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Elizabeth Edwards Favors Hillary’s Health Plan

By SusanUnPC on March 31, 2008 at 12:10 PM in Barack Obama, Health Care, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards

Los Angeles Times, March 31, 2008:

[Elizabeth] Edwards said she favored Hillary Rodham Clinton’s healthcare plan over Barack Obama’s.

“Sen. Clinton’s plan is a great plan” that closely resembles John Edwards’ proposal, she said. Clinton’s plan mandates that every American be insured. Elizabeth Edwards said only universal healthcare would resolve one of the problems plaguing the healthcare system — its soaring cost.

“Until we get rid of the need for hospitals and other providers to cover the costs of people who are not covered . . . the overall cost is not going to go down,” she said. “The only real cost savings comes when you have universality.”

Here’s the top of the article:

McCain’s health plan fails her test

Neither Elizabeth Edwards, whose cancer is incurable, nor the presumptive Republican presidential nominee would be covered by his policy, she asserts.

By Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 30, 2008

ARLINGTON, VA. — Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former Democratic presidential contender John Edwards, said she and John McCain have one thing in common: “Neither one of us would be covered by his health policy.”

Edwards lodged her criticism of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s proposal Saturday at the annual meeting of the Assn. of Health Care Journalists. …

We have written innumerable articles here at No Quarter on the quality of the health care plans proposed by both Hillary Clinton and John Edwards (how I wish it were he remaining in the race*). Obama’s plan falls far short of either Clinton’s or Edwards’s. Paul Krugman concurs.

:::::::::

*Just a simple statement: If Hillary Clinton were facing off against John Edwards, I would be at ease about the general election contest — because, if he came out victorious over Hillary, I know that Edwards could take on the GOP. More importantly, I would also be at ease about the presidency. I can see John Edwards in the Oval Office. He is a born leader. He has a “buck-stops-here” mentality. (And he has Elizabeth, an exceptionally able mate.) Obama is too much of an appeaser, and he doesn’t work as hard.

  • Christian Prophet

    Democratic bigshots should hold off. The truth is only just beginning to come out about Barack Obama. See:
    http://miraclesdaily.blogspot.com/

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  • Betty

    Yesterday I heard Senator Kerry say that Universal Health Care is a “non-starter in the Senate“. I hope Elizabeth hears about that. What is the percentage of ALL Americans who want Universal Health Care, how many of us is he kicking to the curb?

    Another thing I heard yesterday on one of the talk shows was some guy saying the “magic number” should have been revised downward when MI and FLA were disqualified. What does that mean? I that part of Brazille’s plan?

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      Wasn’t that incredible? I think we’ve got the clip of that, and I should post it…. in this story.

      Every time I hear John Kerry these days, I cannot bring myself to recall how I forced myself to work for him in the general election/ 2004. How I kept putting up the yard signs that the Bush goons would tear down in the night. How I tore off the Bush sticker someone put over my Kerry/Edwards bumpersticker. How my daughter and I held a fundraiser for Kerry. And how we showed his campaign film at the local library.

      (This Democrat is sick and tired of putting up with the nominees that the DNC forces on us.)

      Give me Hillary. Give me John Edwards. Do not force Obama on me.

      • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

        If Hillary gets the nomination, I’d be thrilled if she selected Edwards as her running mate. Or, if he’d prefer, the job as Attorney General. He’d do a brilliant job for the Dept. of Justice, which desperately needs his brains, his drive, and his energy to revitalize it.

        • jenn

          Of course I think he would have to fire everyone there, because we really do not know the extent of GOP influence in ALL staff positions.

          Even though she would get a lot of backlash, Clinton needs to fire all US attorneys (which is allowed at the beginning of a POTUS’s term–not the way Bush/Rove did it). That is the only way to get the stench out. Edwards would do it just fine.

          • TeakwoodKite

            A few US attorneys in Alabama need to go to jail.

      • Fran

        I feel exactly the same way. Edwards was always my second choice, and I’d love to see him in Hillary’s cabinet as AG. They are both principled fighters. This new meme about “the cult of Hillary,” and it’s immature to back “Hillary or no one,” is inaccurate. I favor Hillary because is strong and commanding on every issue. I have never understood the appeal of Senator Obama who clearly lacks experience and judgment. Now that we are learning more and more about the inconsistency between his actual record and his seductive and illusory words, I know my instinct was right. Hillary and Edwards are fighting for people’s jobs, health care, and quality of life. Obama is fighting for Obama.

      • meileen

        I, too, think back to 2004 and all the work I did to help get Kerry elected, even though I would have preferred Edwards at the top of that ticket. I never really liked Kerry, and him saying that about healthcare just boggles the mind. No wonder why we’re still in Iraq; these Dems are actually Repubs.

