John Kerry claims Ted Kennedy would have been ready to compromise on health care public option

[Better Believe It]

Kerry: Kennedy would compromise if necessary
The Associated Press
August 30, 2009


WASHINGTON — A leading Democratic senator says the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy would have been ready to compromise on overhauling health care, but negotiations had not yet reached that point.

Sen. John Kerry says Kennedy would have fought for a public option in President Barack Obama's attempt to reform the health care system, but would opt for compromise if and when Democrats got to that point.

From ABC's "This Week"

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/kerry-kennedy-would-compromise-if-necessary-127095.html

We'll need to read the transcript of the program when it becomes available later today to find out the details of what John Kerry said. An earlier report indicated that John Kerry personally thinks a compromise on the public option may be necessary with no mention of Ted Kennedy.

If anyone has seen this interview please fill us in on the details. A key question is did John Kerry say that Ted Kennedy would compromise or that he would compromise on the public option "if necessary" Thanks.

[Mass]

1. He would have, if the talks were going nowhere, but as Kerry said, we're not there.

Steph was intent to have Kerry say that Kennedy would have dropped the public option now. Kerry said that, if no bill with a public option could be had, Kennedy would have looked on how to have a bill that improved the situation, but first, he would have fought like a lion for it, and then, make sure the bill he was supporting had a sound foundation.

No surprise that you fall for the MSM trap.

Kennedy compromised in the MA bill so that we could have a better healthcare bill than we had before. What make you think he would not have here as well.

[Cass]

2. The Dems have not yet fought like a lion for the public option imo.

Many have been very quick to acquiesce to republican demands.

[polichick]

6. True, they began the negotiations by taking single payer off the table...

If they start from the middle, they can only go to the right ~ they should have started with single payer. Now they'll really have to fight.

[grassfed]

106. not just repubs but discredited agitators like Sarah Palin and her death panel threats

[Bumblebee]

18. Kerry is never the best spokesman when absolute clarity and resolve are needed

We were through that in 2004. He just gave the media a headline which is something other than the utter-resolve-to-pass-whatever-it-takes-to-honor-Teddy's-dream one that we need right now.

[ProSense]

19. Wow, you didn't understand what he said? There aren't even any big words in his statement.

What utter nonsense. Kerry's statement was perfectly clear. It's Democrats like you who continue to perpetuate myths and aid the MSM in their BS spin.

[blm]

20. BULLSHIT - Kerry was perfectly clear that Kennedy would fight -corpmedia DELIBERATELY misquoted him

and the mediasheep do their expected kneejerks as part of the orchestration.

Hanging a hat on medialies must be such an easy road to take for the lazyminded.

[Bumblebee]

22. And that's why if you are politically smart -- which Kerry is NOT 100%,

you give them NO chance to do it. We went through that again and again in 2004, when he had to come back and clarify, and explain. Good politicians avoid such situations by simply not going there, especially with hypotheticals. Media has to feed on something -- and you should not give them even an inch if it truly matters.

[blm]

26. Bullshit - Kerry did not give them the room, they had to LIE to fit their narrative and SHEEP repeat

the lie.

Only duped sheep would blame Kerry for even the most obvious corpmedia distortion.

You side with the corpmedia every time. You'd look pretty lame if corpmedia chose to lie about everything you said. You really don't get how much the fascists need to keep Kerry targeted, do you?

If YOU were feared they'd target you, too, but, fortunately for them you are always willing to take their side.

[Bumblebee]

30. that's about as unnuanced as Kerry's statement should have been :-)

[fedupinBushcountry]

28. Funny how you let the media

rule how you think. I can see you were no help in '04 you just went along with misleading corporate news instead of finding the truth and speaking the truth to your neighbors and friends. There may be some good politicians but they may not be as trust worthy as John Kerry is. Tell me Obama didn't have to come back and explain his words throughout his campaign? You can't, but he did but the media could not play him like they did John Kerry because I hate to say it but it was because he was black and they were afraid of being called racist, pure and simple. Obama was honest as was John Kerry but it was treated totally different for Kerry.

[Bumblebee]

32. Yes, he was very good and that's why we carried the presidential election in 2004. My apologies. You

are absolutely right on that one!

[fedupinBushcountry]

36. Blinded

not worth talking to a wall.

[grassfed]

107. i see we're both trolls for the "corpmedia"

despite my involvement with Howard Deans Health Care Reform Plan. How much are they paying you?

