Mitch McConnell is quoting Bill Clinton on Medicare to deflect Dem attacks on Ryan budget plan

[ClarkUSA]

McConnell agrees with Bill Clinton on Medicare

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is leveraging an unusual ally to provide his party with cover from Democratic attack on the Paul Ryan budget and Medicare reform: Bill Clinton.

In an extended question-and-answer session with reporters Friday, McConnell name-dropped the former Democratic president several times. It seemed like the answer to any question — whether on how many trillions need to be saved in a deal to raise the debt limit or what the Democrats’ victory in a New York special election meant for 2012 — started with the same refrain. “Let me quote President Clinton,” McConnell would begin...

“All this silly talk about how Medicare is not going to be part of the solution is nonsense,” McConnell said. “Let me just quote President Clinton … I don’t think the Democrats or the Republicans, said President Clinton, should conclude from that New York race that no changes can be made in Medicare. Medicare will be a part of any agreement.”

McConnell was referring to a speech Clinton gave Wednesday at the Peter Peterson Foundation Fiscal Summit in which the former president claimed that while the special election in New York’s 26th congressional district “was about Medicare,” Democrats should be wary of using it as a reason to do nothing... And it was enough to give McConnell, and perhaps Republicans going forward, a way to go on the offensive against Democrats... When asked specifically about the race and again about the Ryan budget, the Kentucky Republican said he hated to be redundant, but “I can only quote President Clinton again, you cannot deal with our biggest crisis… without Medicare. Medicare will be part of the solution.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55843.html#ixzz1NbdLGkiW

Did you know about Bill Clinton's secretive pact with Newt Gingrich for Medicare "reform"?
Read all about it: http://andrewgbiggs.blogspot.com/2008/08/upcoming-event-how-bill-clinton-and.html

Of course, Bill's GOP-sympatico remarks has stepped on "do nothing" Nancy Pelosi unified House caucus message on Medicare, which is, "Democrats have a plan. It's called Medicare!"

After retracting his Republican debt ceiling talking point after the WH called him and demanded one, will he retract now his Republican Medicare talking point voluntarily?

President Obama has already ruled out any budget plan that cuts Medicare benefits:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=president+Obama+no+Medicare+benefit+cuts&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Every Democrat who doesn't want Medicare "reform" via McConnell & Clinton should send a message and ask for one from DLC DINO Bill now: http://www.clintonfoundation.org/contact/

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. I wonder though how much the teabaggers will like Republicans quoting

Bill Clinton---of all people? I have been wondering for the past few days if Bill Clinton had crossed over to the dark side. I'm wondering now, though, is he playing some kind of head game with the GOP? And why aren't there any Dems criticizing Clinton? Are there any Dems criticizing Clinton? :shrug: :tinfoilhat:

[ClarkUSA]

2. The WH called Bubba and asked him to retract his GOP debt ceiling talking point.

And no, there isn't one Democratic politician alive who will publicly say, "WTF did Bill Clinton do this time? He said what??!"

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Well, if they got him to retract his debt ceiling comment

and he did it, then maybe he can be reeled back in on the whole Medicare thing. I just wonder what's going on in his head right now.

[ClarkUSA]

4. DINO Bill didn't do it, his spokesperson did. It was a tortured CYA statement which sounded idiotic.

It's impossible for him to retract his Medicare FUBAR without looking like a complete and utter senile nincompoop because Bill went on about it to both his audience at this right-wing venue AND in that sympathetic backstage aside to Paul Ryan where he fretted about the "do nothing" Democrats.

What's his spokesperson supposed to say? It's easier to retract a one-liner than several exchanges at different times.

[roguevalley]

12. I just wish he would shut up on policy right now unless its to shove

a grenade up the other side's butt

[ClarkUSA]

14. You're not the only one. The top DKos diary on Wednesday was "Memo to Bill Clinton: STFU" --->

Link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/25/979272/-Memo-to-Bill-Clinton:STFU?via=siderec

[BlueCaliDem]

5. I can't believe Big Dog would let himself be caught on tape like that

His words might mean one thing, but we know it will be twisted and spun to support the Replutocrats' agenda, undercutting President Obama who's already stated he will NOT sign any bill into law that cuts Medicare benefits.

