“we find she [HRC] deserves ample credit for expanding children's health insurance." [View All]

[rodeodance]

Lots of details in this Fact check.


Giving Hillary Credit for SCHIP
March 18, 2008


"Despite disparagement from political rivals, we find she deserves ample credit for expanding
children's health insurance."


"One of Clinton's signature claims has come under fire from political foes, quoted by the Boston Globe, who say she doesn't deserve credit for expanding federal health insurance for millions of children.

We review the record and conclude that she deserves plenty of credit, both for the passage of the SCHIP legislation and for pushing outreach efforts to translate the law into reality."

..snip..

"Kennedy, of course, is now backing Clinton's rival, Barack Obama, for the nomination. But last year, before that endorsement, he was quoted by the Associated Press as saying something quite different, which the Globe did not note in its story:

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Oct. 6, 2007: The children's health program wouldn't be in existence today if we didn't have Hillary pushing for it from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

In that same story, The AP's Beth Fouhy concluded, "While Kennedy is widely viewed as the driving force behind the program, by all accounts the former first lady's pressure was crucial." She quoted Nick Littlefield, who had been a senior health adviser to Kennedy, as saying, "we relied on her, worked with her and she was pivotal in encouraging the White House to do it."
,,,,,

Our conclusion: Clinton is right on this one.

– by Brooks Jackson
–
Sources
Milligan, Susan. "Clinton role in health program disputed." The Boston Globe, 14 March 2008.

Gray, Jerry. "Through Senate Alchemy, Tobacco Is Turned Into Gold for Children's Health." The New York Times, 11 Aug. 1997.

Bedard, Paul. "Budget a back door to 'Clintoncare'; Children's health insurance is similar to coverage pushed by Hillary in '93. Washington Times, 6 Aug. 1997.

Fouhy, Beth. "Clinton claims credit for child program." The Associated Press, 6 Oct. 2007.

Bumiller, Elisabeth. "In Shift, Mrs. Clinton Stresses Behind-the-Scenes Influence." The New York Times, 11 Aug. 2000.

The White House. "President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton launch the Insure Kids Now campaign promoting children's health insurance outreach." news release, 23 Feb. 1999.

The White House. "Remarks by the President and the First Lady at children's health outreach event." transcript, 23 Feb. 1999.

The White House. "First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton announces that almost one million children are enrolled in

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