For some reason, CNN keeps inflicting Marc Short on its hosts. Today, Kate Bolduan drew the Short straw (HA SEE WHAT I DID THERE).
He slithered up to her panel to disseminate Republican lies, and she and her other guest, Democratic strategist, Joe Lockhart had to shield themselves with kryptonite and wooden stakes, in the form of logic and facts. That never goes well for the lying liars from the GOP, but it also doesn't seem to stop them from spewing crap like the hypocrites they are.
Today's topic was health care and pre-existing conditions. Bolduan noted that it is a top issue for voters in these midterm elections, evidenced by the preponderance of Republicans cutting ads touting how they will "protect" said pre-existing conditions. She asked Short, "How can they campaign on that with a straight face?"
He answered that Republicans have indeed offered legislation to protect pre-existing conditions, and that people still blame the high costs of health care on Obama and Obamacare. Lockhart rolled his eyes and said some true things, like, voters know that Republicans voted 61 times to repeal Obamacare, and that they are in court now to take away pre-existing conditions. He agreed with Bolduan about the ads, saying it's farcical to say in court that pre-existing conditions can and should be done away with, and then go on TV to say they will protect them.
Well. Marc Short-on-Ethics had THIS to say by way of clarification. Listen closely, kids.
"What Republicans are in court about is to overturn Obamacare because the individual mandate has been unwound. They're not saying 'We're going to court to take away pre-existing conditions.'"
OOOOOOOOOH. NOW I understand. That is totally different. I mean, it's not like the heart and soul of Obamacare centered around the coverage of pre-existing conditions, right? It's not as if the entire point of Obamacare was to protect the most vulnerable (and sick) people from being denied or kicked off their health insurance because they had a pre-existing condition, right? Just because Republicans go to court to overturn Obamacare, they've always made a big deal about protecting coverage of people with pre-existing conditions, haven't they? Right, Kate Bolduan? Right?
"But Marc, the number of times Republicans have come out and said, 'Obamacare should go,' there was no, 'Oh, but we DO want to protect pre-existing conditions' from way back when..."
Oh. No. No, they haven't. Overturning Obamacare would eliminate protection for people with pre-existing conditions. Republican politicians and operatives cannot stop lying to their constituents and the American people. They continue to do it with a straight face - at least on the air, anyhow, and for some inexcusable reason, news outlets continue to allow it.
