Harry Reid told David Axelrod that Warren isn't "in love with" Medicare For All: "Just wait."

[highplainsdem]

Tweet from a Politico reporter, with an image with a transcript of that part of the conversation:

Link to tweet

“Well, but I think you give her some time,” Harry Reid says of Elizabeth Warren on Medicare for all. “I think that she's not in love with that.”

Video with this tweet:

Link to tweet

[Funtatlaguy]

1. Hmmmm

[redstateblues]

2. If she's smart. MFA is a General election loser

[highplainsdem]

3. I agree. But I've seen a lot of tweets already from people who've been supporting her who think

pivoting from MFA to anything else would be a deal breaker. And any indication that she'd been planning the pivot all along, which seems to be what Reid is suggesting here, would make it worse.

[brooklynite]

8. The twitterverse (and the folks here) do not represent the actual electorate...

[highplainsdem]

10. Not representative of the party as a whole, no, but more representative of the left wing of the

party, from which Warren and Sanders draw their support. And there are signs of a potential backlash against Warren there, if it turns out she really isn't in love with MFA.

I think her advocacy of MFA would hurt her, a lot, in the GE. But I also think that since she's campaigned so much on MFA -- which has brought her a lot of support that would probably otherwise have gone to Sanders -- she's so far out on that limb she'll have a hard time working her way back to a more moderate pragmatic position. People who didn't like her support for MFA but support her for other policies will applaud. People who supported her even in part because of what she said about MFA will probably feel differently.

[brooklynite]

11. Sanders draws his support from the extreme left...

...Warren has the ability to draw sensible progressives and centrists.

[highplainsdem]

16. Her strength, like his, is from the "very liberal" segment of the party, and she risks losing much

of that if she tries to back away from MFA (especially if it appears she was planning to all along, which is what some seem to think Harry Reid was saying).

[DrFunkenstein]

15. Polls Have Been Suggesting She's Pulled More From Biden

Than Sanders.

[highplainsdem]

17. Which polls?

[DrFunkenstein]

61. Here's 538 Explaining It Clearly

In the latest Quinnipiac national survey, Warren not only inched ahead of Biden in overall support from Democratic voters and Democratic-leaning independents, 27 percent to 25 percent, but she also beat him for the first time in Quinnipiac’s polling among somewhat liberal voters, capturing 30 percent of that group to Biden’s 19 percent.
...
Quinnipiac isn’t the only pollster who found this, either. Monmouth University’s September national survey found that Warren led with 37 percent of the vote from liberal voters and was also in second place among moderate or conservative respondents with 20 percent support — 10 points behind Biden’s 30 percent. This marked an uptick of 4 percentage points among these moderate or conservative voters since Monmouth’s August poll. Additionally, the latest YouGov/Economist national poll pegged Warren as the first choice for 15 percent of moderates — some distance behind Biden’s 30 percent, though still in second place. But this was still about twice the level of Warren’s support among moderates in late August.
...
Warren is also winning over voters who aren’t white
Arguably the biggest threat to Warren’s chances at the nomination has been just how white her support is. She has consistently had low support among nonwhite voters, especially African Americans, who make up anywhere from 20 to 25 percent of the Democratic electorate. But polls now suggest Warren may be, at last, gaining traction. Quinnipiac’s past two national polls showed Warren’s support among black voters nearly doubled from 10 to 19 percent, and the most recent YouGov/Economist survey found her at 15 percent among African Americans compared to 9 percent in its final August poll. And Monmouth’s late September survey found her at 20 percent among nonwhites more broadly, up from 14 percent in August.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/whats-behind-warrens-rise-in-the-polls/

[emmaverybo]

24. Where do you get your information? I missed this data completely.

[Thekaspervote]

33. Yes, which polls are those?

[herding cats]

28. I don't know.

I only have an under 6k following, not a big account by any means, but they're all Dems (it's a political account only) and most expect a pivot of some kind if she gets the nomination. No planned riots from her followers that I've seen yet. Overall, I like them and they seem quite sensible.

Politics get weirder the larger the sample I think.

[peggysue2]

4. Medicare for All is Warren's Achilles' heel

She can read the public's position on the matter along with everyone else. It's just not a winning issue, particularly in the GE. But if she walks the support back now, she will suffer holy hell from the Left. Eventually, she's going to be forced to answer the question about funding (taxes) vs the more reasonable, transitional approach of the public option.

