Elizabeth Edwards: "Obama was charming." (disputes rumors of spat)

[Shakespeare]

Elizabeth Edwards: "Obama was charming"

Elizabeth Edwards made the rounds of NBC shows this morning to talk about healthcare, and particularly about John McCain's inadequate reform plan, which she argued would not require insurers to offer coverage to McCain himself because of his own preexisting cancer condition. When MSNBC's Joe Scarborough asked Edwards about McCain's claim that his is the only plan to keep costs low, she replied: "His plan by cutting benefits to people; we'll end up having bare-bones policies with lots of deductibles and lots of exclusions, including ... preexisting conditions." (The video is here.)

Thanks to Phoenix Woman writing in Salon letters, I learned that Edwards also shot down a report in New York magazine that she and her husband haven't endorsed Barack Obama at least partly because a private meeting among the three of them went badly when Obama and Elizabeth Edwards argued about healthcare policy.

While Edwards told Scarborough that Clinton's plan is the only one "that provides a mandate. It means every American has to be covered," she denied that the meeting with Obama was unpleasant. "I did not find him condescending; he was charming, as was Sen. Clinton, and I have absolutely no idea where this report comes from." Later, when "Today" show host Meredith Vieira asked whether she'd had a "fight" with Obama, Edwards answered, "No, I was a little surprised to read that." On both shows she said no Edwards endorsement was forthcoming -- although she told Scarborough's co-host Mika Brzezinski that it's possible she and her husband could endorse different candidates.

Since I reported the New York magazine anecdote, I thought it was important to share Edwards' denial. Here's hoping other Democratic surrogates follow Edwards' lead and direct their formidable political firepower at McCain instead of at the two remaining Democrats fighting for the nomination.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/?last_story=/opinion/walsh/2008/04/02/elizabeth_edwards/

[Olney Blue]

1. I admire Elizabeth for speaking out about this.

[myrna minx]

2. Thanks for posting.

The rumor mill is on overdrive. It's nice to hear the truth form the source.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. She doesn't know what she is talking about

I read it here that she had a cat fight with Obama out on the lawn
after he push her with his arrogance!!!


:sarcasm:

[OzarkDem]

13. Not true, but

It doesn't sound as though he would get her endorsement.

[Robeson]

3. So John could go with one, and she another. Interesting....

...Sounds like she and John aren't tied to the hip. I like that.

[Shakespeare]

6. They've always been that way. She's MUCH more vocal on GLBT issues.

She's all for full gay marriage legalization; John's position has been more cautious.

I :loveya: the Edwardses.

[housewolf]

4. Thanks, Shakespeare

I appreciate hearing that she rebutted the store about her & John's encounter with Obama. The original story left me feeling disappointed, so I am glad that she's corrected the record.

Thanks for posting!

:hi:

[davidpdx]

5. Well that shoots down the theory that's been floated

in a half dozen threads here the last few weeks.

[Shakespeare]

14. Yup. n/t

[Cha]

8. That never sounded like it was

true to me and one more example of not "rumors" but lies planted in the m$$$$$m and spread throughout.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for setting the lies to rest and I hope you're doing well.

I don't want a mandate ..I don't want to be "insured".

[Yael]

9. Another Clintoniam meme debunked....

[OzarkDem]

12. How so?

Did Hillary say something to that effect?

[OzarkDem]

10. Interesting and important things she had to say

Elizabeth Edwards, as a breast cancer survivor living with chronic disease, has a lot of gravitas on this issue.

Her remarks seem to indicate she agrees with Clinton's plan (and doesn't favor Obama's) because of the mandates for coverage that make it universal.

While Edwards told Scarborough that Clinton's plan is the only one "that provides a mandate. It means every American has to be covered,"

but this part is really interesting...

On both shows she said no Edwards endorsement was forthcoming -- although she told Scarborough's co-host Mika Brzezinski that it's possible she and her husband could endorse different candidates.

Some have argued in the past that Edwardses' lack of endorsement was because Elizabeth doesn't like Hillary. Seems that's not the case.

[karynnj]

17. If there's a transcrip, it might be worth looking at it

I think that when she was speaking to Mika, I think she was not speaking of endorsing but that - in the privacy of the voting booth they may vote for different candidates.

Kennedy has more gravitas on healthcare than Edwards, because he worked on medicare and S-CHIP. He knows what is possible to get passed. Senator McCain is a cancer survivor as well.

[Cant trust em]

11. I like John, but I love Elizabeth

Everything that woman says is gold.

[TragedyandHope]

15. As I suspected

I forwarded the previous story around to friends along with my suspicions about the claims of the so-called "party insider" who leaked the false rumor to smear Obama. When the truth came out and everyone read Elizabeth Edwards' words today, we were all shaking our heads in agreement. Yep, something about that story just smelled wrong.

[Justitia]

16. I love Elizabeth. I disagree w/her on mandates, but we can agree to disagree. -eom

[ZombieHorde]

18. Clinton's plan

How does this work for the homeless?