Not sure if you had an opportunity to see Fox News Anchor Bret Baier interview President Obama for 15 minutes. He was on a tight deadline. You can get the full transcript at www.foxnews.com.
Because the mainstream media is unwilling to ask President Obama any tough questions of any substance, I was curious to see this interview. I was surprised that Obama agreed to be on Fox News and go into enemy territory. I think Obama thought Baier would let him ramble on and on. It was refreshing to see a journalist actually ask pertinent questions to Obama.
It was obvious the President had his agenda with specific talking points but Baier also had an agenda. If you have watched Obama over the years, it's obvious he is a Chatty Cathy once he gets started he just rambles. President Obama's strategy was put forth his agenda and do ALL the talking and just wear Baier out.
Any Vote by Congressional Democrats Works for Obama no Matter the Procedure
Baier's first punch was to the point about using the Slaughter Rule or the deem and pass rule which means that don't officially have to vote for health care reform so that they can officially say they didn't vote for the unpopular health reform bill. His answer was rambling but Bret kept at an answer. The Rope-a-Dope begins.
Obama dodged the question by saying, “What I can tell you is that the vote that's taken in the House will be a vote for health care reform. And if people vote yes, whatever form it takes, that is going to be a vote for health care.” Further, “I don't spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedure rules are in the House or the Senate.” White House Press Secretary said on Thursday after the interview that the President will sign the bill no matter what procedure is necessary to get the vote.
Bret Baier asked Obama 3 times about the Pelosi's deem & pass rule (scheme) and did he support it but he never specifically answered the question. Mohammad Ali would call that a ROPA –DOPE.
Obama Never Answered the Question as to WHY Bribery to Democrats Is Necessary
Baier's next question was from emails (18,000 of them) where he told the person's name (a trick taken from the Obama playbook to humanize agenda): Lee Johnson from CA, “If the bill is so good for all of us, why all the intimidation, arm twisting, seedy deals, and parliamentary trickery to pass a bill, when you have an overwhelming majority in both houses and the presidency?” And from Sandy Moody from MO, “If the health care bill is so wonderful, why do you have to bribe Congress to pass it?”
Obama said he gets 40,000 emails a day and went on to discuss his health reform bill but never said why the bribery to fellow Democrats was necessary for their vote. His answer was long but he never answered the question – he discussed why his health reform was needed. Another Rope-A-Dope dodge. Baier tried to get him back on answering the question but he said “the key is to make sure that we vote – we have a vote or not we're going to maintain the status quo, or whether we're going to reform the system.”
When asked about the special deals (bribes) for votes. He didn't know what was in the bill. When asked specifically about the CT ($100 Million for a new Medical school) deal “that's not going to be something that is going to be in this final package. I think the same is true on all these provisions.”
Obama not Sure about the What Deals are Still in the Bill
Baier asked about “the Florida deal and paying for Medicare Advantage, exempting 800,000 Florida from” . Obama jumped in and said “My understanding is that whatever is going to be done on Medicare is going to apply across the board in all states.” So we just need to hold him to that and make sure FL, NE, LA and all the other states don't get anything special for their votes for health reform. But the answer is again not about the question but more about how great the health reform will be for the American people. Rope-a-Dope.
Can you Save $500 Billion on Medicare, Spend it on Another Entitlement Program But Say It's Saved?
Baier asked “The CBO has said specifically that the $500 billion that you say that you're going to save from Medicare is not being spent on Medicare. That this bill spends it elsewhere outside of Medicare. So you can't have both. You either spend it on expenditures or you make Medicare more solvent. So which is it?” Obama says a bunch here which is a lot of typing and seems to be double-talk and more Rope-a-Dope but you need to read the passage to figure out for yourself what Obama is trying to say. Obama does say “Each year we are spending less on Medicare overall and as consequence that lengthens the trust fund and it's availability for seniors.” (So with more Baby Boomers entering into Medicare and the utilization of more health care dollars as a result Obama says you can lengthen the trust fund at the same time and it's availability to seniors. I am not a believer that this will work!)
Baier throws another jab, “Your chief actuary for Medicare said this, that cuts in Medicare: 'cannot be simultaneously used to finance other federal outlays and extend the trust fund.' That's your guy.”
Baier jabs, “the CBO or the actuary that you can't have it both ways…That you can't spend the money twice?”
Obama's answer: “No – what s absolutely true is that this will not solve our whole Medicare problem. We're still going to have to fix Medicare over the long term.” You be the judge, I think he did another Rope-a-Dope. Obama's answer is very confusing to me – I may just not be smart enough to follow his logic in spending money twice. Obama did not convince me that there was not some slick trickery going on here to make the balance sheet work.
Why is Doctor Fix Not in CBO Scoring – Obama Claims It Doesn't Affect His Bill – Not Done on His Watch – His Rationale Why It Was Not Scored and added to Bill – HUH?
Baier threw another bunch by saying, “And you call this deficit neutral, but you also set aside the DOCTOR FIX more than $200 billion. People look at this and say, how can it be deficit neutral?
