Kerry spokeswoman on public option

[ProSense]

UPDATE: Kerry spokeswoman Jodi Seth responds with a statement: "Let's be clear, if Sen. Kerry had his way, there'd be no debate: we'd have universal coverage tomorrow with a strong public plan at its core. Sen. Kerry strongly supports a robust public option and has been pushing for it since day one of this debate. When he ran for president, he campaigned on a public option and everywhere he went he reminded the country that Congress shouldn't deny them the public health care that Members of Congress give themselves. The past five years have only strengthened that conviction. Any suggestion that he prefers proposals that would delay or trigger the implementation of a public plan is outright false, end of story. But it's no secret that the Finance Committee is looking at a whole range of progressive options with an eye on what can make its way to the president's desk to become law, and obviously if it's the only way to get universal health coverage then people will consider a trigger that ultimately guarantees a strong public option."

[LaurenG]

1. I feel better now, I can breathe. Whew!

I was pretty stunned to see the ten year meme. :shakes head:

[babylonsister]

2. Recommend! I knew it! HuffPo better get their shit together and stop

trying to create 'news'.

[mdavies013]

11. HuffPo cause some hypervetilating and a complete psycotic break for me...

...for which I got my ass handed to me on the board.

[babylonsister]

13. Yes, and this is twice in two days. They need to stop it. nt

[blm]

15. IMO, this writer was USED by a Dem senator who doesn't WANT Kerry throwing elbows in those meetings

and that senator is using the drive by blogging tactic to start a shitstorm of resentment against Kerry. This writer seems to be connected with some senate Dem and his staff.

Gee - that was done during the filibuster of Alito, too....and, again when the lie about Kerry's donations to other Dems was ginned up, and knowing full well that Kerry gave by far the MOST money to other Dem candidates for congress than any other lawmaker.

This is a TACTIC used to target Kerry with smears and you'd think Dems, at least at DU, would be able to recognize it by now.

[babylonsister]

24. It's not just Kerry. Yesterday they tried to put words in Obama's

mouth that weren't true. I'll have to see who is writing this hogwash.

[politicasista]

25. Yep. They do this to

Obama all the time. And they did it to Kerry today. It's really amazing that people complain about the GOP controlled MSM all the time, yet buy into whatever lies/spin they fabricate.

[blm]

38. Schumer wants to be perceived as 'hero' of public option to distract from his corporatist record

his office led stealth campaigns against Kerry on Alito, campaign donations, and Kerry's Iraq war pullout plan. Schumer and Lieberman HATE Kerry.

[sisters6]

41. Schumer is the one who put out that Trigger plan isn't he?-which only

kicks in years on the road.

[blm]

43. Schumer is the senator with a history of targeting Kerry for smears by distorting

his positions or undermining his efforts- - my point is that Kerry has been standing strong with Dean and reading letters from Dean's site out loud in these meetings for a month now. Schumer wants HIS position to prevail and the credit to be HIS.

Specter's statement yesterday hailing Schumer's public option the same day Kerry's position is lied about is a pretty good indicator of who is responsible for getting a misleading article written to smear Kerry......once again.

[vaberella]

76. There's something more going on here. Huffpo might be right---based on who gave them the info.

I suspect there is damaging information given by sources in order to discredit the Dems.

[Larkspur]

3. This is typical wishy-washy Kerry-speak

He's for a strong public option but if its watered down to the point of being useless, he'll support it. Triggers are death traps to a viable public option.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

4. ..

[TayTay]

5. He never said this and the story is untrue.

I am so tired of wishy-washy DU posters who don't leap before they tear someone down. Such a shame. Especially when they could do better if they just gave a damn. Sad, really.

[ProSense]

7. "wishy-washy Kerry-speak" WTF?

When the hell has Kerry ever been known for "wishy-washy speak"?

Typical BS!

The end of the statement is describing what's going on in the finance committee negotiations, and that's no secret.

[Larkspur]

34. Here's the "wishy-washy" bit

if it's the only way to get universal health coverage then people will consider a trigger that ultimately guarantees a strong public option."

Yes, Kerry said he was for a strong public option, but then he says he'd consider a trigger. That's wishy-washy speak. Triggers are the ConservaDems way to pretend that they support a public option but they really want to kill it before its born. Kerry should have said that he will not support triggers at any time and that this country is ready for a strong viable public option.

[sisters6]

57. and it will take YEARS for the trigger to kick in.

[Mass]

8. I wonder what is the agenda of those who distort what supporters of a public option actually said.

I really wonder.

[mdavies013]

12. To kill the debate and bring us to co-ops...which will do nothing...

I have an electric co-op...and we pay more per kwh than other providers. Enough said.