Where is that coming from? If there is something I stand 100% against it corpmedia, corpmedical, corpinsurance... and crass hybrid words like corpmedia.


anyone/everyone please see
http://www.standwithdrdean.com/activities/2

[karynnj]

85. How did a not politically smart guy win the party's nomination

with virtually NO media or party support in late 2003 or early 2004. How did he get elected as LT Governor and as a Senator the first time when he was not the party or media favorite.

All politicians answer hypotheticals unless they are completely implausible - something this wasn't and he gave a very good answer.

[dionysus]

87. you're talking to a dining room table you know.

[TayTay]

29. Oh My God! He answered the question clearly

and accurately based on years and years of his experience of actually knowing Ted Kennedy. He didn't lie or side-step away from the question, but answered it fully and honestly.

OMFG! John, what were you thinking? On a tribute show, about the meaning of the death of a man who was not only a towering political figure in America, but a personal friend who had been to your house, knew your children, laughed and cried with you on good days and bad, how could you?

John, how could you honestly answer, to the best of your ability, what you thought Teddy would do? Don't you know that you shouldn't answer honestly or show any emotion beyond what it is politically correct to show?

How could you be so human and honest John Kerry, how could you?

[JohnnyLib2]

61. Well said.

:thumbsup:

[karynnj]

83. Kerry has always been an excellent spokeman and was here

The media made up the headline. Watch the interview.

[wisteria]

136. Oh come on, I have never had a problem understanding Senator Kerry.

He speaks clear enough English for me. What language do you speak?

[saltpoint]

140. The record shows that in fact the reverse is true. They were colleagues

and they were friends and both ably and effectively represent liberal positions and have for some decades.

You are completely incorrect in your assessment. The case against your assertion is overwhelming.

[tularetom]

3. Rank speculation

And what does that even mean "would have been ready"?

Was he ready to compromise or wasn't he? Exactly when would he have been ready?

It's meaningless. It doesn't look like Kerry actually said what the headline says he did. And even if he did, most people will not believe Sen. Kennedy would or "would have been ready to" compromise on a public option.

The liberal media can spend weeks indulging in this sort of mental masturbation but the facts are sadly, Sen. Kennedy is no longer with us.

[Avalux]

4. Good ol' liberal media doing their thing.

:sarcasm:

I watched the interview with Kerry. His point was general - Teddy's nature was to push and push and push and then compromise if there was no way of getting it done otherwise as long as it still contained a good foundation. He would not have fought tirelessly for healthcare for all for 30 years just to cave in to Puke opposition on this current go round.

[Better Believe It]

5. Here's what John Kerry said: TRANSCRIPT

KERRY: And what Teddy would do is he would fight for that public option, because he believes -- believed that the public option, as I do, is an effective -- the best way possible to be able to reduce the...

STEPHANOPOULOS: But he could count votes as well...

KERRY: Now let me just finish...

STEPHANOPOULOS: ... and the votes don't seem to be there.

KERRY: Let me just finish. Let me finish. He would fight for it, and he would do everything in his power to get it, just like he did for the minimum wage or like he did for children's health care, et cetera. But if he didn't see the ability to be able to get it done, he would not throw the baby out with the bathwater. He would not say no to anything because we have to reduce the cost. We have to make these changes. And he would find the best way forward.

http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Politics/Story?id=8443218&page=2

[Mass]

7. Yes. This is what Avalux said.

[ProSense]

8. Yes, and your OP is a distortion

KERRY: Let me just finish. Let me finish. He would fight for it, and he would do everything in his power to get it, just like he did for the minimum wage or like he did for children's health care, et cetera. But if he didn't see the ability to be able to get it done, he would not throw the baby out with the bathwater. He would not say no to anything because we have to reduce the cost. We have to make these changes. And he would find the best way forward.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So he wouldn't agree with those like Howard Dean who say it's not worth doing if you don't have the public health insurance option?

KERRY: I think there is an enormous amount, George -- oh, here is what Teddy would do. He would say, I'm going to fight the fight, and if and when we get to the point that we can't get there, we'll see whether or not we can do enough to make good happen out of this.

And you can't make that measurement today. We have to go down that road.

He would have fought his heart out, and we're nowhere near the point of doing anything but continuing to fight.

[blm]

10. Please post what Kerry actually said in its own thread, Pro. Thankyou.

.

