Clinton skewers GOP on Medicare, offers strong defense of Obama on health law

Sep 7 2012

In former President Bill Clinton's speech to nominate Barack Obama for re-election, he made a point-by-point case to return Obama to a second term, lauding his efforts to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid and to pass the health law.

Los Angeles Times: Bill Clinton Fires Up Democratic Convention
The former president assailed Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, for accusing Obama of cutting $716 billion from Medicare -; a move intended to contain costs -- when Ryan's House budget proposal would do the same thing. It takes brass, Clinton said, to mount such an attack (Barabak, 9/5).

The Wall Street Journal: Clinton Makes Case For Obama
He defended Mr. Obama from GOP attacks that he had raided Medicare to pay for his plan to expand health insurance coverage. Mr. Clinton noted that Rep. Paul Ryan, the GOP vice presidential nominee, includes the same savings in his budget plan. "It takes some brass to attack a guy for doing what you did," he said. ... Mr. Clinton cited Mr. Obama's steps to rescue the auto industry, enact a health care overhaul and increase access to student loans as practical steps to support the middle class (Meckler and Lee, 9/6).

Politico: How Bill Clinton Does It
In 48 minutes, the 42nd president had stated the case for the 44th president's re-election in language that was crisper and more compelling than the case Obama so far has made for himself...Clinton on Wednesday avoided this kind of Oprah-style mood music in favor a more potent skill-;his ability to convey the concrete human dimensions of public policy. One example was when he cited GOP proposals to turn Medicaid over to states as a block grant, a subject which has drawn less attention in this year's political debate than Medicare. While many middle-income voters think of Medicaid as something that goes mainly to poor people, Clinton emphasized how many elderly people in nursing homes are supported by the program. He also cited the travails of families with children suffering from Down Syndrome or autism, setbacks that could leave even affluent families reeling (Harris and Martin, 9/6).

Politico Pro: Clinton Defends ACA, Hits GOP On Medicare
Granted a hero's welcome at the Democratic convention, former President Bill Clinton defended President Barack Obama's health care law Wednesday night and ripped into Mitt Romney's proposals on health care for the poor, elderly and disabled. "Let me ask you something: Are we all better off because President Obama fought for health care reform?  You bet we are," Clinton told the cheering crowd in Charlotte. ... "The Republicans call it derisively Obamacare and say it's a government takeover of health care," Clinton said. But he outlined some of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act -; limiting how much insurers can spend on "profits or promotion" instead of health care, coverage for 3 million young adults on their parents' policies, expanded preventive health services for seniors, and starting in 2014, coverage for people with pre-existing conditions (Kenen, 9/6).

Kaiser Health News: Bill Clinton On Medicare: 'There Were No Cuts To Benefits At All' (Video)
Former President Bill Clinton, reminding voters that "I've been there," gave a 50-minute defense of the Obama administration's record Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., In the video excerpt above, Clinton praised Obama's health policies and drew contrasts to Republican proposals (9/6).