      • allimom99

        I kept thinking what a lousy spokesperson Kerry is and, by contrast, how great Ed Rendell was. Hillary needs to use him a LOT – he’s very likeable and genuine, but tough as nails, Kind of like Hillary herself!

    • It’sNotMe

      Another thing I heard yesterday on one of the talk shows was some guy saying the “magic number” should have been revised downward when MI and FLA were disqualified. What does that mean? I that part of Brazille’s plan?

      But, but, but….wouldn’t that be “changing the rules in the middle of the game?” Donna Brazile would get nowhere FAST if she tried to pull that one off. The Mr. Hope campaign constantly spews the Clinton’s “can’t change the rules in the middle of the game” in regard to the MI and FL voters, but they have no problem changing the rule of “The Super Delegates should vote for the candidate THEY believe best able to win in November” and constantly try to intimidate the SD by saying they must vote for the candidate with the most Pledged Delegates. NOWHERE in the rules is THAT stated. They cherry pick which rules can be broken and I for one am SICK OF IT. Donna Brazile can bite me!

      • ginaswo

        I thought the magic number was already revised downward when they barred MI and FLA?

        • meileen

          I believe you are correct, but hey, I would not be surprised at anything the DNC tries to pull at this point.

          I don’t think they are taking this seriously enough. There are MANY folks out there who won’t vote for Obama now, and I hear much talk of them making their point by writing in Hillary Clinton come November.

          I can tell you this: I won’t be doing my normal GOTV work this year if Obama is the nominee. And there are quite a few of us.

      • seeker

        I think that guy was wrong. The delegates from FL and MI were excluded, The “magic” number of delegates needed to win would increase if MI and FL were included.

        I forget where I saw that, could not recheck it, so I may be wrong. Can anybody else confirm or deny?

        • http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/03/31/elizabeth-edwards-favors-hillarys-health-plan/#comments waldenpond

          Yes, the number was revised down. The 4049 is without MI/FL. (I have a spreadsheet with the delegates, numbers come from the greenpapers.) I imagine the opinion is that the number should be revised down to the number Obama has now. Voters seem to be inconvenient for a certain candidate.

    • John

      I really wonder why these guys even bother to spend millions of dollars running for political office, only to bleat “that’s a non-starter, nope, that’s too hard, it’s an election year, can’t do that..” What was the point of us voting for you if you CANT DO ANYTHING?

      These people do not speak for the vast majority of voters. If they did, we’d be out of Iraq and deep into Impeachment. The only thing they care about is the next election, and holding on to power. Doing something with that power? Nah, too risky.

      They won’t step aside and let anyone else give it a try, so they just be shoved aside. Let’s get Kerry out of the Senate. My dad worked for Pat Leahy for fifteen years; I will never give him another dime and vote for whoever runs against him in 2010. In January I’ll call for the Democrats in Congress to fire Pelosi, Reed and Hoyer from their leadership posts. Enough is enough.

      • Catriley

        Can I ask what Kerry mean by “it’s a non-starter?” I keep seeing that comment, and I’m assuming he’s turning his back on a MAJOR platform for the Democrats (heck, it’s one of the reasons I AM a Democrat.) I can glean that he’s saying that suddenly “universal” health care is no longer important because the guy he backs doesn’t offer it.

        Is “non-starter” some Ivy league, blueblood, jive? No, I’m asking seriously what he meant.

        • ginaswo

          In my experience non starter is used by middle management to kill creative or productive ideas from below, anything that might require ‘pushback’ another favorite term, anything that might put their axs in jeopardy is termed a ‘non-starter’ :0>

      • TeakwoodKite

        My dad worked for Pat Leahy for fifteen years; send back to the farm he loves so much.
        Pat Leahy has no credibility when telling a certian radio mouth last Nov? that impeachment was not pratical because there is only a year or left to Bush …(295 and counting) What about a nation of laws does he not get? PAuh

        I hear only political expediancy and money is above principles and the ENFORCEMENT of the Constitution and it’s laws are just “quaint”…

        What a bug brain…

  • oh puhleeze

    Must read.

    Larry, please get a post up about yet another egregious web of lies:

    http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9269.html

    • http://www.oohnuance.blogspot.com madamab

      Obama is a mystery to me. I don’t know who he is or what he stands for. I don’t know why he stayed in that church for 20 years if he didn’t agree with the views of his pastor. I don’t know why he’s changed his mind umpteen times about issues like abortion and yet refuses to acknowledge it. “No, no, what I REALLY MEANT WAS…”

      My biggest puzzlement is why people think he’s a liberal. He doesn’t legislate as liberally as Hillary and his policy proposals are weaker and more business-friendly. And frankly, liberals don’t like hate speech, lying or racism in their candidates.