[JI7]

9. actually, this is typical of you in any Kerry thread going back to the 04 Primary

for those who paid attention theyw ould know Kerry has been one of the few supporting a public option. it's like questioning his support for abortion rights if he made some comment to a wingnut like "would you want to ban abortion in terms of rape" and some ignorant asshole on DU would make a thread claiming Kerry wanted to ban abortion when it comes to women pregnant from rape.

[karynnj]

18. That is a misinterpretation - and a misunderstanding of the Senate

Kerry has been one of very few pro- public option people on that committee. The Nation magazine said he read some of the Dean generated letters into the committee hearing. But, there are only 6 people on that 23 member committee favoring a public option.

Now, they will come out with a bill, with no public option, but it will be better than the status quo. If that's the case, why is it a good idea to vote against it? What Kerry did by bringing that up - likely after Snowe suggested a public option with a far shorter trigger and was rejected - was prove that they will not approve anything with a public option at all.

In the full Senate, Kerry can and it sure sounds like he will, the HELP committee's proposal that will have the option or any amendments that will add it.

What none wishy washy PRODUCTIVE thing could he have done on the committee on this?

[ProSense]

20. Exactly,

There are three bills: HELP Bill (Kennedy's), Senate Finance Draft and Tri House Bill

The Finance Committee bill is not the bill to draw attention to. Supporters of a public option are and should be focused on Kennedy's bill.

This is the second misleading story about the finance bill. Last week, WaPo published a piece claiming the Senate bill (out of the Finance Committee) nixed Obama's public option. The article didn't even mention Kennedy's bill. It gave the impression that the public option was dead.

I smell a friggin rat: someone is trying to kill the public option by confusion. The sad think is people jumping on these bullshit stories.

[Larkspur]

35. The none "wishy-washy" thing Kerry should have said was to oppose triggers

of every kind. Triggers are the method that ConservaDems are using to pretend that they support public option but in reality they want to abort it.

[cadmium]

21. Always for a public option. I call

every few weeks to all my reps to advocate and check on changes in position and Kerry has been ALWAYS for a public option since this debate heated up. Better to have Kerry arguing in Finance committee than to just leave it to Baucus and Conrad.

[YvonneCa]

71. ABSOLUTELY ! And having the debate...

...is what was missing for the last eight years. I'm GLAD there is open debate. As to Kerry's position...I sure wish people would start paying attention. Good grief!!! :7

[blm]

47. Get informed, Larkspur - Kerry's been in these meetings for a month advocating Dean's position

and even reading letters from Dean's site into the transcripts of the meeting. A Dem senator who wants HIS position to prevail is tired of Kerry twisting arms and threw this elbow using a blogger willing to promote the smear - Kerry's office is defending him with the truth. Any discussion of trigger singled out which senators were against public option NO MATTER WHAT.

In no WAY was it ever a position wanted by Kerry or pushed by Kerry as the article claimed.

A true advocate for public option would have known that and dismissed the smear attempt against its leading advocate in these closed door meetings.

[Larkspur]

52. Than you should tell Kerry's office to come out and refute the end of the quote

that was posted on this thread. Triggers are the method to abort a viable public option, so Kerry's office should state that and refuse to vote for any trigger on the public option.

[blm]

53. Ever stop and think you should BACK UP the REAL public option advocates instead of picking at them

because you don't KNOW what's going on in CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS?

[Larkspur]

68. Did you read the entire quote that started this thread?

That is what I was basing my opinion on.

[monmouth]

6. I stated earlier, HuffPo has a new editor and many, many of their

headlines are misleading along with their stories. Arianna better get on this, I have their stream at the top of my screen and I question about every five stories I see streaming by. There have been a lot of complaints.

[cadmium]

19. Huffpo Tabloid BS. n/t

[cadmium]

60. Huff Po is too big to be honest. n/t

[politicasista]

10. Kick

:kick: :patriot:

[beachmom]

14. I love the way liberals pounced so quickly on the strongest advocate for a public option on the

Finance Committee, based on a story with anonymous sources with no press present.

Thanks for putting out the truth, Prosense.

[cadmium]

22. Reminds me of the way everyone was so quick to jump on

the Anti-Dodd bandwagon. One of the biggest tools of the right is to exploit liberal internecine conflict and naivete

[vaberella]

77. There's also a similar concerted effort to lie about Obama as well and Dems believe it.

I'm starting to see that Obama and co.(ie his supporters in Congress) are getting discredited in order to damage their popularity amongst progressives/liberals.

[Starry Messenger]

16. Thank you. n/t

[Cha]

17. I knew this to be true

even before the confirmation came in.

[AtomicKitten]

30. something definitely stunk

[JI7]

23. same jerkoffs who rush to bash Kerry

are ignoring this.

i'm sure they are again disappointed it's not true.

i remember when they bashed Kerry for not backing Feingold on some censure(even though he was supporting it) or some other crap which Feingold never followed up on.

