White House And Howard Dean Turn Down Heat

[jefferson_dem]

:thumbsup:

White House And Howard Dean Turn Down Heat

* The White House is clearly softening its rhetoric against Howard Dean, in an apparent effort to turn down the heat of their fight now that the bill appears to be clearing the Senate and needs support from House liberals.

On NBC this morning, David Axelrod went out of his way to say, “I respect Howard Dean,” describing him as “passionate” about the issue. Meanwhile, Joe Biden wrote an Op ed saying: “I respect his leadership on health care, and I understand his criticism of the bill.”

That’s after Robert Gibbs suggested that Dean was “irrational.”

* Meanwhile, on NBC, Dean conspicuously declined to say that Obama had failed to fight hard enough for core liberal priorities — a frequent criticism on the left. Asked about this line, Dean reiterated his substantive criticism of the bill, but added: “He certainly tried very hard.” And he declined to call outright for the bill to be killed.

* In his Op ed Biden made an interesting point, noting that the Senate bill accomplishes more health care reform than Vermont did while Dean was governor, and does it for the whole country.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/climate-change/sunday-roundup-white-house-and-howard-dean-turn-down-heat/

[Bodhi BloodWave]

1. K&R since somebody saw fit to unrec it

[jefferson_dem]

2. Thanks.

n/t

[Bodhi BloodWave]

3. my pleasure, normally i don't really do much for or against voting

but felt i had to step in and rec since there was no reason to unrec something like this

[timeforpeace]

21. False headline. White House calmed down, as they should, unilaterally. Dean not mentioned.

[Cha]

37. NO, it's not a "false headline" Dean is mentioned..

"* Meanwhile, on NBC, Dean conspicuously declined to say that Obama had failed to fight hard enough for core liberal priorities — a frequent criticism on the left. Asked about this line, Dean reiterated his substantive criticism of the bill, but added: “He certainly tried very hard.” And he declined to call outright for the bill to be killed."

[Laelth]

4. Looks like the White House heard us. Good.

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[jefferson_dem]

8. Ha.

Good one.

[Laelth]

14. Well, to be precise ...

They're still intent on passing this turd of a "health insurance reform" bill, I suspect.

But they did hear this, as it was said numerous times over the last couple of days:

Dean-bashing is not the way to make friends and influence people on the left.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Mass]

5. Good. You can disagree on issues without name calling.

[bigwillq]

6. Good for both sides.

It's a heated topic. But it looks like cooler heads are prevailing on both sides.

[Armstead]

7. However don't overook what Dean also said today

This bill has good things, but it also contains a fundamental problem that will take us on the wrong course unless it is changed.

It will further entrench the insurance industry and it is weak on regulation. This is going to make it more difficult, if not impossible, to actyually achieve real reforms and choice in the future unless those aspects of the bill are changed.

[joshcryer]

9. He still said he wouldn't vote for it in its current state, but says wait and see.

[beachmom]

10. Maybe we should follow their lead, and turn it down here, too.

[karynnj]

38. That sounds like an excellent idea.

It was not reasonable to use some of the language the WH did.

[DCBob]

11. "Dean declined to call outright for the bill to be killed."

Political realities have finally sunk in.

[Phx_Dem]

12. Dean definitely walked it back. He knew he was in an untenable

position. Not surprising because Dean is a liberal pragmatist. He's not an irrational progressive.

[Armstead]

15. All Dean walked back was his language

His message and suggestion has been consistent.

Not "kill the bill" but "get it right and don't do more harm than good."

[beachmom]

17. Actually, he walked back his original remarks of "kill the Senate bill"

he made to Vermont Public Radio.

[ClarkUSA]

24. Exactly. He also strongly praised Pres. Obama's hard work at trying to get HCR passed.

Thanks for correcting the spin. :thumbsup:

[Armstead]

26. Watch it again...And this time try to actually listen to what he says

A tall request I realize

[katkat]

31. I see the crap is knee deep this morning here at DU as well

"Obama's hard work" - :eyes: :puke: like he worked hard to get the DINOs and Repukes everything they wanted, and big gifts to BigInsurance with our money, and he f-ed Progressives and Democratic principles.