[LiberalFighter]

7. He thought he was safe at the event he was attending.

[LiberalFighter]

6. Clinton attends the Peter Peterson Foundation that created a report praising Ryan's Plan

and has a few people like Shalala, Bradley, Cuomo and others on the advisory board.

Screw them all.

[ClarkUSA]

15. Yup, DINO Bill spoke at the Peter "We Must Cut Medicare and Social Security" Peterson Foundation.

<< Screw them all. >>

:thumbsup:

[MannyGoldstein]

8. Who wants to cut Social Security more: Clinton or Obama?

Clinton struck a deal with Gingrich to slash benefits, but Congress balked.

Now Obama appointed a commission designed to recommend savage benefit cuts, and they did not disappoint: $56,000 in lifetime cuts for the average recipient.

But which one wants it worse?

[ClarkUSA]

9. Hmm...Obama has rejected any benefit cuts to Medicare or SS while Clinton is a double-dealing DINO.

Figure it out.

Furthermore, as I told you already in another thread, President Obama soundly and totally rejected the bipartisan Deficit Commission's suggestions re: cutting SS benefits.

Give it up. :nopity:

[MannyGoldstein]

10. Obama's said he won't cut benefits for anyone? Link or slink.

He's rejected benefit cuts? When? Where? I'd love to see that this was true.

Thanks.

[ClarkUSA]

11. Obviously, you never bothered to read the OP thoroughly.

I have already addressed President Obama's refusal to cut Medicare benefits in the OP. Go look for it.

Furthermore, you can read all about President Obama's refusal to cut SS benefits here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/24/AR2011012403472.html?hpid=topnews

Frankly, I find it rather odd that you are not familiar with these facts already, since you keep bringing it up despite the fact I have already told you so in a previous thread, much less since these facts were much discussed at DU when they happened because it put the lie to all the completely speculative outrage from Obama-bashing PUMA-infested FDL (and their fans) which claimed otherwise for months.

[MannyGoldstein]

13. Your link doesn't say that at all

It only says that as of January 25th, Obama had not endorsed cuts. It does not say that Obama has ruled cuts out. In fact, in the SOTU address, and several times since, Obama has only called to not cut benefits for those 55 and older - which is exactly what his hand-picked fringe-right commission voted to recommend.

So, do you actually have any links to Obama ruling out Social Security cuts? Because you haven't presented one yet.

[ClarkUSA]

17. Stop splitting hairs. WBAL-TV (2/15/11 video): "Obama: Social Security Budget Will Not Be Cut" -->

Watch it and weep for joy! ---> http://www.wbaltv.com/r/26867615/detail.html

Here's a YouTube link to a video also entitled "Obama: Social Security Budget Will Not Be Cut": www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnh8fJJCJ9M

BTW, what he said was good enough for Bernie Sanders and Sheldon Whitehouse, even if you chose to split hairs:
http://barackobama-2012.blogspot.com/2011/01/breaking-president-obama-will-not-cut.html

I'm off to bed. Please address any further nitpicking irrelevant splitting of semantic hairs to someone who cares.

[MannyGoldstein]

20. Yes, the CURRENT budget will not cut SS

And he keeps only saying we should not cut it for those 55 and older. I guess adding "55 and older" whenever he says we shouldn't cut SS is some sort of tourette's-like thing that he blurts out, doesn't really mean it.

[ClarkUSA]

21. To be clear, Pres. Obama is stating his intentions re: the budget that's being negotiated.

Denigration of this President is not only unwarranted, but is obvious evidence of bias.

As usual, you have zero proof of your empty negative rhetoric.

[MannyGoldstein]

16. Nor has Obama ever said he won't cut Medicare benefits

He said that his RomneyObamaCare plan won't cut Medicare benefits, but as far as I can tell, Obama's never ruled out cuts in the future. None of your links support your assertion.