[Cha]

31. And, the same ones

are always taking a crap on the president, too.

[Better Believe It]

26. Kerry's spokeswoman doesn't deny that Kerry suggested a 10 year trigger at the meeting

Read her carefully worded statement.

Kerry's spokeswoman did not deny that Kerry suggested a 10 year trigger at the meeting. In fact, she doesn't even mention the meeting or what Senator Kerry said at the meeting in her entire statement!!!!

She merely said that Senator Kerry does not prefer "trigger proposals". I'm sure he doesn't prefer them. In fact, he might have said at the meeting that while he doesn't favor "trigger proposals" perhaps a ten year trigger should be considered in order to get a public plan passed.

In fact, Kerry's spokeswoman made that exact point in her statement when she flatly said that a trigger should be considered
"if it's the only way to get universal health coverage" passed into law!

[ProSense]

27. Wow,

:rofl:

[karynnj]

32. She answered the question on the Senator's position

Now, as all but 6 of the Senators on that committee are not in favor of a public option, can you explain why you have at least 20 posts targetting one of the 6, whose spokesman affirms that that still is his position?

I don't seeing you quibbling about Schumer's position - you do know that all private companies negotiate rates with doctors and hospitals. Yet, the public option doing this scares them.

[sisters6]

44. I noticed that also. This trigger option is a death blow to any meaningful

public option.

[sisters6]

45. I noticed that also. This trigger option is a death blow to any meaningful

public option.

[Uzybone]

28. Figured the original report was a lie

the usual anti democrat DUers swallowed it up and ran with it. The MSM is not to be trusted.

[politicasista]

29. And not one of them in that other thread has retracted their comments

I agree with you. I haven't trusted them since 2000.

[cadmium]

59. Yes -- shows what the agenda is. At least

the diarist at Kos admitted he/she may have jumped on Kerry too soon

[politicasista]

61. Ok there's one

Only one of 2 DUers from the flamebait thread admitted they jumped too soon. Not taking tallies or anything.

[politicasista]

33. Kick

for night owls. (Don't know why me is kicking this because people will ignore it).


:kick:

[masuki bance]

36. "...people will consider a trigger that ultimately guarantees a strong public option."

Does "people" include John Kerry?

John Kerry is not a people!

[eridani]

37. Except for one slight problem

The whole point of a "trigger" is to weaken and destroy a public option, which it will.

[blm]

40. What he did was get an assessment of who is against public option NO MATTER WHAT -

even if the insurance companies refuse to service contracts in good faith.

He NEVER pushed for it and has been advocating ONLY for public option for many YEARS.

Serious supporters of public option in healthcare reform already knew this.

[eridani]

65. If he is using this as a way to smoke out the holdouts, fine

Please god, let him not actually SUPPORT it.

[blm]

67. He DOESN'T support it and made it crystal clear he doesn't. REAL public option activists know this

and know Kerry's been in these meetings fighting FOR public option. Someone leaked this OUT OF CONTEXT and did it deliberately to try and hamstring Kerry on this issue. Gee - which DINO egomaniac would want Dean's input (Kerry's been siding with Dean in these sessions) neutralized?

[sisters6]

42. The basic idea of the trigger is that Senators trust that the market

will keep costs down. If not, then the trigger kicks in years down the road.

In other words--they can say they supported the public option (with the trigger public option). Their butts are covered. What a crock of BS.

[saltpoint]

39. To begin with, I hope this woman runs for public office one of these

days.

Also, she's right on all points. Kerry was real clear real early on this issue.

[saltpoint]

46. Kick.

[Cass]

48. I consider this the money quote in the article...

But it's no secret that the Finance Committee is looking at a whole range of progressive options with an eye on what can make its way to the president's desk to become law, and obviously if it's the only way to get universal health coverage then people will consider a trigger that ultimately guarantees a strong public option."

So he doesn't like it or support it but if it is the only way to get a bill passed with a public option, he will vote for it as will others. That's my interpretation of it.

[beachmom]

50. The Senate is not a dictatorship where one person can get things passed.

Currently, it is my understanding that the public option does not have the votes to pass in the Finance Committee. That sucks, but it is hardly Kerry's fault. He was feeling the opponents out: what would they support? Nothing apparently.

[Cass]

63. I'm not blaming Kerry. Just posting my interpretation of those remarks. nt

[bdamomma]

49. kick

[politicasista]

51. Kick. Nobody has second thoughts? n/t

:hide:

[LittleClarkie]

54. That would require first thoughts, wouldn't it?

still waiting

[politicasista]

55. Yep

So many good posters fell for this. Sad.


No matter what the senator does, it will never ever be good enough. Never.

