Rahm Emanuel: "I begged Obama not to push Health Care".

[Soul Crusher]

Rahm Emanuel "Begged" Obama Not to Push Health Care
By Brian Montopoli Topics Health Care ,White House ,Obama Administration
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(Credit: AP)
In his new book on President Obama's first year in office, "The Promise," Jonathan Alter includes a quote from the president's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, illustrating just how opposed Emanuel was to the president's push for comprehensive health care reform.

"I begged him not to do this," Emanuel told Alter, as detailed by the Washington Post's Greg Sargent, writing off advanced excerpts put out ahead of the book's release Tuesday. (Hotsheet just got its copy of the book and is planning to dig into it this weekend.)

The president overruled Emanuel, telling him, according to the book, that he "wasn't sent here to do school uniforms."

The "school uniforms" quip, incidentally, appears to be a shot at former President Bill Clinton, who back in 1996 pushed for public schools to be able to require uniforms.

The behind-the-scenes details seem to confirm what many liberals have long suspected: That Emanuel is oriented more toward pragmatic politics than taking big risks like aggressive health care reform. As Ben Smith notes, the president's team was widely skeptical of the health care push, with only domestic policy council chief Melody Barnes strongly in favor, according to the book.

Alter reports that Emanuel spent a week last summer trying to convince the president to instead pursue a scaled-down plan that would have brought insurance to 10 million Americans and was more likely to attract bipartisan support.

Once he was overruled, however, Emanuel reportedly devoted himself to passage of the president's more-aggressive plan. As Sargent notes, the book quotes Emanuel asking the president last September if he felt lucky despite his poor poll numbers on health care.

Responded the president: "My name is Barack Hussein Obama and I'm sitting here. So yeah, I'm feeling pretty lucky."

A disclosure: "The Promise" is being published by Simon & Schuster, a CBS company.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20005041-503544.html

[Soul Crusher]

Isn't this what we have been telling you guys for years? 

[Soul Crusher]

Bump for Straw -

Hasnt Tony been telling you this for 2 years now? 

[Straw Man]

wow

he ran on health care reform and then actually wanted to do it

SHOCKING

[Soul Crusher]

wow

he ran on health care reform and then actually wanted to do it

SHOCKING

He also ran on fixing the economy, which was more pressing and urgent. 

[Straw Man]

He also ran on fixing the economy, which was more pressing and urgent. 

you don't remember all the health care debates among the Dem candidates

seriously?

[Soul Crusher]

you don't remember all the health care debates among the Dem candidates

seriously?

Yes, I do, specifically where obama said he was for a public option, no dirty deals with drug companies, and against inidividual mandates. 

More lies from Obama as usual.     

[Straw Man]

Yes, I do, specifically where obama said he was for a public option, no dirty deals with drug companies, and against inidividual mandates. 

More lies from Obama as usual.     

yep, I think he said that once or twice

too bad he didn't stick with it

would you be in favor of just giving the president the power to do whatever he claims to want ?

[Soul Crusher]

yep, I think he said that once or twice

too bad he didn't stick with it

would you be in favor of just giving the president the power to do whatever he claims to want ?

No, but when the health bill morphed into a monster that represented everything he ran against, a real leader and someone with a moral compass, as opposed to an ego the size of Saturn, would have ended the process and listened to his advisors and refused to pass it and sign it and say it was not what he ran on in any degreee and was regretful of the course it took. 

Its called leadership and integrity.   He has ZILCH.   

[Straw Man]

No, but when the health bill morphed into a monster that represented everything he ran against, a real leader and someone with a moral compass, as opposed to an ego the size of Saturn, would have ended the process and listened to his advisors and refused to pass it and sign it and say it was not what he ran on in any degreee and was regretful of the course it took. 

Its called leadership and integrity.   He has ZILCH.   

everything he ran against

I thought he ran on being a marxist/communist/socialist/community organizer ?

[Soul Crusher]

everything he ran against

I thought he ran on being a marxist/communist/socialist/community organizer ?

He did, but I am talking directly about the health bill.   

[Straw Man]

He did, but I am talking directly about the health bill.   

what's your point then

what should he have done

he had to polish the turd he could get from the Dems (and what, maybe 2 or 3 Repubs?)

I wasn't aware that your problem was that Obama was not more forceful in pushing his marxist/communist/socialist agenda

is that what you've been bitching about all this time?

[Soul Crusher]

what's your point then

what should he have done

he had to polish the turd he could get from the Dems (and what, maybe 2 or 3 Repubs?)

I wasn't aware that your problem was that Obama was not more forceful in pushing his marxist/communist/socialist agenda

is that what you've been bitching about all this time?

Here is what Straw -

Get a clue - ObamaCare is perhaps the worst law EVER passed. 

Any job improvement literally came to a halt as soo nas they pass that piece of trash. 

[tonymctones]

lol straw doesnt buy into the idea that its a lack of stability and confidence that is keeping from ppl from hiring and expanding their businesses...

even though obama has now come to understand it and is rotating it into his campaign speeches now.

[Soul Crusher]

Health Care is but one issue - IT  EVERYTHING WITH THIS WHACKED OUT ADMN. 