No one has held her feet to the fire. Not yet. But it's coming.

I would say the same is true on the efficacy of the Wealth Tax, the major financial underpinning for all of Warren's proposed policies and programs. Not only is the Math squirrelly but there's a real question about the constitutional nature of a direct tax. You're talking major-duty legal arguments. And without that revenue? Then what?

Should get very interesting!

[Polybius]

5. I can't continue to live off the ACA

I'm not paying $320 a month for basic healthcare. I make 29k a year, it should be free for me.

[peggysue2]

6. The Republicans have done everything they could to tear the heart out of the ACA

When the program was first passed even President Obama knew there were tweaks and adjustments to be made. The public option would solve a lot of problems with cost, as well as the originally planned expansion of Medicaid to all states.

No one is saying we don't need healthcare reform and shouldn't be pushing for universal coverage. But the truth is? There's no where in the world where healthcare is free. Just isn't. You either pay at the point of service or you pay in taxes. Those with minimal annual incomes, however, are subsidized and pay the least. Universal healthcare is something all our candidates agree on as the ultimate goal. But it's sheer fiction to believe this will be easy or quick.

[Polybius]

13. The ACA has done nothing positive for me

Maybe for others it has, but even under Obama I was quoted at $320 per month with bronze package. Since I refused to pay, I had to pay that stupid fine every year.

I'm not sure what Biden's plan is, but Warren and Sanders plans would help me for sure.

[DrToast]

19. There's a lot of things that can be done to improve it

Even during Obama's Presidency it needed tweaks.

But I can understand how you feel.

[emmaverybo]

26. Tweaking Obamacare to bring down premiums easier than getting M4All up and going. Its supporters

have said it would not be rolled out immediately, so we will have to work on improving Obamacare
in any case.

[peggysue2]

36. Exactly, emmaverybo

Promising people the sky or pretending that Medicare for All will be quick and easy is not simply false, it's cruel. There are too many people with chronic and/or deadly medical conditions who need healthcare services in the now. Obamacare 2.0 makes sense realistically and financially. We should be working towards the greatest good for the greatest number with universal healthcare as the ultimate goal. Not pretend we can get there immediately.

[Thekaspervote]

42. This... why is that not being addressed!!??

[Celerity]

46. what are your deductibles and co-pays?

You are paying almost 4000 USD per year just in premiums. The deductibles and co-pays could easily take the cumulative yearly cost to say, 8,000 USD (or even far more). Assuming you net around 24,000 USD income after taxes, that is a massive 33% right off the top, leaving you only 1300 USD a month to live off off. 1300 USD would not cover HALF of the rent for many of my fellow Los Angeles and NYC mates. Even if you found decent housing for say only 1000 USD per month or so, then utilities, etc would take that down to almost zero for food, clothing, etc.

[CentralMass]

31. It is a nice party line narrative yet she is toggling back and forth with Joe Biden for first place

Last edited Mon Oct 14, 2019, 01:07 AM - Edit history (1)

in the polls.

[brooklynite]

7. Reid is smart...

[peggysue2]

9. Yes, he is!

And he's just given everyone a heads-up.

[CentralMass]

27. No offense to Harry Reid but does Elizabeth Warren agree ?

Last edited Mon Oct 14, 2019, 01:24 AM - Edit history (1)

[ecstatic]

12. Good. My intuition tells me that she is

pragmatic and she will pivot at the right time and place... most likely when Bernie finally leaves the race.

[highplainsdem]

14. Seriously? You think it would help her to appear to back MFA only until Sanders leaves the race?

I know that some of her supporters, like Frank Bruni, have applauded her for being evasive and slippery. See this thread about his comments:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287277107

But I think a lot of people who've believed what she's been saying about MFA -- which has been a signature issue for her -- would feel betrayed by a pivot.

We'll see.

[DrFunkenstein]

20. She Already Said She Was Open to a Buy-In Option

Warren earlier this year:

"How do we get universal coverage? Medicare for all. Lots of paths for how to do that. But we know where we are aiming. And that is, every American has health care at a price they can afford. And that the overall costs in the system are held as low as possible.