[blm]

9. IF he didn't see the ability...THEN he'd compromise...Distorters leave the word IF out so often, eh?

,

[Better Believe It]

12. I'm not so certain that Kennedy would have dumped the public option "if necessary" to pass a bill.

That's pure speculation on John Kerry's part.

I would hope not. I've concluded that any final bill that doesn't include a strong public option should be voted down by Congress.

See the Bill Moyers interview on Bill Maher show in Political Videos at:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=361598&mesg_id=361598

[ProSense]

13. That is not what Kerry said. You continue to try to put the MSM spin on his statment. n/t

[karynnj]

88. Pure speculation?

Kerry saw Kennedy last week - I think the only Senator to do so. They have been in contact on this over the last year. When he was to ill to speak himself to Senators, there were times that Vicki called Kerry.

So, in addition to having worked closely with him for 25 years, he and Dodd were the Senators Kennedy was closest to. So, I really think that he just might have 1000 times the insight into what Kennedy would do than you do.

[Bumblebee]

27. SO DO NOT GO THERE!!! Kerry must know by now but he is a slow lerner.

[blm]

40. What the hell is the matter with you and your need to cling to obvious media distortions?

Married to David Gregory? Stephanopoulus? Carville? Beck?

[Bumblebee]

44. To all four, you are absolutely right. Hard to manage it sometimes

but it's an amicable arrangement and they all understand...

[ProSense]

48. "slow lerner." Speaking of slow. n/t

[Bumblebee]

52. No, I actually have to be pretty fast to handle all four...

[karynnj]

89. Kerry is any thing but a slow learner - and I will ignore your spelling error

The QUESTION took him there and his answer was intelligent and reasonable. There was no reason to avoid the question.

[wisteria]

137. I caught the spelling error also. n/t

[Avalux]

11. Not any different than what I said in my post. The media is trying frame the conversation.

This single piece of legislation was THE centerpiece of Kennedy's political life. Compromise and negotiation are not the same as giving in - however the media and the GOP will use Kennedy's death (now that he isn't here to speak for himself) to say he would have caved on public option or single payer.

[bread_and_roses]

23. It's still a weak, give-away, mealy-mouthed statement -

- what the hell is wrong with these Democrats? If "we're not at that point yet" then why talk about what we'll do "if?" So, the negotiator sits down at the table and says straight-off, "well, if you insist, I'll give in on our real goal?" Wow, smart.

As far as I'm concerned, the Democrats have behaved indefensibly on this. They are unclear, they are weak, they started holding all the best cards - the people wanting reform, hating their health insurance companies, knowing their wages are depressed by health care costs IF they are even lucky enough to have employer-based health insurance, virtually everyone knowing someone who's been screwed, denied care, dumped, bankrupt or nearly, by our insane system - and what have they done with it? Allowed the debate to be turned into a circus over death-panels. All because they are afraid to lay the blame squarely where it rests, on the for-profit health industry. And I don't exclude Obama from that charge.

[grassfed]

134. +1!

[Bumblebee]

25. "Let me just finish. Let me finish."

Is never a good way to start an all-important concept -- puts you on defensive from the start (which he was). "if he didn't see the ability to be able to get it done" was UTTERLY unnecessary. A much smarter way would have been to say how Teddy was convincing -- not compromising -- and would get more votes that way (or by promising to support one of their pet projects -- if he could). Then there would have been nothing for the media to feed on. This is essential Kerry; he is never good on Sunday talk shows. I kinda cringe when I see it's him -- as opposed to Durbin, for example, who is MUCH better.

[blm]

33. There was nothing for media to feed on, so they deliberately changed what was said and you side with

the lies just because you have no CLUE how seriously corpmedia has been targeting Kerry for decades or even WHY. You just further their lies and distortions to smear their targets.

[Bumblebee]

35. Sorry I attacked your idol. I like everything he stands for -- I still don't think

he is a good spokesman for the party.

[blm]

37. He was considered a great speaker until corpmedia dug in against him to distort everything he says

for the dumbed down in their audience who will accept their distortion, and further their lies.

Most are fine with Kerry when he speaks live, and until the media weighs in with their distortion then the dumb sheep all start bleating at once. Fortunately, not ALL at DU are dumb sheep and are even FAIR enough to fight AGAINST distortions.

[Bumblebee]

42. Have you ever considered that a "good speaker" and a "good politician"

may be two different things? Obama, fortunately for us, was both when he ran.