Taxes going up or down? 

Energy inflation

Dodd Frank

NLRB 

EPA insanity 

Regulatory tyranny 

Daily bash business people routine from Bama 

Money Printing



and on and on and on and on. 

[garebear]

Isn't this what we have been telling you guys for years? 

No, you're in here kneepadding for Obama day after day.

Dude, you've posted like ten thousand articles supporting him and singing his praises on all those youtube clips.

[240 is Back]

you don't remember all the health care debates among the Dem candidates

seriously?

somehow, 33 talked in great depth about the 2008 GOP debates - but claims he had never heard of Romneycare when he voted for Romney over people like Ron Paul.

Then, he claimed the election was already between mccain and romney when he voted.  Of course, he voted on super tuesday, so we had a grand total of 5 or 6 states votes at that point.

memory ain't his strong suit.  but he likes guns, so we're cool!

[Soul Crusher]

somehow, 33 talked in great depth about the 2008 GOP debates - but claims he had never heard of Romneycare when he voted for Romney over people like Ron Paul.

Then, he claimed the election was already between mccain and romney when he voted.  Of course, he voted on super tuesday, so we had a grand total of 5 or 6 states votes at that point.

memory ain't his strong suit.  but he likes guns, so we're cool!

  

[Soul Crusher]

The brilliant constitutional genius should have listened to Rahmn.

Ha ha ha - cant wait till the SC tosses out obamacare on its ass. 

 

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

Here is what Straw -

Get a clue - ObamaCare is perhaps the worst law EVER passed. 

Any job improvement literally came to a halt as soo nas they pass that piece of trash. 

Don't see how it could stall job growth when it hasn't even been enacted yet

[Soul Crusher]

Don't see how it could stall job growth when it hasn't even been enacted yet

Business make decisions upon future plans and contingencies genius. 

If the anticipate higher costs, they dont hire people because they have to budget for the increases. 

I guess that is not understood as part of Kenyanomics  that obama apparently adheres to. 

[tonymctones]

Don't see how it could stall job growth when it hasn't even been enacted yet

you know for someone who owns their own business you really know little about business...

ever heard of a budget?

you see one of the things a budget does is allow the company to plan...

one of the things you need to estimate to make a budget are revenue and expenses...

the idiocy that is known as the health care bill will undoubtedly raise expense, this will decrease revenue as well.

you wouldnt go out and buy a new car if you didnt know what your discretionary income was going to be next month would you?

well why do you think business will make plans and hire ppl when they dont know what their expenses will be?

[Soul Crusher]

The thing this tells me is that even within the wh they knew this was a disaster, yet pig headed obama had to have his self way and put his selfish self interest over the best interests of the nation.

[tonymctones]

The thing this tells me is that even within the wh they knew this was a disaster, yet pig headed obama had to have his self way and put his selfish self interest over the best interests of the nation.

oh he definitely knew this was a big shit sandwich and chose to put his agenda ahead of the welfare of the US.

I think he did it however b/c he really does want a single payer system and this is going to drag on and his hope is eventually lead to a single payer system.

[andreisdaman]

Rahm Emanuel "Begged" Obama Not to Push Health Care
By Brian Montopoli Topics Health Care ,White House ,Obama Administration
36 Comments
Have Your Say
Email Story
Send to a Friend
Share This
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(Credit: AP)
In his new book on President Obama's first year in office, "The Promise," Jonathan Alter includes a quote from the president's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, illustrating just how opposed Emanuel was to the president's push for comprehensive health care reform.

"I begged him not to do this," Emanuel told Alter, as detailed by the Washington Post's Greg Sargent, writing off advanced excerpts put out ahead of the book's release Tuesday. (Hotsheet just got its copy of the book and is planning to dig into it this weekend.)

The president overruled Emanuel, telling him, according to the book, that he "wasn't sent here to do school uniforms."

The "school uniforms" quip, incidentally, appears to be a shot at former President Bill Clinton, who back in 1996 pushed for public schools to be able to require uniforms.

The behind-the-scenes details seem to confirm what many liberals have long suspected: That Emanuel is oriented more toward pragmatic politics than taking big risks like aggressive health care reform. As Ben Smith notes, the president's team was widely skeptical of the health care push, with only domestic policy council chief Melody Barnes strongly in favor, according to the book.

Alter reports that Emanuel spent a week last summer trying to convince the president to instead pursue a scaled-down plan that would have brought insurance to 10 million Americans and was more likely to attract bipartisan support.

Once he was overruled, however, Emanuel reportedly devoted himself to passage of the president's more-aggressive plan. As Sargent notes, the book quotes Emanuel asking the president last September if he felt lucky despite his poor poll numbers on health care.

Responded the president: "My name is Barack Hussein Obama and I'm sitting here. So yeah, I'm feeling pretty lucky."

A disclosure: "The Promise" is being published by Simon & Schuster, a CBS company.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20005041-503544.html

again..as I have said in the past..I find it really funny when you quote the very same people you have viciously savaged when they say something you agree with....amazing..

THE HYPOCRISY CONTINUES