CNN Fact Checks Saturday Night Live Skit - Yes You Read That Right

Well the media is certainly falling over themselves to undo some of the damage from the opening skit of Saturday Night Live that mocked Obama as a "do nothing" president. I noted in my last report Hardball was trying to revive the "tingle" in a blame Bush/giant rationalization segment excusing Obama for doing nothing. CNN tries a different approach, arguing instead that Obama has made progress in Afghinastan and trying to portray the comedy skit as "unfair." Of course none of this was done when Sarah Palin was the target. I believe voters went to the polls believing Palin had actually said she could see Russia from her house. My how things change when the tag after the politician's name is (D) for Democrat. This must be seen to be believed:

Obama's Trillionth Health Care Speech

I have to say that I might have just reached burnout phase with Barack Obama and health care. Don't get me wrong, I have long since passed any phase where I was interested in what he said on substantive grounds. I've learned to expect little to no substance in fact. I was fascinated to see what he said or didn't say more importantly to game what would likely happen next in his game of health care roulette.

My overall impression of tonight's speech was complete disbelief this man would call a joint session of Congress only to repeat the same old worn out arguments he has been throwing around for months. He pretends to offer a new plan which is really same as the old plan dressed up in its' "Go to joint session of Congress" clothes. For those not listening closely, the speech was at times somewhat convincing. It all falls apart, however, when the fancy clothes are stripped away to reveal the same worn out contradictions and distortions.

He trotted out on of his regular distortions: "Nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have." I am really not sure who believes this anymore, if they ever did. I am dumbfounded why he feels compelled to keep repeating it. Perhaps he thinks he will wish it in to truth.

He claims to want bipartisanship, yet is combative at every turn and delivers what may have been one of the more partisan speeches since he pretended to leave the campaign trail. John Boehner seemed to really take exception to this point:

FACT: The Hill reported today, that the President has not met with House Republicans since April, and when Republican Leaders asked for such a meeting in a May 14 letter, the President ignored the request. The Politico reported on the President’s response on June 5, saying, “he makes no mention of the request to meet in the letter, which he signs off by stating, "Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me and I look forward to further discussions on this critically important issue." But those “further discussions” simply didn’t happen. The President’s letter is attached to this email, and you can click here to read the letter requesting the meeting, in which Republican Leaders wrote, “Despite our differences on some important health care-related issues, we are convinced there are areas offering potential for common ground on health care reform among Republicans and Democrats.” The facts are clear: blame for the lack of bipartisanship in the current health care debate lies squarely at the feet of Washington Democrats.

The facts bear Boehner out on this one, there has been no real effort to gain support for a bipartisan plan. The Democrats don't need Republicans to pass this monster, they'd just like a vote or two to get it through the Senate and for a bit of political cover.

Obama was jeered when he tried to make the claim abortion would not be covered nor would illegal aliens. As mentioned in a previous post both claims are untrue. Congressional Research Service examined the illegal alien provision and found those who meet the "substantial presence" test would be required to participate in the government insurance program. The Annenberg sponsored Fact Check debunks the claim that abortion is not covered.

The speech was loaded with problems. Reason has a full recap of the problems and the AP does a pretty good job showing the multitude of problems with the speech. Sarah Palin also posted a response to the speech and found the President wanting on his call for civility. Whether we agree or disagree with the President on policy, he should at a minimum serve as a model for civility and well-reasoned discussion, particularly in front of a joint session of Congress. This President seems incapable of both and that is truly sad.

Fact Check: Obama's Press Conference July 22, 2009

Well, the reviews are in, and they aren't very good. It's tough to call an Obama Presser a success when even Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz have nothing good to say. Matthews chalked Obama's inability to make the case for completely overhauling the health care industry to the lateness of the hour. Hello, it was 8 PM, not much of an excuse.

Perhaps if Matthews was a bit more thorough in his analysis of the unimpressive presser, he would note the numerous ways the President's rhetoric failed to match with the proposals currently coming out of the House and Senate. The AP does a pretty thorough review and found a number of the President's statements in opposition to the facts. One of the most glaring disconnects came when the President claimed:

"You haven't seen me out there blaming the Republicans."

Perhaps he was unaware that he blamed Republicans in his own opening statement:

I've heard that one Republican strategist told his party that, even they may want to compromise, it's better politics to "go for the kill," another Republican senator that defeating health reform is about "breaking" me.

Clearly this was a reference to Senator DeMint's Waterloo statement that has taken center stage in Obama's efforts to find a face to tie with the problems plaguing health care. Senator DeMint has issued a statement, in response to a DNC proposed attack ads scheduled to run in SC and national television. The ad alleges that Senator DeMint has offered "no plan at all" a claim which Senator DeMint describes as "patently false." The statement includes numerous links to the Senator's most recent health care proposals as well as a list of previous legislation he proposed including a few voted against by then Senator Obama.

In The GOP Live Response many claims made by the President were refuted with links to outside sources were supplied to back up the GOP assertions. The President repeated his claim that the government will not get between patient and doctor. Live Response posted this response:

House Dems' Bill Creates New Czar That Will Push Government-Run Health Insurance. "The health choices commissioner would head an independent agency, as envisioned in the 800-page draft bill released by House Democratic leaders. The Health Choices Administration would regulate a revamped insurance marketplace and be expected to deliver Obama's promise of affordable coverage for all ... The commissioner and the new agency would run a kind of national purchasing pool through which individuals and small businesses could pick medical coverage from private plans and a government-sponsored alternative." (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, "Need For Federal Insurance Czar Is Questioned," The Associated Press, 7/7/09)

Jake Tapper of ABC asked whether the American people would be required to make additional sacrifices aside from the proposed surtax on the wealthiest taxpayers. The President denied there would be sacrifices which completely belies the proposals contained in the House bill HR 3200. In fact the President claimed:

They're going to have to give up paying for things that don't make them healthier. And I -- speaking as an American, I think that's the kind of change you want.

GOP Live Response also noted there were taxes under consideration:

House Democrats Have “Lots Of Potential Targets For Higher Taxes” Apart From Deduction Limiting. “House Democrats have lots of potential targets for higher taxes as they aim to expand health care coverage to reach the roughly 50 million that experts say are uninsured. Also under consideration are higher alcohol taxes, increases to the Medicare payroll tax and a value-added tax, a sort of national sales tax, of up to 1.5 percent or more ... The [other] tax options include: increasing the price of soda and other sugary drinks by 10 cents a can, applying a potential 2 percent income tax increase to single taxpayers earning more than $200,000 a year and households earning more than $250,000, a new employer payroll tax could target 3 percent of employers' health care expenditures, taxing employer-provided health insurance benefits above certain levels ... House Democrats planned to unveil a draft of their sweeping health care bill Friday ... The draft, being released at a news conference ... was not expected to mention the potentially unpopular tax options.” (Erica Werner, "House Eyes New Taxes As Senators Pare Health Bill," The Associated Press, 6/19/09)

As the Senate Finance Committee has not finalized any of their planning, potential sources for funding the new entitlement are in flux. Clearly this was a problem for the President as he took center stage in prime time television to sell health care reform that was missing a few key ingredients, those being a finished plan and a means to pay for it.