
Obama's slander - because that's what it is - reminds me of comments I heard yesterday by that literal and figurative midget Robert Reich full of faux indignation about Clinton. What a creep he is.
For him to sidle up to Obama knowing that this mailer raises false fears - shame on him and Obama. These two creeps deserve each other.
Posted by: s. valenti | Apr 19, 2008 9:45:30 PM
Hillary's healthcare plan makes a lot of sense... and Bill is right that everyone needs to participate to make health insurance more economical. Obama's plan looks like more of the same of what we already have... disfunctional "voluntary" insurance coverage... but with added problems (mandatory insurance for all children into their 20s... and hefty penalties for using the emergency room without having insurance).
John and Elizabeth Edwards support Hillary's proposed plan because it is virtually the same as the one John Edwards proposed... and apparently Obama got into a tiff with Elizabeth over the plan itself. Everytime Obama attacks Hillary's plan, he is attacking the Edwards. An Edwards endorsement for Hillary before North Carolina sure would be nice. He already pushed healthcare again on the Stephen Colbert show where Hillary also appeared.
Posted by: Nickberry | Apr 19, 2008 9:53:09 PM
What slander this is about health care plans. How does one slander a health care plan?
Really lets be sensible here
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 9:54:18 PM
Obama's health care plan has mandates too..
Every parent of a child under 18 is mandated to cover them.
It's like Elizabeth Edwards says...if you don't make it Universal you can't reduce costs.
I hope the people of PA aren't fooled by this guys massive negative ad campaign......I'm keeping the faith that they stand up to the public relations and marketing campaign....
Posted by: Jackie | Apr 19, 2008 9:58:25 PM
Fear? HA. Again what does it cost me, and my wife? What does it cover? What are the restrictions on drugs? What does it cover?
I hear how wonderful it is, but what is it?
Lets see the plan. It doesn't matter what these guys say about their plans, Hillary or Obama, they have to get it through congress, the people have to buy into it.
All this talk of plans are ridiculous at this time.
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 10:01:57 PM
You guys do realize that if Clinton is proposing that premiums be taken out of people paychecks mandatory if they dont have insurance, it works the same as a tax. I understand and appreciate the idea. But the fact of the matter, Republicans will be in arms over this. They will not let this pass the congress.
And im pretty sure some dems will fight this too. It has a high chance of failure. So then what happens?
Posted by: Rob | Apr 19, 2008 10:06:27 PM
I wonder what the Edwards think of Obama slandering Clinton's plan.
p.s., I'll use the word slander if I want to. You and everybody else get the point.
Obama's desperate and it seems like he's about to self-immolate.
Posted by: s. valenti | Apr 19, 2008 10:10:44 PM
Well I have done some checking on Mass. Health Plane they have a Gold, Silver Bronz, and young adult plan. I am willing to bet that the poor will have the bronz plan $10,000 decutable. 35% co pay for hospital stays.
Again let us see the plan. In my opinion this isn't going to work.
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 10:15:28 PM
Her other plan failed too.She has no clue as to what this country needs for she never has to worry about her ,she is covered and has the best of medicine.Now she took from Insurance companies $800.000 for not pushing anymore medical ideas when the one she tried failed $800.000 and this is in her blind trust you have not seen and won't until they win and if they win you will never see it unless someone demands to...
Posted by: h | Apr 19, 2008 10:20:02 PM
all in all Hillary's plan is so out of touch with the general American public that once again we won't get anything because she is just like GW ...all or nothing and use power to try and force your opponents to succumb...
guess what it hasn't worked and all she is goign to do is give them fodder to go to their corners again.
If she learned from the first time she failed...she would realize many people need help now... it is about cost... bring down the cost and more people will get it ...insurance is a priority...if the cost comes down we get one step closer to universal coverage being able to be adapted into a system that is ready to switch...
To try and force a bureaucracy this size with this system that we have will make costs go up ...positively...and then when it fails we are left worse off then we were.
Posted by: dl | Apr 19, 2008 10:25:09 PM
No the biggest problem will be the ladders of coverage. Great coverage for those who can afford it, and poor coverage for the rest. Again this is a Republican style of legislation, funneling money to a private organization who do not have really compete. In fact it is price fixing sanctioned by the government.
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 10:26:50 PM
Hillary Clinton blamed George Bush and his tax cuts for the Al Qaeda attacks on America, in an interview with CNN.
As the New York Senator, Hillary Clinton did not visit ANY of the New York funerals of the thousands who died in the attacks, nor did she visit ONE of the thousands of New York families who were devastated by their personal losses.
Posted by: Veronica | Apr 19, 2008 10:30:22 PM
Unfortunately any country that has mandated health coverage be successful has not for profit insurance companies.
Hillary's plan lets the private insurance industry continue to make large profits - not exactly the way to go.
Posted by: Sara | Apr 19, 2008 10:32:33 PM
Sara,
They also have not for profit hospitals, set doctor, and drug fees. In other words they have to compete to stay in business, save their jobs if you will.
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 10:36:14 PM
Paul
so what?
This about Health Care.
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 19, 2008 10:39:27 PM
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