[ClarkUSA]

18. That's false. Furthermore, anyone can check my OP Googled linked sources and see that you're wrong.

Here is the link again. It features a list of news articles which prove my claim, beginning with Minority Whip Rep. James Clyburn backing up Pres. Obama: http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=president+Obama+no+Medicare+benefit+cuts&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Oh, by the way, the poster in Reply #5 knows the facts as just as I do:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=680952&mesg_id=680962

I am not interested in further replying to empty rhetoric which ignores proffered facts. You're wasting my time.

[MannyGoldstein]

19. Well, one of us is wrong.

I guess it comes down to reading comprehension.

[ClarkUSA]

22. Yes, and it's you.

[Tarheel_Dem]

23. Well, who couldn't see this coming. Good job Big Dog!

:thumbsdown:

[AtomicKitten]

26. Yep. Can't say we didn't see that coming from a mile away.

[uponit7771]

24. This is desperate on their part, keep hittin em where it hurts

[flpoljunkie]

25. Bill Clinton did not say Medicare needed to be part of any agreement on raising the debt ceiling

McConnell just added that little part of his own accord. Clinton is right that Medicare needs changes. Way too much money is spent on unnecessary tests and treatments that don't work--let alone the fraud, particularly rampant in South Florida (and, then, of course, there's our current governor, Rick Scott. We all know his story.)

*The chief actuary for Medicare estimates that 15 percent to 30 percent of health care expenditures are wasteful. Medicare spending exceeded $500 billion in 2010, suggesting that $75 billion to $150 billion could be cut without reducing needed services.

That's what Obamacare endeavors to do and the Republicans are trying to, not only block that part of the Affordable Care Act, but to repeal it entirely. Ryan's budget will make the debt and deficit worse--even though he shifts the costs of Medicare on to Medicare recipients--because of his massive tax cuts to corporation and the rich (he's aiming for 25%!) It's cruel and it doesn't work. Ryan's Medicare privatization will raise the cost of health care for seniors--and by quite a lot. Too bad, most of the media doesn't get it.

Video clip of the exchange between Bill Clinton and Paul Ryan via ABC news:

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/25/clinton_encourages_ryan_backstage.html

*http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/opinion/26redberg.html?ref=opinion

[ClarkUSA]

27. Bill gave visible aid & comfort to the enemy. Paul Ryan said he would indeed "call him" as asked to.

Isn't that precious? :puke:

Bubba is also vewy vewy "concerned" about "do nothing" Democrats because he insisted the budget plan needed to do something about Medicare. That's completely antithetical to what Congressional Democrats, the WH, and the liberal base want, so his actions are nothing less than backstabbing sabotage. Couple that with his Republican debt ceiling talking point which his spokesman tortuously and unconvincingly retracted after a phone call from the WH and it's clear the Democratic Party has got a certifiable DINO loose cannon out there.

DINO Bill should just STFU. If he has advice he wants to give, he should do it behind closed doors and not at right-wing venues dedicated to cutting Medicare and SS.

[flpoljunkie]

28. Don't argue that he gave aid and comfort to GOP, but he didn't tie Medicare to debt ceiling vote

[ClarkUSA]

29. DINO Bill gave aid and comfort to Paul Ryan. Bubba wanted Ryan to "call him". Ryan said he would.

Isn't that precious? :puke:

He is giving Mitch McConnell and the RNC aid and comfort, too. Funny how Bubba hasn't issued one word of denial, eh? Gee, I wonder why?

DINO Bill said that Democrats had to do "something" about Medicare and was concerned Democrats' efforts to stonewall Paul Ryan's plan as "an excuse to do nothing". That's an RNC wet dream of a ad in the making right there.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what that between his Republican debt ceiling comment and his Democrats can't "do nothing" about Medicare comments and his sympathetic comments to Ryan, to figure out where his ideological sympathies lie: firmly in DINOland.

Right on the heels of Democrats bellwether victory in NY-26 and President Obama's smashingly successful overseas trip, DINO Bill lays a turd out of jealousy and/or political senility.

I wish he would just STFU or if he plans to continue speaking at right-wing venues dedicated to cutting Medicare and SS benefits, he should just re-register as a Republican and get the formalities over with.

[vaberella]

30. Of course he will. Thanks Bill. n/t