So right now, there are multiple bills on the floor in the United States Senate. I’ve signed onto Medicare for All. I’ve signed on to another one that gives an option for buying in to Medicaid. There are different ways we can get there. But the key has to be always keep the center of the bullseye in mind. And that is affordable health care for every American."
----

Not sure what makes you say this was a "signature" issue for her. Maybe in your mind. But this has conspicuously been one of the very few issues that she doesn't have an exhaustively detailed plan for.

I'm all for Medicare for all, but Warren's agenda is so much more than this single issue. And if it is a deal-breaker for a majority of Americans, I'm more than happy to see her adopt a transitional approach. I'm sure you are, too.

[ecstatic]

21. Her new fan base isn't married to the idea of MFA. Those who are "ride or die MFA"

support Bernie, in my opinion. I think Warren is smart enough to do the pivot in a way that isn't offensive or sleazy appearing.

And regarding the slippery thing, I know that her haters see it, but nobody else does. Kamala lost a lot of support because she's not as good at being evasive. I honestly have never noticed EW being evasive *in the moment.*

[highplainsdem]

23. Frank Bruni admires her, and he called her slippery and evasive.

And I've seen a lot of her supporters here applaud her for dodging the question when she's asked whether taxes would have to go up for MFA.

Not everyone finds that admirable.

I'm not sure how much of a "new fan base" she has, either. A lot of them were Sanders supporters, and they do want MFA.

Again, we'll see.

My best guess right now is that she'll lose support and credibility if she backs off MFA.

[Bradshaw3]

34. Did Obama lose support when he went from attacking the mandate to employing it?

He attacked Clinton on it as a basic part of their disagreement on healthcare. Then he switched to it. So was Obama being slippery? Or pragmatic?

Politicians do that, even Biden. In fact Biden has a history of making provably false statements that don't seem to be i service of any worthwhile end:
https://www.politifact.com/personalities/joe-biden/statements/byruling/false/

And you seem ok with that.

Bruni said he admired her canniness.

And if you aren't "sure how much of a "new fan base" she has" perhaps you should watch a video of one of her rallies. Biden would kill for that kind of enthusiasm and numbers.

[Thekaspervote]

41. Whataboutism... you're changing the subject

[Bradshaw3]

44. Not at all

Either it's ok to change positions or it's not. If someone is going to attack one candidate for "potentially" changing their mind but overlooking what others have done - including telling outright falsehoods - then obviously the charge has little to no credibility.

[Celerity]

49. +10000

Without some pragmatism a politician quickly runs into a brick wall. Too much and you appear to be simply opportunistic and have no core beliefs. The great ones know the fine line and can balance it.

[Thekaspervote]

50. You said it! It's either okay to change positions or not. That's the basis for the discussion

She’s changing her position... it’s about what EW is doing not about someone else.
Telling outright falsehoods... those are your words

[peggysue2]

25. LOL.

Kamala lost a lot of support because she's not as good at being evasive.

That's really not the sort of statement that burnishes Warren's rep. If anything, it simply underscores Bruni's comments about being cunning and slippery. He said up front he found that attractive, the mark of a winner. Personally, I don't find it attractive at all. For one thing, it erases the transparency standard that everyone claims they care about. Until they don't. And for another, we already have cunning, slippery and evasive sitting in the WH right now.

Whatever. Warren will have to answer the Medicare 4 All question one way or another. I can easily understand why she's waiting to the bitter end. But the question will be pressed. You can absolutely count on it.

[ecstatic]

30. I probably didn't explain myself very well...

What I was trying to say is that if EW is evasive, that means she must be really good at it because I haven't noticed it. It's not that I like evasiveness, in fact, it annoys me, much like it annoys everyone else. But if someone manages to be "slippery" and does so in a way that I don't even notice, that's actually an impressive skill to have.

We'll see what happens. Listen, I like Joe. I'm perfectly OK with Biden winning the nomination, as long as he's up to the job. That's literally my only concern with regard to his candidacy.

[peggysue2]

39. Got it!

Thanks for the explanation.

[boomer_wv]

18. miscalculation.

I think a seachange shift on one of the top issues in this cycle would be a pretty big deal. I don't think that we can just assume that it wouldn't affect her support.

