Clinton, Obama Spar Over Health Care

Front-Runner Says Her Rival's Plan Would Leave 15M Uninsured

(AP)  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton accused her leading Democratic presidential rival Wednesday of flinching from the struggle to provide health care for all Americans and said, "I am not afraid of the Republican attacks" on the subject.

"We've got to put up a candidate who's willing to stand up for it and fight for it," said the former first lady in her most pointed criticism to date of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Frequently accused of ducking key issues, Clinton said it was Obama who is seeking to finesse a difficult question. "He has called his plan universal, then he has called it `virtually universal,' but it simply does not deserve that label," she said. "When it comes to truth in labeling his plan simply flunks the test."

Obama, hoping to parry Clinton, told reporters in a conference call that she was making "more of a political point" than anything else. He said while her plan nominally requires coverage for all, "she hasn't told anybody how she would enforce this mandate."

He also said his plan focuses more than any other on "making health care affordable. And by doing so I will cover every American."

Clinton's decision to fly to Iowa from South Carolina in order to assail Obama reflected the intensifying campaign a little more than a month before Iowa's caucuses provide the first test of the year for the field of presidential rivals. The former first lady has been the presumptive front-runner here for months, but recent pre-caucus surveys show Obama and she are in a tight three-way race with former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.

Clinton said that by turning his back on universal health care, Obama was essentially siding with Republicans.

"If anything, Democrats should stand for universal health care. That distinguishes us from the Republicans. The Republicans don't believe in it. Democrats do and we should fight for it," she said.

As first lady nearly 15 years ago, Clinton spearheaded her husband's attempt to achieve universal health care. It failed in the Democratic-controlled Congress, and now, she says she is eager to try again.

She said Obama's plan would leave 15 million Americans uninsured, including 100,000 Iowans, about half the population of the capital city, Des Moines.

She also said Obama favors a mandate for coverage of children, a point she said made no sense. "If you believe you can enforce a mandate on children, that means you enforce the mandate on the parents of the children to enroll the children. So why would you leave out the parents?"

Clinton's plan requires all Americans to obtain health insurance. Those without it would be able to choose from among options that are currently available to members of Congress.

Obama says there actually are numerous similarities between his plan and hers.

[realpatriot1]

Hillary''s plan will put 15 million Americans in jail for not being able to afford health insurance.

In jail they will be covered.

[gunownerdan]

Clinton and Obama are both members of the CFR(Council on Foreign Relations) just like Bush, Cheney, Giuliani, Huckabee, Edwards, Romney, Biden, McCain, Richardson, and Thompson to name a few.
The CFR has hijacked the foreign policy of both parties and their main goal is to destroy American sovereignty and our constitution leading to the formation of a North American Union with Canada and Mexico.
Dr. Ron Paul is NOT a member of the CFR and he is the only pro-peace and pro-liberty candidate running for president.
ronpaul2008.com

[geezer62]

It is a little confusing to me that the media reports on what seems to be selected candidates and we hear very little about the others. Here we have a story about health care which is no doubt one of the key issues and it''s all about Clinton and Obama. I got a chance to hear a lengthly interview with Bill Richardson just yesterday and I was shocked at what I heard. This guy is the real deal. He has an impressive resume and his ideas are sound and make a great deal of sense. Actually, of all the candidates on both sides he is the most quallified to handle the presidency. As far as I can tell he doesn''t have any scandels covered up. Maybe it would be good for all of us if we looked beyond the media coverage and considered educating ourselves before we choose the next person to run this country. God knows we need some major changes. If any of you know more about this guy please post and let me know. If I have him pegged wrong I''d like to know.

[likeitis5050]

It''s one thing to declare intentions toward making healthcare universal....it''s another to come out and declare plans to have it funded. If it''s anything like Pelosi''s SCHIP expansion, which was directly aimed at taxing tobacco sales, it''s a laugh. In direct opposition of stop smoking campaigns, it would actually depend on 20 million + new smokers getting on board. When anyone is ready to pony up and say, on record, how they plan to fund the universal healthcare program, then we can sit back and watch the fireworks. Until then, it''s just a b..itch slap session.

[greatdrivew]

Gee, I wonder if Vince Foster would have endorsed HillBillary?

WhatReallyHappened dot com has a very interesting report about Vince and Hillary. Chech it out: just scroll down until you see Vince''s name in the "assassinations" list on the left side of the page.

[denn034]

What''s to spare over? Their universal health care approach can only increase the deficit and lead to a poorer quality of health care and long waits which, are the best reasons to reject such. Nonsense is nonsense. Period!