Bill Clinton rallies senators on healthcare
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A decade and a half after his healthcare-overhaul campaign collapsed, former President Clinton came to Capitol Hill this afternoon to rally Democratic senators to back the healthcare legislation making its way through Congress.
‘I just told them that I thought, economically, America had to pass healthcare reform because we were spending $900 billion more a year than any other system and getting less for it in terms of health outcomes and number of people insured,’ Clinton told reporters after he addressed lawmakers at their weekly closed-door lunch.
‘In terms of policy, there is no perfect solution, because this is a big, open, organic system that will have to be changed repeatedly over the next four or five years. but it’s important to make a beginning.’
As cameras flashed, the former president added: ‘Whatever their differences are, I just urged them to resolve their differences and pass a bill. I also believe, you know, people hire us to come to work in places like this to solve problems and stand up and do it. ... This is an economic imperative.’
Before leaving the crowd of reporters outside the Senate chamber, Clinton took a quick call on his cellphone.
‘That’s my secretary of State,’ Clinton smiled, an allusion to the former first lady who led his healthcare campaign and is now the nation’s senior diplomat.
-- Noam N. Levey
Former US President Bill Clinton to attend the Democrats’ weekly caucus on November 10, 2009 inside the Capitol in Washington, DC. Clinton paid a rare visit to the US Senate Tuesday to unite Democrats who are divided on President Barack Obama’s push for a sweeping overhaul of US health care. Credit: Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images
