Debating the President’s Portsmouth pitch (part 7)
Here’s still more from the President in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire town hall on health care reform:
THE PRESIDENT: We have the AARP on board because they know this is a good deal for our seniors.
(later) AARP would not be endorsing a bill if it was undermining Medicare, okay?
After the town hall, AARP issued a statement including the following sentence:
AARP: While the President was correct that AARP will not endorse a health care reform bill that would reduce Medicare benefits, indications that we have endorsed any of the major health care reform bills currently under consideration in Congress are inaccurate.
A political observation: With this statement AARP embarrassed the President. It is a huge deal for a left-leaning interest group like AARP to directly and immediately contradict the President on his top policy priority. I infer that AARP’s leadership is more afraid of their members attacking them for perceived support of these bills than they are of infuriating the President and his staff.
Other posts in this series:
- The President’s overpromise that everyone can keep their health plan
- Putting the government in charge of your health insurance
- Waiting in line
- Government-mandated benefits
- Preventive care does not save money (in the aggregate)
- The House bill would increase short-term, 10th year, and long-term budget deficits