Sanders isn't leaving this race and he will attack her from the left for it. Anyone who is all in for M4A will leave to support him. Biden will attack her from the right by saying that he has been against it the whole time and that her policy positions are based on how the wind blows. People already question her authenticity, this would just play into that.

Basically she would have to say "I had a plan, but Bidens is better so I'm going to use that." Does that help her?

[DrFunkenstein]

22. If This Is Something She's Already Said, Is It a Sea Change?

She strongly supports M4A, but clearly will not sacrifice her entire agenda when she could just opt for a transitional approach.

She's already said this year that she is open to a buy-in option.

Does that make you happy? Or sad?

[highplainsdem]

29. It's a sea change when she's known for defending Medicare For All:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/31/politics/medicare-for-all-debate/index.html


https://www.vox.com/2019/7/30/20747936/warren-sanders-democratic-debate-2020-medicare-for-all


https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/08/09/warren-sanders-medicare-for-all

[Thekaspervote]

35. If doing the right thing is important to her she will clarify her stance during the primary

If she waits and becomes the nominee, that is just plain wrong!!

She’s promising a lot of free things... is it just a campaign promise? Realistically how will they be paid for? Just like dotard, she can’t just do it by exec order.

[boomer_wv]

47. ?

Isn't the whole sell for Warren that her supporters are excited to vote for her because she has all of these great ideas?

We're going to pretend that a complete change of one of the ones that she has made most central to her campaign isn't something to really think about?

There are two reasons to do this. First is that she says she figured out that it can't be paid for. That means that she's been full of it all these times she had tried to explain how to pay for it. Or, alternatively, she figured out that it's polling poorly, and she's just sticking her finger in the wind. Neither are good.

What else is she willing to abandon?

[Thekaspervote]

52. Agree completely! Something as central to one's campaign and you're out there campaigning on

It Everyday... but hey, I might change my mind.

Sad

[DrFunkenstein]

60. I Read All 3 Links And Fail To See The Contradiction You Are Suggesting

"How do we get universal coverage? Medicare for all. Lots of paths for how to do that. But we know where we are aiming. And that is, every American has health care at a price they can afford. And that the overall costs in the system are held as low as possible.

So right now, there are multiple bills on the floor in the United States Senate. I’ve signed onto Medicare for All. I’ve signed on to another one that gives an option for buying in to Medicaid. There are different ways we can get there. But the key has to be always keep the center of the bullseye in mind. And that is affordable health care for every American."

She strongly supports Medicare For All. She will fight hard for that option because it is the right one. That is the best way forward to achieve universal health care with lower costs to the middle class. But rather than be a strict ideologue, she recognizes that there are other ways forward.

The difference between her and the non-Bernie candidates is that they will skip the fight for M4A. She will not. She will make the case and do everything possible to make it a reality. Others don't even want to go there. She does.

I know that Biden supporters would love to paint her into a corner, but she has the right position: Fight hard for the best option. If it is untenable, be willing to accept a transitional approach. . That's called leadership.

[Thekaspervote]

40. The question should not be to Biden fans but to Ew supporters. Does it make you happy or sad

Seems from the comments here a lot of her supporters are going to be a lot more than a little bit sad

[Aaron Pereira]

32. Her position is Medicare for all so I'll wait for her to say otherwise.

With all due respect to Harry Reid he shouldn't try to speak for her and tell us how she "really" feels.

[Thekaspervote]

38. With all due respect Harry Reid's opinion is very valid. He is one smart democratic leader

And one of the single best majority senate leaders ever.

[Aaron Pereira]

45. It's all about respect really.

Here is a woman who has earned her place as a possible nominee and President of the United States. She can manage her own positions without Harry's help as sincere as his efforts might be.

[boomer_wv]

48. Machine.

She wants to win NV and he's a kingmaker.

[Thekaspervote]

53. You nailed it. Axelrod is all in for EW, despises Biden since the early yrs of the Obama prez

Althou If axelrod thought he could get Harry Reid to show his hand for her... he miss judged that one!

[YOHABLO]

37. Two establishment Democrats sitting there discussing Elizabeth Warren .. Oh please.

[Cha]

67. So?

[mike_c]

43. failure to fight for universal single payer health care is a deal breaker for me

And I'll be on Medicare in just a few months anyway-- I'm almost 65. For-profit health care in America is awful. It needs to end.