      I wish people would stop lumping Hillary supporters into categories. People from every nationality and income class support her. She is truly a uniter, unlike Senator Obama, who has done an incredible job of dividing the Democratic Party right when we should be triumphing over the hapless McCain and his cranky, pathetic protestations of success in Iraq…

      • TeakWoodKite

        I wish people would stop lumping Hillary supporters into categories…

        Thanks for saying that. Thats what happens when a skunk uses both sides of his stripe.

        Obama’s Eggman Koolaid marketing plan.

        I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
        See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly.
        I’m crying.

    • It’sNotMe

      I was HOPING this story would hit the blogosphere! I saw it reported on Fox this morning. The ONLY way it will grow legs is if the blogosphere helps it along. I don’t expect to see CNN or MSHBN cover it at all…unless they’re forced to because it’s grown too large to ignore. It’s so sad that I have to go to Fox news for actual news on Obama.:(

    • TeakwoodKite

      What a steaming pile of dung that beatle emerged from…Does this revisionst crap really sell?

  • TeakwoodKite

    What she is saying is that Florida and Michigan should secede from the Union. Since their “votes” are not reflected in the numbers of delegates, the numbers should “mirror” the number of available delegates from 48 states. Injury to insult because that preclude both states from taking part in the convention, Other than being Oscar seat warmers.

    If I am stating the obvious, sorry…

    • sister of ye

      Well, at the moment this MI voter would happily stand on the riverfront with a sign entreating Canada to invade – and bring their health care with them. (We already have hockey and Tim Horton’s donuts. I can learn to say “eh.”)

      • ginaswo

        can AZ come too?
        pllleeeeaaase?
        we can play hockey?!

  • MarkL

    Well, this is especially interested because I had read that Elizabeth had a bad relationship with Hillary, and this was a major reason he wasn’t endorsing.

  • chris c

    I do not understand why a woman with stage 4 breast cancer who knows first hand the importance of everyone being covered–particularly middle aged people like herself–cannot bring herself to encourage her husband to endorse Clinton.

    For crying out loud, if she personally doesn’t like Hillary, can’t she get over it for the sake of the voters, some of whom–like her–will be diagnosed with life threatening illnesses in the next four years?

    As we all know, Obama will not be taking the oath of office next January, aside from the fact that his plan isn’t as good. Hillary has a shot. I am disappointed with John and Elizabeth for sitting this out.

    • hells kitchen

      Like Susan, I wish it were Edwards still in the race, but the media decided they wanted it to be a Clinton/Obama fight and didn’t cover Edwards.

      As to Edwards not endorsing, consider that Edwards followers moved over to either Clinton or Obama after he suspended his campaign. On dKos there were frequent calls for Edwards to endorse, diaries of the nature of “Will Edwards endorse Obama today?” and comments that if Edwards didn’t endorse Obama, they (Obamabots) were finished with Edwards.

      Edwards is first and foremost dedicated to the ideas he believed in. I think he wanted the continued support of people who followed him.

      It may be that we are approaching a time when not endorsing is a greater risk than endorsing. Hopefully at least.

      McCain would be a disaster on all levels.

      • MarkL

        Not only is Obama unqualified; because he is unqualified, his decision to campaign on silly slogans and buzzwords has robbed the Democrats of an opportunity to see a debate on the issues, such as would have occured if Edwards were in the race.

      • Catriley

        It’s kind of weird that Dkos people are now pushing for Edwards to endorse Obama. When Edwards was still in the race, they were all quite mean to the Edwards supporters, as they are to Hillary (though of course Hillary gets attacked much worse. Always.)

  • votermom

    I think the reason Edwards isn’t endorsing is that the “taking money from lobbyists & industries” i s a very big deal to him, and both Obama & Hillary are doing that. That aside, it’s obvious that his and Hillary’s policies are much more closely aligned, so if HRC & BO go to the convention, I think Edwards will swing his delegates to HRC.

  • NagNancy

    Why oh why has Elizabeth waited until now to speak up?

    At least she’s talking about it now. Maybe the big media will eventually include it as filler in between “the inevitability of Obama” discussion groups.

  • Surge07

    No, Obama’s plan is not universal.

    The only problem with Hillary’s plan and Edwards’s plan is that they are not universal, either. They are still based on who your employer is, which is what we have now, and to this they have added compelling everyone who is not covered at work to buy a plan. This model is broken.. It’s time to try something else. I think that

    • Catriley

      No, it’s universal. If you read Hillary’s plan carefully, and listen to her, you’ll realize you’re incorrect on how it works. You’ll need to do some homework on that, as you’re passing out false info.

  • Catriley

    I have always admired Elizabeth Edwards, so very much. I was a staunch Edwards supporter in 2004, having pushed for him at my State’s caucus. I was an Edwards supporter this time around, with Hillary leanings. When John dropped out, my full support went to Hillary BECAUSE of her health care plan. Like John and Elizabeth Edwards, I feel as though Hillary “gets it” regarding health care for ALL, and about the plight of the working poor.