Note: I wanted him to ask Obama why Congressional Democrats failed to put the Doctor Fix in the Health Reform bill. It costs $200 - $350 billion. The CBO didn't score the DOC Fix in any of their health reform bills. Why not? Because if it was scored the cost would be over $1 Trillion, that's why - $940 Billion versus $1 Trillion sounds like a deal.
Obama's answer was “But the – as you well know, the doctors problem, as mentioned, the “doctors fix,” is one that has been there for years now. That wasn't of our making and that has nothing to do with MY health care bill. If I was not proposing a health care bill, right – let's assume that I never proposed health care.” Rope-a-Dope again and no answer to why the Doctor Fix was not in the CBO scoring except that it wasn't his problem – but a problem over the years. If that's the case, then worry about making Medicare solvent – he wasn't the one who spent all the money that was in the fund for Medicare recipients.
The end of the interview was mostly about Obama saying he confident the bill will pass. I am confident it will as well. He contends that Americans don't care about the procedure and maybe they don't. I do. I care that most Americans don't like this Health Reform Bill that will change Health Care in America for good. I am uncomfortable that no Republicans have voted on this massive bill that will deal with 1/6 of the economy.
I personally think the passage of this bill could result in massive job loss. I think more employers will drop their employee health insurance because their taxes to the federal government will be going up immediately.
Keep in mind the taxes and mandate for individuals to pay for health insurance begin the day the President signs the bill into law but you won't see any changes in the health insurance situation until 2014.
Barbara Day is a 59-year old grandmother who is worried about how her grandchildren and yours will ever pay for the federal government spending programs and the massive debt. America has lost her way.
I don't think he was using a teleprompter for the interview but not sure. If you read the actual script some of what was said was hard follow. Ofcourse people who hate FOX News might say the transcript was flawed but I watched the interview and right from the start Obama was flustered.
When he answers questions and off his script he slips like when he said one time "Doctors Rip out tonsils for Money" on his ABC Health Show (I have the written narrative) and then the next day he said "Doctors cut off people's feet to make money."
But Obama delivered his ObamaCare VICTORY SPEECH at George Mason University today making a lot of claims about how great ObamaCare will be and that it's all paid for. Hope he's right for the sake of my grandkids and the future of America.
"I wanted him to ask Obama why Congressional Democrats failed to put the Doctor Fix in the Health Reform bill."
As I said in my comment on your other blog, are you really in favor of having the doctors' pay go down effective 3/1???? Because that's what would have happened.
I am sure ObamaCare will pass. Americans are not informed enough to realize that the Congress Dems did not include the Doc Fix so it would look like to the American people that it was cheap $940 Billion vs over a $Trillion.
The Student Loan Bill under the Health Care Bill which adds moneys to the balance sheet (how did that happen - a bribe vote maybe and some slick trickery by Cong Dems) making up the difference in the $$s spent. The fed government is taking over the the student loans from those demons - the banks. So, expect job LOSS in that sector but hey they will have FREE health insurance in 2014.
The addition of taxpayers money to bankroll abortions which will ultimately will save taxpayers billions in the long run.
President Obama forgot to tell the American people that the pre-existing conditions do not start until 2014 for adults but kick in right away for children. So much for honesty or maybe I should say clarity!
White House Press Secretary confirmed this reality.
I can see Pelosi's and Obama's Pinnochio's noses growing very long and even longer as they cheer their historical victory! Got to love those honest politicians.
OK, so you don't like the bills as passed by Congress. You have an opinion - bully for you!. You think it's gonna cost too much. Funny, I never read any blogs by you in any other media decrying the waste and fraud inherent in countless other Republican supported agendas (like a very, very costly war in Iraq). You don't like it that abortion is legal in the United States.I know it hurts to be on the losing side. It's difficult, I know. So you gotta come up with whatever talking point you gotta come up with. I understand. The thing with the Student Loan program. Egregious, I know. The Horror. If that's all you have, then from my point of view, you don't have enough. Sorry you are gonna lose. Just be consoled in the knowledge that millions of people have already lost under the current, backwards @ss American Health Care System.
"Americans are not informed enough to realize that the Congress Dems did not include the Doc Fix so it would look like to the American people that it was cheap $940 Billion vs over a $Trillion."
I would really like it if you'd answer my question. I think it's like, the third time I've asked?
This bill is not yet passed. The cut in reimbursement to doctors would have taken place 3/1/10. You keep saying that the doctor fix should have been included in this bill, and ALSO that you do not want this bill to pass. So are/were you in favor of going ahead and letting the fees be cut effective 3/1?
Thanks for your comment Funky Pumpkin. Actually it's the American people who lose not me. I have to admit - I was asleep at the wheel when Bush was in office working - not paying attention like most Americans.
But I am planning on being relentless on STUPID spending for both parties. If I had my way - all of Congress would go and we would get some people there who really cared about us and our country, not just them, their power.
I have been more forceful about health care because it's a topic I know a lot about because of my background and have been researching the topic for a number years.
