Sam Donaldson: Democrats Shouldn’t Have Passed Health Care Bill Because Everyone Hates It
Sam Donaldson actually agrees with George Will (after the latter runs down an ugly list of polling numbers) that Democrats shouldn’t be pushing the unpopular health care bill so hard.
Transcript via Newsbusters:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST: The Roundtable starts right now. I am joined, as always, by George Will, Donna Brazile, Sam Donaldson, and Cokie Roberts. We’ll talk a little bit about Charlie later, but, George, let’s get back to health care.
You watch this debate, and it’s clear that both sides are — are all in. Democrats, David Axelrod says, even though it’s unpopular now, it’s going to be popular later. Republicans, including our friend, Matthew Dowd, he wrote this week, said this is going to be a catastrophic success for the Democrats, likening it to George W. Bush on Iraq, initial victory, long-term calamity. Who’s right?
GEORGE WILL: I believe the Republicans are. Let’s look at some numbers. NBC-Wall Street Journal poll says 32 percent of the country, that’s all that approves of this. Washington Post says 30 percent — that’s all — only 30 percent of independents support. Arkansas, 32 percent. North Dakota, 28 percent in North Dakota support it. Sixty- seven percent of Nebraskans against it. Why else, George, did Senator Reid have to use the entire taxing and borrowing power of the federal government, plus a glorious absence of principle, to cobble together 60 votes, including, as we just heard here, 49 states shall have this burden, Nebraska won’t? [...]
SAM DONALDSON: I think, George Will, you’re right, if, in fact, the bill that I conceive is going to come out of the conference committee — and I think will pass — is in stone, and that is the healthcare bill from here on. But that’s not…
STEPHANOPOULOS: Which part is he right about?
DONALDSON: Well, he’s right that, in fact, it probably would be a terrible mistake.
STEPHANOPOULOS: (Gasps) Oh.
Look at some of those poll numbers George Will is citing again. Only 32% support for this bill in Arkansas. Only 28% support in North Dakota. A whopping 67% of Nebraskans oppose the bill.
Nationally only 32% of Americans support the bill. And yet it’s being crammed down our throat.
