Y'know why the President says he didn't campaign on the public option?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Because he probably didn't.

Yes, it was always in his healthcare plan online, but he probably didn't ever "campaign" on it, using "campaign" as a term of art meaning to actively support verbally in ads or campaign events. (And to mean "not including position papers or websites")

But the question of did he or didn't he buries the real meaning of the story...

What kind of jumps out is that the President has a category in his mind labeled, "Things I supported on paper but did not campaign on."

This is not even a specific thing about Obama. I'm sure Kerry and Gore and Clinton and certainly every pug who has ever run for anything all had things they "supported" in white papers, on web-sites, etc., but did not really want to advertise.

(Pugs are even more notorious for the bait-and-switch. Have you ever read an actual Republican platform? It's not a thing one would want to campaign nationally on!)

You know who reads those online position papers? For one, the activist base.

You know who doesn't read them? Ordinary voters.

So for future reference, recognize the distinction.

Politicians are bound only to what they campaign on because ordinary voters heard them say that stuff.

[DebbieCDC]

1. He's good with words, I'll give him that

[phleshdef]

2. I'm still waiting for clarification on that comment. Even if I believed Obama to be a liar...

...that comment alone would be a lie that wouldn't make sense. I figure it was a Biden moment on his part and hopefully he clarifies what he actually meant.

[eleny]

3. In other words, he just reached for a shovel with a longer handle to deal with the accusation

Not good.

[IndianaGreen]

4. We should keep that in mind when he runs for reelection

Whatever he says, it can't be believed!

[still_one]

6. and what can really be done about it? Who is going to challenge Obama and be able to win? /nt

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. I disagree

I think he can be believed in the same way Clinton could be believed.

They are lawyers and artful dodgers. You have to pin them down...

If Obama says something in a way that everyone will associate with him as a promise then he will try to keep it.

And the same probably goes for most other politicians.

Pretend their speeches and interviews are testimony in a deposition and don't let any mere implication stand as fact.

[inna]

12. I don't believe a word he says, at this point.

It hasn't reached the Bush levels (yet?), when I could nearly bet that whatever was coming out of his mouth was the exact OPPOSITE of truth, but.... it's starting to approach that level.

[babylonsister]

16. At this point?

:rofl: You've been bashing him for months! Whatever he did/does, you don't like. At least be honest.

[inna]

19. witch hunting, again?...

:applause:

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[inna]

24. alerting.

:wtf:

[inna]

23. you must be completely confused and mistaking me for someone else,

but... whatever, dude.


However, I DO strongly object/resent your insinuation about me not being honest. Cut that pathetic defamatory crap.

[jenmito]

25. Do you remember posting this?:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=5177387

(Post complete with article from American Conservative.) :rofl:

[inna]

26. i'm glad you're easily amused, but... are you implying i'm a conservative?

[jenmito]

27. I'm implying the post shows you didn't support him-just like babylonsister said.

[inna]

29. ahem, dude. your idiotic witch hunting notwithstanding, i STILL support him.

at least in polls.


get a grip on yourself, you guys are starting to sound downright creepy.

[jenmito]

30. Ahem, dude. I'm not witch-hunting. I'm posting one of YOUR threads from '08. That's all. n/t

[liberalmuse]

5. I don't recall him campaigning on the PO.

I pretty much knew what his HC plan was, and I wasn't totally thrilled with it, but I voted for him without any delusions. Frankly, the people who are whining now either did not do enough research or they are being dishonest. We're getting EXACTLY what we voted for. If we wanted him to be more liberal than his record and his words have proven, then we've only ourselves to blame.

[still_one]

8. Whether people like to admit it or not, Obama ran as a moderate. I also do not recall him

campaigning on the PO, as I don't recall any of the candidates, except Kucinich, and Paul saying they would immediately withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan

Sometimes we hear or believe what we want

[glitch]

15. Moderate does not equal Conservative. And it certainly does not equal Corporatist. nt

[ipaint]

9. Here you go...again. Links from the campaign.

Covering All Americans and Providing Real Choices of Affordable Health Insurance Options.

Families and individuals should have the option of keeping the coverage they have or choosing from a wide array of health insurance plans, including many private health insurance options and a public plan. Coverage should be made affordable for all Americans with subsidies provided through tax credits and other means.

http://www.democrats.org/a/party/platform.html


In the 2008 Obama-Biden health care plan on the campaign’s website, candidate Obama promised that “any American will have the opportunity to enroll in new public plan.”

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/HealthCareFullPlan.pdf


Do you have a plan to make health care more accessible to Americans? If so, how would you do it?

Every American has the right to affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage. My plan will ensure that all Americans have health care coverage through their employers, private health plans, the federal government, or the states. My plan builds on and improves our current insurance system, which most Americans continue to rely upon, and creates a new public health plan for those currently without coverage. Under my plan, Americans will be able to choose to maintain their current coverage if they choose to. For those without health insurance I will establish a new public insurance program, and provide subsides to afford care for those who need them. My plan includes a mandate that all children have health care coverage and I will expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs to help ensure we cover all kids. My plan requires all employers to contribute towards health coverage for their employees or towards the cost of the public plan. Under my plan a typical family will save $2,500 each year. We will realize tremendous savings within the health care system from improving efficiency and quality and reducing wasted expenditures system-wide. Specifically, these savings will result from investments in health information technology, improvements in prevention and management of chronic conditions, increased insurance industry competition and reduced industry overhead, the provision of federal reinsurance for catastrophic coverage, and reduced spending on uncompensated care.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/issues/candidates/barack-obama/



NPR interview 2007-

Obama: Senator Clinton’s plan for healthcare, my plan, John Edward’s plan are all similar in the sense that we set up a government plan alongside the private plans that people have. And people can buy in. And we all subsidize participation in that plan.