    I love the dedication and passion of the Edwards to matters of poverty and health care. My Mom’s life was ruined because of her insurance company’s decision to rule something pre-existing (they denied a claim for pneumonia as pre-exisiting, though she had insurance for a few years already). There is just no way to recover from an ICU debt that was thrust upon you because your insurance company denied your claim (to the tune of 90K.)

    I believe in Hillary’s drive to get everyone insured. It’s humiliating to think that America, of all countries, does not care for its people.

    • simon

      I think they’re going for a “no hope.” scenario today, ie, Kerry saying health care is a non starter, health care being dear to the Clinton supporters hearts.

      Ignore it, it’s part two of the conquer and divide old school ops, astroturf for and by morons.

      Again, it’s KERRY, those “democratic” “men” can’t win a national election, and the Republicans they’re patterning themselves after can’t win a war.

      You’d think the whole PR AstroTurf industry was being trolled.

      Maybe it is.

      Oh, it’s just too complicated.

      Heh.

  • http://speaktruth speaktruth

    I was a fervent Edwards supporter. My impression, starting with the debate in New Hampshire, where he seemed to be endorsing Obama at one point, was that his handlers were giving him VERY BAD advice. That was one of his worst moments. I wondered at the time and still do, if there was any sabotage involved on part of his advisors. Since he dropped out I have seen Trippi, Saunders, and Kofinis on TV sounding very pro-Obama. Saunders especially was blaming the Clintons for economic problems in depressed states, blaming NAFTA. I thought it was inappropriate, and also incorrect.
    I got the impression that Edwards, busy with campaigning, had taken Obama at his word re no lobbyists, etc., all that bullshit. At the later debates he seemed to catch on.
    Most people on his website couldn’t stand Obama. Though some didn’t like Clinton either, and still want Edwards or no one, I think majority were going for Clinton.
    Of course that’s not how they spin it on MSNBC! Hate that station.
    I am really hoping Elizabeth’s statement is intro to endorsing our girl. I would love to see Edwards as VP or AG. There have been rumors that he will come out for her – maybe this week. Obamas are doing their usual bully strongarm job of trying to stop him. God, I can’t stand those people.
    To me it is a test of how much intelligence and integrity each politician has – who they endorse. I hope John and Elizabeth don’t disappoint me.

  • http://makethemaccountable.com Carolyn Kay

    >>Obama is too much of an appeaser, and he doesn’t work as hard.

    And he doesn’t care as much. He hasn’t stood up for anything or against anything that took any courage, all these many years that he’s been in the Senate.

    Carolyn Kay
    MakeThemAccountable.com

    • TeakWoodKite

      The striking irony of what lies ahead is the republican senate’s “monkey wrench gang” will remain mostly intact.

      Obama, must think the 08 Congress will be some sort of a pillow fight. Most of the people he is consorting with will be calling in markers faster than you can pick up the phone at 3:AM for room service.
      If the FBI can bug MLK, wall to wall, does Obama really think 17 years of standing next to Rezko will make this less likely? Some tapes are being preserved over at DOJ.

  • llilytoo

    There is lots to consider about an Edwards endorsement. However by just not endorsing Obama all this time, it has been a backhanded endorsement for Hill without the Press heat that would bring. Because no one is rewarded for endorsing Hill.

    BO puppet master, Axelrod worked for/on John’s campaign back in the day. Given that it says alot that Edwrads hasn’t gone for Obama.

  • llilytoo

    Kerry makes me want to vomit . But you can see one of the big reasons why the Dem elite hate the Clintons. Clintons fight. To Kerry and other Dem elite that smacks of the wrong side of the tracks and it’s just too ” common ” to bare. It’s now clear why Bush has had his way with these people without a hiccup. They can’t stand even the thought of fighting.
    Except fighting a Clinton of course

  • http://none Peg

    Why can’t Elizabeth Edwards endorse Hillary? She and John Edwards are two separate people, no?

    She could merely end with a statement that John Edwards was a candidate and holds delegates, and therefore prefers not to endorse at this time.

    Here’s my fantasy: a joint press conference by Elizabeth Edwards, Teresa Kerry, Rosalyn Carter, Sharon Rockefeller, and … who else? Tipper? Surely these strong, accomplished women aren’t supporting Obama because their husbands have endorsed him or have not endorsed. Surely some of the wives of Obama-endorsed men support Hillary.

    I supposed there are personal animosities; but we are being asked to put the party and the country first, why should spouses of Obama-endorsers be off the hook?

    Just a friendly question.

  • Marjorie

    When Kerry was running, I kept getting letters asking for money. I sent more than I could afford to. After the election, Kerry said publically he had received more money than he needed. Talk about bad planning! And dumb remarks!

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