[karynnj]

56. While someone was trying to smear Kerry, he was on the floor af the Senate fighting Inhofe & Cornyn

First, Inhofe went on his usual rant on how the science isn't there, and how it would hurt our economy and China and the rest of the world won't follow - and they would get lots of our jobs because it would raise our costs.

(Fortunately they have the text - because quickly scanning it gets as much as watching it.
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=9004090

Boxer and Kerry then perfectly complimented each other - with Boxer beautifully explaining that CA kept per capita energy usage flat for 20 years without damaging quality of life. http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=9004108

Then Kerry addressed both the science and the fact that other countries are committing and spoke of what he saw in China, where they are working on this already. (Here there are 3 segments because Reid interrupted for some management things and then the second part is split in two.)
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=9004117
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=9004133
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=9004135 (this has the text.)

Kerry in his part is addressing both Inhofe's idiocy and speaking in favor of Howard Koh as legal counsel for the state department. Here the Republican, who wins the Inhofe prize for logic is Cornyn. One objection to Koh is he claimed that Koh equated the Iranian crackdown to the US actions against counter-terrorism. The Koh statement offered as proof was from 2007!
(believe it or not, Cornyn defends that - http://www.c-spanarchives.org/congress/?q=node/77531&id=9004137
and shows he doesn't understand the word primary and doesn't like international law:

When the Senator from Massachusetts
says he (Koh - added for clarity) believes the U.S. Constitution is primary, I would have felt much better if he had said it was the exclusive source of American law, together with the laws that we ourselves pass as representatives of the people; not just a consideration but the consideration when it comes to determining the obligations and rights of America's citizens, rather than subjecting those to international opinion and vague international norms which I heard the Senator refer to.

It is true Professor Koh is an advocate of what he calls transnational jurisprudence. He believes Federal judges--these are U.S. judges--should use their power to ``vertically enforce'' or ``domesticate'' American law with international norms and foreign law. As I mentioned, this means judges using treaties and ``customary international law'' to override a wide variety of American laws, whether they be State or Federal. Of course, we understand treaties that have been ratified by the Senate are
the law of the land, but Professor Koh believes that even treaties that the United States has not ratified can be evidence of customary international law and given legal effect as such.

So, while minions of someone were creating havoc with a false story on Huffington Post, Kerry was fighting Inhofe and Cornyn. Koh, by the way, was confirmed 62 - 35.

[politicasista]

58. Kick n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

62. *

[politicasista]

64. Kick for Friday night crowd n/t

[saltpoint]

66. Kick.

[politicasista]

69. Kick for Saturday crowd n/t

[Cleita]

70. I'm happy he clarified his position. Thanks. n/t

[GivePeaceAchance]

72. Yeah some of these stories do get misconstrued but we have to keep the pressure nice and high but ..

respectful so no alternate trigger will be considered, without them considering losing their seat. Good to know Kerry wasn't doing a u-turn.

[masuki bance]

73. Fortunately for politicians, the public is easily mollified

Kerry spokeswoman Jodi Seth responds with a statement:

(1) "Let's be clear, if Sen. Kerry had his way, there'd be no debate: we'd have universal coverage tomorrow with a strong public plan at its core. Sen. Kerry strongly supports a robust public option and has been pushing for it since day one of this debate. When he ran for president, he campaigned on a public option and everywhere he went he reminded the country that Congress shouldn't deny them the public health care that Members of Congress give themselves. The past five years have only strengthened that conviction.

(2) Any suggestion that he prefers proposals that would delay or trigger the implementation of a public plan is outright false, end of story.

(3) But it's no secret that the Finance Committee is looking at a whole range of progressive options with an eye on what can make its way to the president's desk to become law, and obviously if it's the only way to get universal health coverage then people will consider a trigger that ultimately guarantees a strong public option."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. He is stating his preference, no one has accused him of not preferring the public option.

2. Again, strawman. No one in the article in question accused him of "preferring" a trigger over an immediate public option implementation.

3. This is the confirmation that "people" will consider triggers. "People" includes Kerry.

[BlooInBloo]

74. Thanks. (Kerry: sorry about your couch. Cocaine is a helluva drug - hehheheeheh)

[vaberella]

75. Obama has been lied on, Kerry has bene lied on. And dems on DU have believed it.

Shit...I have no clue what the hell is going on. There is a serious concerted effort to discredit our Dems towards progressives/liberals and the progressives/liberals are buying it hook/line/sinker. Some of which are perpetrated by other members of DU.

[JI7]

78. this has ALWAYS happened

it's nothing new. and notice that many who jump in to attack based on lies almost never respond when the truth it put out.

[vaberella]

79. I do notice that or they choose to post more of the lies. (That's when I know it's a sock puppet.)nt

[politicasista]

80. Kick

for truth. :kick: