Michael Steele should have read Ted Kennedy’s Newsweek article on “The Cause of My Life,” before he opened his trap to eliminate any about how ignorant he is. Kennedy:
All Americans should be required to have insurance. For those who can’t afford the premiums, we can provide subsidies. We’ll make it illegal to deny coverage due to preexisting conditions. We’ll also prohibit the practice of charging women higher premiums than men, and the elderly far higher premiums than anyone else. The bill drafted by the Senate health committee will let children be covered by their parents’ policy until the age of 26, since first jobs after high school or college often don’t offer health benefits.
Seriously, giving a speech about health care without knowing a thing about it is channeling stupid and hoping everyone will ignore it. Fat chance.
Meanwhile, Pres. Obama let fly a Bush type gaffe that is making the rounds, with the White House now applying the dreaded “sic” to the transcript: “The reforms we seek would bring greater competition, choice, savings and inefficiencies to our health care system…” Obama’s been caught so flatfooted by the stall of health care he’s remarkably off his game.
But let’s get really serious. The one person who could lead this fight and win it, Teddy Kennedy, is dying, and the other one, Hillary Clinton, is traveling the world on her SoS power tour.
As for Howard Dean, you know, the Democratic doctor in the mix, why he’s not either in charge of HHS or appointed Surgeon General is yet another instance where someone at the White House let egos and enmity take precedence over smart staffing. Read Dean’s piece over at Daily Beast.
Kathleen Sebelius remains as useful in this health care fight as a potted plant.
However, Republicans like Steele and Mitch McConnell continue to make our side look good. Be thankful.
I am. Also grateful that Obama has learned to hit back (video at the link).
OBAMA: Just the other day, one Republican Senator said, and I’m quoting him now, “if we’re able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.” Think about that. This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics. It is about a health care system that is breaking American families, breaking America’s businesses and breaking America’s economy.
Good quote.
There’s only one problem. If Pres. Obama doesn’t think this is about politics he’s going to lose this fight. And it’s going to take a lot more than quips aimed at Republicans. He’s got to knock some heads on the Democratic side. I’m just not all that convinced he knows how.
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