But I have real issues with all the fraud and waste. If someone was checking and doing their job like they should we wouldn't be having this conversation because there would still be money in the Medicare and Medicaid fund. KY cannot continue to bankroll Medicaid - which is a state/federal partnership.
KY has to balance it's budget by law so something else has to get cut to pay for all the extra medicaid people.
You could say too bad because the government HAS to PAY but...something else will get cut or you and me will be paying more State taxes and also more Fed taxes for ObamaCare.
You might not know this but in most cases the prices for health care is generally determine by Medicare which is the gold standard and then private insurers use a number (I don't know what that is) to factor what they pay, and then if you don't have any insurance that there is a number for that.
Louisville might be singing the blues when ObamaCare ends up forcing Humana and Anthem to lay off workers. I just met a gal who work in the health insurance industry in INDY today at a GLI meeting. 50 health insurance employees (she worked there for 15 years) got let go 2 months ago and she is trying to start an event planning business.
I know health insurance companies and their employees and physicians have been demonized to be the scum of the earth but...that's a great strategy to get people on board with ObamaCare. These people have families,too.
But things are not always greener.
Let me know how things are working out in 2015. that's when we'll know about the nuts and bolts of ObamaCare but then will be to late to make changes because many of the health insurance companies will have failed by that time.
Like nancy pelosi said "we'll know what's in the bill when we pass it." Sorry but I am not that trusting I like to know what's happening first.
FYI, Pre-existing conditions don't start until 2014 except for children. increases on taxes start right away so be on the look out for job loss as a result, nor to insurance policies. Robert Gibbs, Obama's press secretary said that today about pre-existing conditions.
I am not making this stuff up. GLI has been predicting it for the past year.
Nyn,
The doctors need the Doc Fix. If they don't get it then there will be a 21% cut in their already low reimbursements for Medicare.Currently a lot of practices are not seeing Medicare patients or limiting their space. Doctors are small business owners and they have to make ends meet, too. Medicare patients would not have access to care as a result.
But what I think is deceitful and dishonest under ObamaCare is the fact that $250 - $350 billion was knowingly left out of the CBO scoring so as to make ObamaCare look affordable.
When world com CEO Bernie Ebbers did this - it's called cooking the books he went to jail. When Bernie Madoff did this he went to jail. The country was outraged.
But Congress Dems knowingly left this expense out knowing they had to pass it or simply Medicare recipients were not going to have access to care! Americans are not outraged by this deceit because they don't care, they don't know or they just think - this is business as usual in Congress!
I guess I was raised differently and raised my sons differently. A lie is a lie is a lie.
But when Congress does it, I am sure the Republicans have done their fair share - it's OK. Well it's not OK.
Why can't Obama and Cong Dems just be truthful? I know truth and politicians are not closely related.
Nancy Pelosi said yesterday they will have to deal the doc fix but at a later date and under another bill so it doesn't look like ObamaCare costs that much.
This move which Obama said would happen soon as well, should make everyone realize that Congress Dems and Obama are not honest and have major flaws in their character.
Unfortunately, Americans hands are tied because this is going to get passed. We have no say in the fed gov anymore. Thanks to Congress who refuse to listen.
You might say but it's saving $$s for poor Americans who need health care ...that still doesn't not make dishonesty a virtue. If they are dishonest on this matter, what else?
Do I want health reform - you betcha. But not what is currently being touted and rammed thru. Got to go run!
For the love of god, please quit bring up the war in Iraq. That is always the Obama supporters answer to everything. Yes Bush spent a lot of money on a war. It is a very costly thing. Civic lesson 101. A president can only declare war for 30 days without congress approval. Obama voted yes to the war, along with most other Dems in office at the time.We had just been bombed at the WTC. Action was required. Action was taken. End of story. You want Rep. to take responsiblity. Why is he staying in Afgan? Because he knows that it is better to fight them at their homes than to have them bombing us on our streets. Global terrorism is at an all time low. As far as the health care debate goes. I know of no states that do not offer health care options for all children. As far as adults. I know a company that is always hiring. It is the U.S. Armed Forces.
A family with two income earners making $11 an hour each is going to be making too much for their kids to get KCHIP. The really poor can get Medicaid, and the wealthy can afford high premiums, it's the working poor and the middle class who are squeezed to the limit.
Truejager1 clearly wasn't paying attention during the last election. Obama was a in the Illinois Senate at the time of the vote for the Iraq war. Couldn't have voted for (or against) it. This was a subject in every primary and presidential debate.
I do stand corrected on that point. Obama was not in on the vote. I was not listening to anything he had to say. When it came to the war in Iraq, I was completely for going in. I was in the first war and we should have stayed and finished what we started. We left the region because of the views of how unpopular it was. Speaking from a soldier who served, war is never popular. The odd thing is we still have people join up. Nothing better than the heart of a volunteer. All these people speak in behalf of soldiers, but it is what we signed up to do. Gives us the sence that we have made a difference with our lives.
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Not sure if you had an opportunity to see Fox News Anchor Bret Baier interview President Obama for 15 minutes. He was on a tight deadline. You can get the full transcript at www.foxnews.com. 
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