[Armstead]

25. The language yes -- Message the same

David Gregory tried to pound him on it. He said (although can't remember the exact words)


"I would not suggest voting for this bill unless changes are made"

[mzmolly]

22. Absolutely.

He's a fighting liberal pragmatist, and thank goodness we have him.

[eleny]

13. The program is on here now and I didn't hear what you heard

Dean said that the bill was changed since he first spoke out about it. And he thinks it can become better in conference. So he's willing to wait to comment on the final result. But as it stands he refuted some of Axelrod's assertions.

I'm particularly sensitive to the fact that older people can be charged a lot more for insurance. Since husband and I have several years to go before we're eligible for Medicaid - we are going to get hosed and Dean pointed out that fact.

He was quite emphatic as he has been in the past about how the bill is better but has a long way to go. He continued to say that we needed a Medicare for all system if we really wanted reform.

I think you're spinning.

[jefferson_dem]

16. Think what you want. I have no reason to spin this.

Anyway, the OP is a copy/paste from PlumLine.

I posted video in this other thread so people can judge for themselves. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x78281

[eleny]

20. I'll continue to judge for myself and trust that judgement

Frankly, your presence here at DU has been nothing but spin for the administration. Not that you aren't aware of that.

[jefferson_dem]

27. Well, that is your "judgement"...

I'm happy to defend this administration when I think they are right and challenge them when I think they are wrong.

Sounds like you're a bit disjointed because Dr. Dean let you down this morning. No heat. No glory. No worries. :hi:

[eleny]

30. More spin from you. As I said in my first reply, Dean hasn't backed down.

Dean hasn't let me down at all.

Try oiling your spin machine. It's getting rusty. :hi:

[girl gone mad]

35. It's not just her judgment. n/t

[beachmom]

18. Actually, older Americans are being hosed now. You need to compare

it to how it is now which is as high as 25 to 1 in states like Kentucky. In the bill it is 3 to 1. The House bill is 2 to 1. Although 3 to 1 is not ideal, it is much better than 25 to 1, no?

[eleny]

19. What I "need" to compare is my situation now to how it will be as the senate bill is written

If we get charged two or three times what we pay now I don't know how we can afford it. And we won't be in the financial category to get a subsidy. We are in that middle category where many find themselves.

Go ahead, support the bill. But when you wake up the day after next year's elections don't wonder why we experienced a bloodbath of loss in Congress. It'll be obvious.

[karynnj]

39. Did you read Beachmom's post?

It is NOT 2 or 3 times more than now, it is 2 or 3 times what the youngest people will pay. Your current rate is not likely to be what the youngest people now pay.

[katkat]

32. eleny do u mean Medicare, not Medicaid? n/t

[saltpoint]

23. It might be worth hearing Dean's response to Biden's specific

points.

Absent that it does seem to me that the points stand.

[treestar]

28. The President not fighting hard enough

How do they know? this just gets repeated as if we're supposed to believe it because it has been repeated a zillion times.

Anyway it is typical of Obama to turn down the heat. No drama and no theatrics. Which is what this country needs less of.

[katkat]

33. treestar

How do we know?

Some of us remember how JFK and LBJ used the bully pulpit to form public opinion and get legislation through Congress (side note: public opinion now is already with good stuff, so it should have been even easier.)

And we see carrots being offered to Lieberman and Nelson, etc. and sticks to real Democrats. So in that sense Obama tried, but what he tried for was to get anything passed, not to get something good passed. So what we wound up with is a disaster.

[madfloridian]

29. Dean says the current bill allows insurance to get really unaffordable for the elderly

If this is true, why are we cheering the fact that the bill will pass?

Are we all happy this is happening, so much that we are thankful that Dean is scaling back tone?

[angee_is_mad]

34. Kick

and thank you.

[Cha]

36. As a Deaniac(proud of it)..I can say I trust Howard

Dean on this much more than I would Russ Feingold.

[mrs_p]

40. as it should be in my imho. nt