Health Care

Washington Post: Scott Brown Struggles To Refight Old Culture War With Elizabeth Warren

On February 16, 2012, the Washington Post wrote:

Late yesterday, Scott Brown — who is under fire from Elizabeth Warren over the issue — went on a New England TV station and faced an absolutely brutal grilling from his questioner, forcing him to repeatedly dissemble about the legislation. You can watch video of the interview here. The reporter repeatedly pointed out that the measure goes much further than just exempting religious organizations from covering contraception; it also allows employers and insurers to refuse to cover any health service they findmorally objectionable. Brown repeatedly insisted that the bill doesn’t do this. [...] Republicans like Brown are desperate for this battle not to be about women’s health or the health care economics of familes, as Warren is framing it, and want to fight it exclusively on old culture war turf by alleging a war on religion. After all, polls suggest that large majorities, including of independents and moderates, see it as the former.

Boston Globe: Blunt Words For Brown

On February 16, 2012, the Boston Globe wrote:

What is Senator Scott Brown thinking? This is not a rhetorical question. I really want to know: Why would a Republican hoping to be reelected in Massachusetts leap headlong onto Missouri Senator Roy Blunt’s slippery-slope? In case you missed it, Brown cosponsored Blunt’s legislation allowing employers to limit insurance coverage for treatments they find objectionable on moral or religious grounds. [...] And just like that, Blunt has brought us to Crazyland, a place far beyond the issue of contraception, not to mention common sense. What’s mystifying is that Brown has followed him there.

Boston Herald: Contraception Bill Bad Choice For Scott Brown

On February 16, 2012, the Boston Herald wrote:

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown has co-sponsored a bill that would allow health plans to deny coverage both for contraception and any service that violates the planners’ beliefs. It was a huge mistake.

NY Times: Members Of The House Face Uphill Battles For Senate

On February 15, 2012, the New York Times reported:

Republicans, who need a net gain of only four seats to guarantee control of the Senate, have long been optimistic that they could capture the majority because they are defending just 10 of the 33 seats up for grabs. But their task is complicated by the fact that many of their candidates are sitting or recent members of the House, which polls show to be deeply unpopular.

TPM: D’oh! Romney Backer Attacks Santorum For Same Votes He Cast Himself

On February 14, 2012, Talking Points Memo reported:

From Political Surrogate Usage 101: Don’t send your surrogate out to attack someone for exactly the same thing he once did. The Romney campaign did just that when they dispatched former Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO) to attack Rick Santorum’s budget-busting vote to add a Medicare prescription drug program in the Senate. The problem they quickly ran into was that Talent voted the same way.

Think Progress: Mitt Romney Is Financially Invested In The Birth Control He Seeks To Restrict

On February 8, 2012 Think Progress reported:

Now, an examination of Romney’s financial investments reveals that the very same GOP frontrunner who is now petitioning the White House to extend the regulation’s conscience clause and exclude more women from the benefits of birth control is himself invested in and profiting from pharmaceutical companies that produce the frequently prescribed and extremely common medication:

WSJ: Wall Street, Washington And Gingrich

On January 13, 2012, the Wall Street Journal reported:

Newt Gingrich and his consulting companies helped financial-services giant Credit Suisse Group gather exclusive Washington information and analysis, showing that the Republican presidential candidate benefited from a practice that has come under fire from lawmakers. This "political intelligence" business—while legal—also risks muddying the campaign argument by the former House speaker that he has been a Washington outsider since he left Congress in 1999.

WSJ: Gingrich Applauded Romney's Health Plan

On December 27, 2011, the Wall Street Journal reported:

Newt Gingrich voiced enthusiasm for Mitt Romney's Massachusetts health-care law when it was passed five years ago, the same plan he has been denouncing over the past few months as he campaigned for the Republican presidential nomination.

TPM: Romney, Who Says He Didn’t Fully Understand Medicaid, Bought A Hospital Company At Bain

On December 16, 2011, Talking Points Memo reported:

Mitt Romney took a turn for the folksy in Iowa on Friday, telling an audience that, like many people, he didn’t fully understand what Medicaid did until late in life. “You know, I have to admit, I didn’t know the differences between all these things until I got into government,” Romney said. “Then I got into it and I understood that Medicaid is the health care program for the poor, by and large.” It’s a bit of an odd claim considering that Romney, while at Bain Capital, led a $311 million buyout of a huge hospital business that drew its income primarily from health care entitlements.

VIDEO: Romney's Washington Examiner Editorial Board Interview – Best Of

Last week, Mitt Romney spoke at length with the editorial board of the Washington Examiner. American Bridge compiled a video of the best moments. Take a look.