[applegrove]

51. She will not win the Senate with MFA. Maybe there is a chance

if she promises to improve Obamacare for now that she can make a few inroads in the Senate. Then she'll be able to get at least that done. That way she can concentrate on other things in the election like corruption and student loans and all.

[Thekaspervote]

54. Agree.. she's really backed herself in a corner with no good way out

M4a is a real deal breaker as far as the GE, and as many here have commented that’s why they supported her in the first place

I really really hope she is not the nominee! I see too many other inconsistencies besides the issue of health insurance

[applegrove]

55. I think she could change people's hearts in the GE. What are the other

Last edited Mon Oct 14, 2019, 03:00 AM - Edit history (1)

inconsistancies of which you speak?

[Thekaspervote]

57. Here

I think her time as part of the ultra conservative Federalist society in the nineties will come to surface and it isn’t pretty

What she spoke about and what she says now are 2 entirely different platforms. If you want to see her speech you can find it at mediate.com or goggle it, there are lots of places you can find it. I have a link, but don’t want to cause WW3

She has consistently dodged answers about how she’s going to pay for the programs she is proposing. She’s been in the senate, she knows how it works.

her saying now she won’t take money from big corporations if she’s the nominee? So, if she becomes the nominee she will then refuse to take money from the DNC as well? She couldn’t win without monetary help from the DNC. she full well knows most of the donations to the DNC are from big corporations so let them them take the money so she can say she didn’t take any money from the big guys?

[applegrove]

59. VAT taxes on non necessities would do it. Having once been republican

would help with independants in the GE i think. She is talking wealth tax. I sould do that and a vat.

[Buzz cook]

56. With conservative dems like Biden

Doing what they can to demonize MFA it may be politically expedient to shift her focus.At least she stuck her neck out and hasn't played it safe like some.

In the end Warren will make the best president even if she doesn't keep all her promises. Her ability is head and shoulders above the rest of the field.

[Thekaspervote]

58. Well.. that's one opinion and you are entitled to it..but that's all it is.. an opinion

[BlueMTexpat]

63. Buzz cook does

not stand alone.

[YOHABLO]

68. Yes, everyone has an opinion for sure.

[BlueMTexpat]

62. Why do you hint

Last edited Mon Oct 14, 2019, 05:59 AM - Edit history (1)

that EW's pragmatism is a negative?

If anything, I consider it to be a MAJOR positive.

As an EW supporter, my belief is that she believes in beginning from a very strong position and M4All is the strongest position possible. EW's supporters are NOT hard-liners and neither is she. She is also an effective compromiser and her Senate record proves that. See, e.g., https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/elizabeth_warren/412542/report-card/2018

Why do you not post about the strengths of your own candidate instead of only posting polls and treating EW's positions with innuendo?

She has her "big girl" pants on and can certainly stand for her positions to be criticized. She will provide clarification when best she deems to, not necessarily when supporters of other candidates believe that she should. Continuing to post innuendo does not behoove either you or your candidate.

Please rather show where your candidate has been at least as effective as EW has been in introducing or passing legislation that is positive for MOST Americans. He has a very long record to choose from.

EW has only been in the US Senate since 2013 (six years!) and has been a consistently stellar performer there.

[DrFunkenstein]

64. Work With Segregationists: Good. Compromise on M4A: Bad

The Biden folk are doing themselves no favors by being disingenuous. They tout someone willing to compromise with all sorts of creeps on one hand, but act horrified that Warren is not inflexible towards achieving the an incredibly progressive agenda.

If anything, you are highlighting something that most Warren supporters want to hear - that she is pragmatic enough to get the job done.

"The perfect is the enemy of the good." I'm sure Biden supporters could get behind that sentiment...if they wanted to.

In the meantime, thanks for promoting Warren's pragmatism!

[BlueMTexpat]

65. It is easy to promote

Warren in all aspects. JMO.

[ritapria]

66. A for profit health care system that

Bankrupts 500,000 people every year for the "crime " of having a serious medical issue is manifestly insane and cruel ..Is is "extreme left" to want to end this madness ? ... It's past time for the United States to catch up with the rest of the developed world and transition to Single Payer …..

[YOHABLO]

69. You're absolutely right. The establishment Dems will keep it that way unfortunately.

Thou shalt not condemn corporate power: saith the oligarchs.