[blm]

46. Tell us how Obama would have won in 2004, we're all ears. Ever consider that PostKatrina election

was a helluva lot easier than a post9-11 election, especially with every wellknown Dem on TV siding with Bush, including the last Dem president?

BushInc had to work 24/7 to steal 2004 because Kerry was doing so well ON HIS OWN with most in his party siding with Bush publicly.

[ProSense]

51. Kerry is both. One of the best Senator ever. Your inability to comprehend a simple statement

and misrepresent its context is not Kerry's fault.

[Bumblebee]

53. and they call me "blinded" :-)

[ProSense]

55. Actually, it's not blindness. It's a willingness to support MSM spin.

Anyone who does that is as big a sellout to the progressive cause as the corporate media whores. Period.

[blm]

57. Blinded by medialies and revisionism....that YOU repeat....and do so eagerly.

.

[karynnj]

93. So, why did Kennedy, the master politician of our age, support Kerry

for President in 2004 and for 2008, until Kerry opted out?

Kerry very nearly won in a year that really did not favor a Democrat - and he would have won even though the media not had the most biased reporting of any campaign if there had been adeguate voting machines in Ohio.

As to a speaker, he is one of the most eloquent we have - only Obama is as talented. Tell me what line any other politician will be remembered for 35 years after saying it?

[karynnj]

90. That is not how it sounded

Steph attempted to cut him off mid sentence as he is prone to do - Kerry didn't let him.

[dionysus]

14. better believe it claims anything he can to make dems look bad.

[GoCubsGo]

15. Compromise is not capitulation.

Teddy may have compromised on it, but that does not mean he would necessarily give it up. "Compromise" does not mean caving in completely. The "public option" might not look the way he originally intended it, but it doesn't mean it would not be in the bill.

[cornermouse]

16. Republicans are rewarded when they refuse to compromise.

Democrats are beat up, sometimes by people within their own party, when they refuse to compromise. Just pointing out the irony.

[OHdem10]

17. Senator Kennedy would not have compromised on Health Care OPtion

[karynnj]

91. Under the conditions Kerry described - he would have

Where there was no way and where there was sufficient good in the bill. Kerry has personally known Kennedy since 1971 and has been next to him in the senate for almost 25. I suspect that in all that time, he knows better than you what Kennedy would do.

[MarjorieG]

21. Just because MSM have magnified town hall as indicative or sincere, now want to kill it our efforts

before we even have a conference bill. Maybe to preserve ad revenue, maybe for blood sport, maybe because MSM is still tilted to corporate GOP, but we don't have to believe their spin.

George Will insisted that the public is rejecting Obama (although we know the polls affected most by push polling and the south), as if to reject the closest thing to Kennedy, intimating akmost defensively to my mind that Conservatism lives forever. EJ Dionne countered that Conservatives did a good job in August convincing people what they'd lose, and we've yet to make case reminding people what don't like about insurance-bankruptcy, losing it when sick, etc. Liz Cheney tried to attribute something Orzag said to Obama and diss Obama. That was Steph's roundtable.

I think we'll return and strategize, how to do this alone, and tamp down "why can't we (Dems) compromise like Ted would have."

I still wish we could lower the Medicare age and give people something to hang onto that they have a comfort with, especially if we're starting exchanges that will take a while. Some Medicare problems can be traced to unpaid for recent legislation.

John Kerry was brilliant today on Steph, as usual, emphasizing what we want and sidestepping a trap. More soulful but just as emphatic on MTP with Dodd in remembering Teddy. Kerry had just followed a very articulate and truthful Maris Shriver, and I could see his moist eyes. Dodd emphasized bi-partisan is good, comes and goes, but most important is civility and respect, which he hopes will return in September.

Just to add, I think MSM just wants the GOP to win, be in the fight, as if it were a principled argument, in equal weight to keeping it a horse race. Forgetting how life and death the issue. Much like ramping to war.

[Ikonoklast]

24. Unrec for another misleading lie for an OP.

I'm not going to call the OP a disruptor. That would be wrong.

[grantcart]

31. consistently misleading - but its nice to have a hobby

[jenmito]

34. Nice misrepresentation-He would NOT be "ready" to compromise. Typical thread by you, though. UNrec

[leftofthedial]

38. once a tool, always a tool,

eh John?

