Bill Clinton Backpedals After Calling Health Law ‘Craziest Thing In The World’
Hillary Clinton helped clarify her husband's remarks by saying that she has pointed out the health law has room for improvement and that's what he was trying to convey. Republicans, meanwhile, seized on the comments.
Politico:
Bill Clinton's Obamacare Remarks Put Hillary On The Hot Seat
Former President Bill Clinton put his wife in a tough political spot by re-injecting Obamacare into a policy-free presidential race — with just 35 days until Election Day and the media intensely focused on Donald Trump’s tax returns. (Cook and Ehley, 10/4)
Bloomberg:
Bill Clinton Sparks Furor After Bashing ‘Crazy System’ Under Obamacare
Former President Bill Clinton ignited a mini-firestorm on Monday when he slammed the post-Obamacare U.S. health care system as "the craziest thing in the world." The comment seemed to be a devastating attack on President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement, which is strongly supported by his wife, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. After a day of conservatives drawing attention to the lines, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tried to feed the furor with a tweet: "Wow, did you just hear Bill Clinton's statement on how bad ObamaCare is. Hillary not happy. As I have been saying, REPEAL AND REPLACE!" (Kapur and Tracer, 10/4)
Politico:
Hillary Clinton Cleans Up Bill's Comments On Obamacare
Hillary Clinton sought to clean up after her husband who on Monday night referred to Obamacare, President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement, as a “crazy system.” “I think he made it clear what he was saying,” Clinton told reporters during a press conference on Tuesday in Pennsylvania, when asked about her husband's remarks. “With respect to the Affordable Care Act, I’ve been saying that we need to fix what’s broken and keep what works.” (Griffiths, 10/4)
The Associated Press:
After Riff, Bill Clinton Reaffirms Health-Care Law Support
Bill Clinton tried to avoid muddling his message again as he campaigned for his wife in battleground Ohio a day after he described President Barack Obama's health care law and the resulting insurance markets as "the craziest thing in the world." This time, Bill Clinton only briefly mentioned health care in multiple appearances Tuesday in eastern Ohio, clearly stating his support for the law and arguing that more still must be done to expand access to insurance. (10/4)
Politico:
Bill Clinton Firmly Declares His Support For Obamacare
Former President Bill Clinton on Tuesday evening firmly declared his support for the Affordable Care Act, after causing a dust-up by referring to some of the effects of President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement as “the craziest thing in the world." “I want to say this one thing about the healthcare law, because that’s another thing they’ve been trying to tangle in — I supported the Affordable Care Act. I support it today,” he said while campaigning for his wife in Steubenville, Ohio on Tuesday. (Saba, 10/4)
The Washington Post:
Trump Says Bill Clinton Has ‘Gone Through Hell’ With Hillary Clinton ‘Many Nights’
Donald Trump seized Tuesday on comments Bill Clinton made about the federal health-care law known as Obamacare, and he suggested the former president has “gone through hell” with Hillary Clinton on “many nights.” Trump said Bill Clinton “came out and told the truth” about the Affordable Care Act when he “absolutely trashed” it. (Sullivan, 10/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Republicans Seize On Bill Clinton’s Comments On Health System
Republicans on Tuesday jumped on Bill Clinton’s reference to some of the gaps in the U.S. health system as an acknowledgment of shortcomings in the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The former president and husband of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was speaking in Flint, Mich., on Monday, when he noted that while the current system works fine for lower-income people, and while 25 million more people now have health coverage, other people are seeing their premiums doubled and coverage cut in half. (Armour, 10/4)
In other news, Democrats continue to blast Donald Trump for his comments on PTSD —
Los Angeles Times:
Donald Trump's PTSD Comments Are 'Ignorant' And 'Harmful,' Hillary Clinton Says
Hillary Clinton sharply criticized Donald Trump for his comments on military veterans and post-tramautic stress, which have drawn criticism for his suggestion that "strong" veterans don't have to worry about the disorder." Donald Trump's comments are not just ignorant, they're harmful," she said, raising concerns that such remarks increase the stigma surrounding mental health. (Megerian, 10/4)
The Washington Post:
Democrats Pounce On Trump’s Comments About The Military And PTSD
Democrats on Tuesday seized on comments Donald Trump made suggesting that military members and veterans with mental health issues are not “strong” and “can’t handle it,” remarks they said render him out of touch and unfit to be commander in chief. The Republican presidential nominee, speaking to a group of veterans in Virginia on Monday, said that some troops see things in combat that “a lot of folks in the room” have seen many times. “And you’re strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can’t handle it,” Trump said. (Zezima, 10/4)
The Hill:
Reid Blasts GOP On Veterans Bill After Trump PTSD Comments
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) ripped Republicans on Tuesday, arguing they could have passed legislation to boost support for veterans but instead left Washington to campaign for Donald Trump. “Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for knocking off work a week early to campaign for Donald Trump, who thinks veterans with PTSD are not ‘strong’ and ‘can’t handle it,’ instead of passing a critical bill to address the epidemic of suicide among America’s veterans," the outgoing Senate Democratic leader said in a statement. (Carney, 10/4)