Laura Knoy: So it’s not universal, single payer healthcare such as Dennis Kucinich<'s plan>?

Obama: Exactly. It’s not single payer, it’s a transitional system building on the existing systems that we have.

cont.-

Require all children to have health insurance, and employers to offer employee health benefits or contribute to the cost of the new public program. Expand Medicaid and SCHIP and create the National Health Insurance Exchange through which small businesses and individuals without access to other public programs or employer-based coverage could enroll in a new public plan, like Medicare, or in a range of approved private plans.

http://www.verumserum.com/?p=8554



This side-by-side comparison of the candidates' positions on health care was prepared by the Kaiser Family Foundation with the assistance of Health Policy Alternatives, Inc. and is based on information appearing on the candidates' websites as supplemented by information from candidate speeches, the campaign debates and news reports. The sources of information are identified for each candidate's summary (with links to the Internet). The comparison highlights information on the candidates' positions related to access to health care coverage, cost containment, improving the quality of care and financing. Information will be updated regularly as the campaign unfolds.

snip-
Barack Obama-

Create a new public plan so that small businesses and individuals without access to other public programs or employer-based coverage could purchase insurance. Plan coverage would offer comprehensive benefits similar to those available through FEHBP.

http://www.health08.org/sidebyside_results.cfm?c=5&c=16


May 2007-

Mr. Obama would create a new public plan open to individuals who cannot get group coverage through work or the existing government programs, like Medicaid or the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. He would also create a National Health Insurance Exchange, a regulated marketplace of competing private health plans that would aim at “reforming” the private insurance market and giving individuals other, more affordable options for coverage.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/29/us/politics/29CND-OBAMA.html?_r=2

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/22/818090/-President-Obama:-I-Didnt-Campaign-on-the-Public-Option

[truedelphi]

14. Thank you for those links. n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

21. Have you ever stopped to think about how pointless this exercise is?

Let's get a couple of things straight. The first is that some kind of Public Option was part of Obama's health care proposal. One of several parts, nearly all of which are included in this Senate Bill. So did he campaign on a Puplic Option? Yes and No. It was part of his overall strategy, but he frankly spent more time talking about cost savings through electronic medical records than he did about expanding Medicare.

The other part, and I really can't stress this enough, is that if a Public Option were part of the Senate Bill, Obama would certainly sign it and probably do so with more gusto than he will otherwise. It's not as though Obama has suddenly come out and dissed the whole concept. He just knows that it's not likely to be in the legislation he gets from Congress. Now he could piss and moan all over the networks about how Harry Reid done him wrong, but that's really not going do any good, now, is it?

[EVDebs]

10. No, he did promise a Public Option...sign the petition here at Yes We Still Can

http://yeswestillcan.org/

Obama promised a public option (July 17, 2009).

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

11. I didn't mean to really argue the narrow factual point either way...

But I can see how it comes off.

The OP isn't (meant to be) a defense of Obama's specific veracity. It is more to note that even if he is literally correct it is still a sort of lie from the get-go.

Having "positions" during campaigns that you don't really believe or feel an obligation to in is a scam. Obama didn't invent it and he won't be the last to use it.

[EVDebs]

17. Agreed. I wanted a new FDR. I'm seeing Bill Clinton

We got a guy who's everybody's 'class president'. I don't think he realizes it but He's Got The Job now. Jack Benny once told this to Lucille Ball (who was acting very scared on her own show if I remember the story right). He sat her down and told her 'you've got the job' just settle down.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

13. It's like the Party Platform

Same is true for both parties. Activists bite and scratch and gouge to get their preferred language in there, but no actual voters ever read them and, in fact, individual candidates might not agree with it. There were volumes of position papers on the Obama website -- so much so that pundits were making snarky comments about it. The idea that Obama is to be held to every syllable of what was on his website is a little unrealistic.

[truedelphi]

18. Obama did campaign on the public option. Here is the link

Notice how visionary this man appears to be.

Apparently he was kidnapped by aliens shortly after his election. And a bio clone installed in his place.

We have the Video.
The TRUTH cannot be denied or rewritten.

Here is an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZG8Zq8V54k
Where is THIS Obama today?


(Thanks to bvar22 for the above link)

[inna]

31. This needs its own OP. It really does.

[truedelphi]

33. TYT and the same refrain - We have been PUNKED//an OP of its own

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=416796&mesg_id=416796

Complete with the video of TYT's Cenk offering the proofs of all the lies we have had to swallow.

[AzDar]

20. He also OPPOSED mandates during the campaign... mocked the idea, really.

:puke:

[Bodhi BloodWave]

32. i have an question for you

If you were to believe something, you then get evidence that what you believed can't be done the way you thought

Should you stick with your position regardless or actually change your mind based on the new evidence in question?

[HughMoran]

28. I agree with your analysis

Technically, his staffer, Madhuri Kommareddi put out a paper which described a public insurance plan in one sentence, but Obama never really actively campaigned on this during the Presidential campaign. I think it's one of those things that you 'want' but you have been told by the experts that you probably won't 'get'.