[jenmito]

39. Direct that question to yourself and the OP.

:eyes:

[leftofthedial]

69. Okay. Yes, he's a tool.

:eyes:

I'm a big obnoxious jerk, and Kerry's a tool.

And a quitter.

[Forkboy]

98. You're more than that.

[blm]

43. so now YOU side with corpmedia distortions over actual transcripts?

where did you get your view of history, anyway, that you could make such an ill-informed comment against Kerry?

I thought you were an anti-corruption DUer. Now, you're siding with the blatantly corrupt fascist media and their distortions.

[leftofthedial]

45. Kerry's a quitter.

I don't like him.

[jenmito]

47. You don't like Obama, either. n/t

[leftofthedial]

66. No. I actually DO like him.

I just don't believe him anymore, and I never liked his staffing choices or the policies they've implemented.

[mkultra]

71. i see, so you like him, you just think hes a liar.

[leftofthedial]

77. He's a politician. Lying is a given.

I thought for a brief spell, last Fall and part of the Winter, that he might just be a statesman too, but he's not. He's a politician.

Seems like an okay fellow, but yes, he's a liar.

[mkultra]

144. Hes a human, Lying is a given

you are also a liar.

[dionysus]

86. left, you sure have a wierd way of showing how much you like him

[leftofthedial]

125. I haven't given up hope that one day, he'll wake up and embrace FDR-style democratic ideals.

He'll fire the whole economic team, champion real economic stimulus for real people, become a warrior on behalf of American workers, run the corporations out of DC, restore reasonable tax rates on the wealthy thieves, and get our soldiers the hell out of the Middle East quagmire.

It could happen.

It is possible to disagree with someone and still "like" them.

[ProSense]

49. Yeah, and you've fought harder for people's rights than Kerry.

It shows in all your DU posts. NOT.

[leftofthedial]

67. You have no idea what you're talking about.

(It shows in all your DU posts.)

[karynnj]

109. She knows what she is taking about and very few people have done as much as John Kerry

so it is highly likely that you did less. Enlighten us if that is not true.

[blm]

50. Yet you can't name one lawmaker in DC who uncovered more government corruption than Kerry

did and he did so because he DIDN'T QUIT when all of DC powerstructure was trying to force him to quit, including the most powerful people in his own party.

you think YOU would have the stamina and courage to pursue IranContra, BCCI, and CIA drugrunning with DC set against you? Think YOU could tough it out for over 6 years while looking over your shoulders every day and facing ostracization throughout all that time even in your own party?

You really are proving you haven't learned much from the important threads that have been posted over the years. You can't figure out WHY Kerry gets distorted more than any other Dem and why he is consistently targeted with lies and revisionism by corporate media?

You think YOU'RE so much tougher, you and all of your crowd who take potshots at Kerry but wouldn't dare go one day in his shoes or in his bulletproof vests, let alone 6 years?

[leftofthedial]

68. You suck. No, *you* suck. No, you suck. Uh-uh, you suck...

Kerry quit when it counted in 2004. Rolled over, showed the fascists his shriveled little balls and said, "No mas." We got four more years of Kerry-legitimized hell. But WTF, he's still got his.

:spit:

[MarjorieG]

73. No matter how much you emphatically swear and sound tough, Kerry couldn't have uncovered the massive

fraud that happened in many ways in many states. Not by himself, without party support, and we still can't get definitive proof to this day.

[leftofthedial]

76. I was a helluva ballplayer back in the day.

[karynnj]

112. who cares -

[Forkboy]

99. What are you, 10?

You talk like a pamphlet.

[karynnj]

113. If he/she is 10 he/she needs parental supervison

but, yeah it sounds pretty immature.

[karynnj]

110. Kerry did not have the votes - the votes are STILL not proven

after over 2 years with a Democratic Governor and SOS. The fact is that Kerry and his entire extended family worked extremely hard to win the election. Your language is inexcusable.

[leftofthedial]

123. and then he quit.

Everyone in the country knew the election was crooked, and Kerry quit.

[ProSense]

124. Kerry didn't quit, you're just as uninformed about that as you are about everything else. n/t

[leftofthedial]

126. He conceded at 2:17 ET on Wednesday, Nov 3, barely 14 hours after the last polls closed.

Hell of a fight. NOT.

He quit.

[ProSense]

128. What does that have to do with anything.

You don't think someone can go on fighting after a concession, that isn't legally binding?

You don't know what you're talking about.

You should quit. You're uninformed.

[blm]

141. The SLOWEST concession in history and only because he had no legal evidence to continue.

Yes, it was the slowest. Gore conceded on election night when he believed himself to be 50,ooo votes behind Bush in Florida - He unconceded when the numbers changed to indicate a much tighter race.

[karynnj]

127. The fact is that "everybody in the country" did not "know" the election was crooked

The fact is the Democratic lawyers made the decision that they had no case to stand on. Even now nearly 5 years later - with a Democratic President, a Democratic Ohio governor (for almost 3 yrs) and a Democratic Ohio SoS, there STILL is no proof that Kerry got more legally cast votes. (The RFKjr study included reasonable estimates for the number of voters deterred by the long lines - those votes NEVER CAST would have made the difference - but you can't count votes never cast.)

The Democratic party, that didn't support him all that well as the nominee would not have backed him. Nor would his lame VP who lied about it 2 years later. Kerry and his brother did immediately speak about the suppression of votes - but it was done in a manner that - even if people went to jail for it - would not change the results. In 2005, Teresa Heinz Kerry spoke of the problem of machines that we could not definitively say were not hackable. Both Kerrys were mocked and criticized for speaking out in that timeframe - while Edwards was silent.

With no proof, how do you prove an election was crooked. Kerry was an excellent prosecutor - unless he had a solid case he knew he would damage the Democratic party by doing so. It might have been the only thing that could have kept the Republican party more popular.

[dionysus]

143. left, are there *any* democrats you don't have bile and venom for? christ almighty!

[leftofthedial]

146. fewer than ever in the modern history of the party,

but still a few

Weiner, Wellstone, Kucinich, Boxer ...

[blm]

147. and all four of those put together didn't uncover anywhere near the amount of government corruption

that Kerry uncovered on his own. They are all good lawmakers and great people, but, none of them even dared take on the really dangerous matters that would get all of DC to line up against them, including most in their own party.

[leftofthedial]

152. anyone who can turn over a rock will find "government corruption"

fighting it is another thing. Kudos to Kerry for his work on this.

[Inuca]

62. And I don't think I like you

So? (and I probably know you as little and have as little understanding of who you are, what you stand for, how you think, what you do, etc. as you have about Kerry)

[leftofthedial]

63. I don't blame you.

I'm an asshole.

[mkultra]

72. that's an understatement of massive proportion

[leftofthedial]

78. Okay. I'm a HUGH asshole.

An asshole of massive proportions.

But I'm also right.

[ProSense]

82. "I'm a HUGH asshole...But I'm also right."

You're definitely right about the first point.

[leftofthedial]

84. See? We can agree about something.

I'll bet we agree about WAY more than we disagree about.

[ProSense]

94. "I'll bet we agree about WAY more than we disagree about. "

I rarely embrace flawed logic.

[leftofthedial]

120. never mind.

adios.

[grassfed]

135. now that's John Kerry style negotiating

[karynnj]

95. Kerry never quit - he has continued to fight for us

[Cha]

41. Another piece of corporate propaganda shite pushed by better

NOT believe it.

[Better Believe It]

54. It's obvious that Kerry is ready to compromise. Will he again suggest a public option trigger?

[ProSense]

56. It's obvious you are desperate. n/t

[Name removed]

118. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MarjorieG]

80. You're believing junk really pushed by Schumer's office.

[Forkboy]

100. There's something else that's obvious in this thread.

[karynnj]

114. He never proposed one -Olymphia Snowe did and yes, he did discuss it

He is on the Finance committee which did discuss it -and as his office said he is for it starting day one.

Did you miss that people sometimes discuss things they are against? There would be no productive discussion if they didn't.

Seeing that you posted attacking Kerry for selecting Lieberman as his VP within the last year and wrote that he attacked Nader in 2004 - when in fact, he met wth Nader, who said it was hard to dislike a kid who led an antiwar movement. You have had a HUGE number of threads attacking Kerry on teh public option, when it is 100% clear that he has been on Kennedy's side.

[Vinca]

58. Sadly, Democrats, for the most part, don't know how to play the game.

They gave up single payer right out of the gate when it could have been used to bargain down to a public option. Now it's a matter of bargaining the public option down to who knows what, but I'm betting they're going to do it. Wouldn't want the insurance CEO salaries to dip below $100,000 an hour. This morning there was a Canadian doctor on the Washington Journal telling it like it is. Two calls from Canada stuck in my mind. One was from a lady who was worried about Canada adopting a private option. The second was from a lady who told about her hip replacement experience. She got her choice of doctor and hospital and after she got home had nurses and therapists come to her house. Cost: 0. Meanwhile, back in the "most powerful" country on the planet, my wait time for the hip replacement I'm told I need is forever because I've been priced out of insurance.

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Inuca]

60. The biggest regret of Teddy's political career

Not having reached a compromise with Nixon. Or so everyone says.

Various republicans are wrong in painting Kennedy as a wishy-washy compromiser. You, several others in this thread, and many others on the left are equally wrong IMHO in painting him as an intransigent, inflexible ideologue. Had he been that, he might have been an idol of the left, but NOT the very successful and effective LEGISLATOR that he was. To be a good legislator, you must be able to pass laws (surprise!). And part of that implies understanding that no matter how strongly you believe something to be true and the right thing to do, you are not alone and other may happen (dare?) to have a different point of view. And you work WITHIN THE SYSTEM, with its good or not so good parts. Kennedy was not a revolutionary nor an anarchist.

And going back to Kerry: what he said was absolutely right, and as far as I can know, very well reflected Kennedy's point of view. Do your best to achieve what you think it's the right thing to do. If it becomes obvious that it is unachievable, take what you can and live to fight another day. Or as Kerry put it, don't throw the baby with the water.

End rant.

[emulatorloo]

64. Bullshit misleading thread title. Bullshit misleading AP story. That is all that needs to be said

EOM

[saltpoint]

65. You post irresponsibly and inaccurately misrepresents both men.

Unrecommended and then some.

[LWolf]

70. Without a public option,

what, exactly, would be the compromise?

The public option IS the compromise.

[GreenArrow]

74. it's theater

.

[joeycola]

79. TRANSSCRIPT--yes, he said that Kennedy

would compromise. You can quibble with the word (for those of you who do not believe Kerry said this)--but it is as it is. But Kerry also said Kennedy would fight for the public option.
And we have heard over and over this last fews days that Kennedy was the best at reaching across the isle.

http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Politics/Story?id=8443218&page=2


..........STEPHANOPOULOS: So he wouldn't agree with those like Howard Dean who say it's not worth doing if you don't have the public health insurance option?

KERRY: I think there is an enormous amount, George -- oh, here is what Teddy would do. He would say, I'm going to fight the fight, and if and when we get to the point that we can't get there, we'll see whether or not we can do enough to make good happen out of this.

And you can't make that measurement today. We have to go down that road.

[karynnj]

81. The AP lies - here is a DKOS diary with the AP story and the transcript

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/30/11540/1472

Your comments at the end were 100% on target - and the transcript showed that AP is causing trouble.

[joeycola]

96. I do not see it as a lie. Kerry said Kennedy would fight for the Public

option--but also that he would compromise to get a bill passed.

[karynnj]

108. True, but it distorts the overall message that he would fight as hard as he could

and only IF it is impossible would he then work hard to negotiate the best bill possible - and he would vote for it only if it then did enough good. The title and the article misses all of that. I can see them going for the controversial title, but the article is inexcusable.

[joeycola]

139. True. Perhaps

Kerry should just have said forcefully that Kennedy would have fought hard for the public option and left it at that. As his response stands, Kerry left himself open for different aspects to be be illuminated by the press. As he should know that the press goes for controversial and sensational articles.

[cadmium]

92. Another overblown MSM pseudo-news story

Kerry was close to Ted Kennedy and he is very close to Chris Dodd and Prez Obama. He was asked to conjecture on what Ted would do and he answered the question -- I assume he was being truthful unless proven otherwise.

This is what Kerry said;

"Here's what Teddy would do. He would say I'm gonna fight the fight, and if and when we get to the point that we can't get there, we'll see whether or not we can do enough to make good come out of this. And you can't make that measurement today. We have to go down that road."

That sounds pretty straightforward to me.

I didnt know Ted Kennedy like Kerry did, but I have always speculated that Ted would have been happy if the US plan mirrored the Massachusetts plan that he pushed for and got. Why wouldnt he be? I would like to see a full fledged universal public option but I remember the debate in Massachusetts--which ended up with means testing and tiered approach to the insurance exchange for the public plan (essentially an expansion of Medicaid coupled with an insurance exchange).

This all sounds like hysteria and predictably dumping on Kerry for telling the truth

[Forkboy]

101. That the OP latched onto like a baby clutching mommy's breast.

[Becky72]

97. AP article doesn't quote Kerry directly

You have to be suspicious of AP's reporting when they only paraphrase Kerry, without once posting a sentence from the Senator.

[w4rma]

102. What? Why does Kerry say things out loud that require essays to explain what he said? (nt)

[ProSense]

103. You need an essay to understand what he said?

Oh my.

[w4rma]

104. Yeah, why don't you write one? (nt)

[ProSense]

105. Because it's obvious you have reading comprehension problems.

Why should I waste my time?

[w4rma]

111. Maybe you could simplify it enough to overcome my "comprehension" problems. Enlighten us. (nt)

[ProSense]

115. "my "comprehension" problems. Enlighten us."

:rofl:

[Teaser]

117. ok, here you go...

grunt grunt hoot grunt hoot.

[karynnj]

119. Read the Kerry quote

If you don't get it here is a flow chart.

Kennedy would have fought like a lion to get a bill with a public option

IF (they can't get a bill with a public option)

Then (if the best bill he can get has enough good), he would have supported it
If NOT (he would have not supported it)

It seems absolutely clear to me.

[Inuca]

145. With all due respect

but I think the explanation just above yours is better :-).

[TayTay]

122. Sure

Fight Hard, then
Fight Harder, then
Get you can get, under principle.

Hope that this works for you. It is what Sen. Kerry said.
If those words are too hard to understand, or what Sen. Kerry said, in plain English was too hard to understand then we can have a class in remedial politics 101. LEt me know.

[karynnj]

116. They don't take essays - just quotes

The fact is a direct quote to the short answer Kerry gave would be completely easy to understand. The absence of the quote indicates they are not interested in what really was said - and BELIE the idea that he said something wrong. Had he done so, there would have been a quote.

[blm]

142. What Kerry said was clear - it's the DISTORTERS of what he said that seek essays knowing full well

that the truth was always there in the first place.

[dflprincess]

121. Kennedy really wanted a single payer system I imagine for him

the public option WAS the compromise.

[fedupinBushcountry]

130. Kerry too

he stated so on Dkos a month or so ago, that if it was up to him he would prefer medicare for all. Kerry will be fighting hard for that and Teddy will be sitting on his shoulder. Kerry is on our side it is sad when people on our side put down those that are trying their best to do right for the people.

[dflprincess]

132. If all the senators & reps (and president) who claim they'd "like" a

single payer system but the "the time isn't right" or "it can't pass" would stand up and fight for it, we might actually get it or at least a decent public option that would pave the way to single payer.

I don't recall that the time has ever been right for any progressive change.

[fedupinBushcountry]

133. Howard Dean

answered the question of why we don't have single payer and explained how some countries got it after WWII due to them losing all of their health facilities. His answer was quite informative and made me understand why it is so hard to go right to it now. If you didn't catch the townhall with Jim Moran and Dean, the one that the idiot Randall Terry showed up at, you can watch it http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/08/25/HP/A/22434/Howard+Dean+Rep+Moran+Health+Care+Town+Hall+in+Reston+VA.aspx">here at about 1:11 on the video.

[dflprincess]

148. "Change is hard"

Dean's answer was certainly informative from a historical stand point, but it was pretty weak as far as explaining why we should continue to fund the insurance companies.

Though, his last statement "when the pain of staying the same exceeds the pain of changing and I think we are there" really doesn't sound like he entirely defending the pathetic excuse for reform they're trying to shove on us.

At Kennedy's funeral and at his gravesite, every mention was of "access to health care" not "access to health insurance". To pass anything less, especially if they slap Kennedy's name on it, is an insult to the senator.

[karynnj]

151. Nice link - thanks

[slipslidingaway]

149. Exactly !!! n/t

[karynnj]

150. Not really - there are very few who have - less than 10 in the current Senate

If you want prove me wrong with quotes from more than 10 - I would love to know there are more. The fact is that you can see it is a struggle to get the public option.

[wisteria]

129. If necessary to pass something to help people, but not yet. n/t

[LittleBlue]

131. There is no such thing as reform without the public option

It simply is not reform. Call it whatever you will, but it's the same insurance scheme under different rules without a public option.

[wisteria]

138. I disagree, reform can be had in many postive ways-you are only looking for one. n/t