Jimmy Kimmel Got a Hand From Chuck Schumer in His Fight Against Obamacare Repeal
Source: The Daily Beast
Behind the scenes, the late night host and minority leader have been in touch for months on health care policy.
LACHLAN MARKAY
ASAWIN SUEBSAENG
SAM STEIN
09.22.17 4:40 PM ET
Over the past week, opposition to the latest Republican effort to repeal and replace Obamacare has been driven by a late-night talk show host who had expressed little interest in health care policy prior to this year.
Jimmy Kimmels nightly monologues decrying Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidys (R-LA) bill became must-see TV, as the ABC host systematically attacked both the specifics of the legislation and Cassidy himself.
Behind the scenes, the ABC star was getting an assist. Kimmel and his team were in touch with health care officials, charities and advocacy groups, multiple sources told The Daily Beast. He also was in touch with the office of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) who, according to a source familiar with their conversations, provided technical guidance and info about the bill, as well as stats from various think tanks and experts on the effects of [Graham-Cassidy].
The three episodes in which Kimmel tore apart both Cassidywho had previously insisted that any health care bill pass a so-called Jimmy Kimmel testand the bills specifics helped galvanize public and political opposition to the legislation. On Friday, that legislation appeared to have effectively died, at least for now, after Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) announced that he would not back the measure without fuller hearings and amendments. Kimmel quickly took to Twitter to personally thank McCain for potentially tanking the legislation.
Read more: http://www.thedailybeast.com/jimmy-kimmel-got-a-hand-from-chuck-schumer-in-his-fight-against-obamacare-repeal
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)wryter2000
(46,016 posts)Jon Stewart shamed the Congress into providing care for first responders at the World Trade Center. Now it appears Jimmy Kimmel has moved the needle on repeal of the ACA. Bless them both. And hurray for the Republican Senators who are standing against this.
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)mucifer
(23,374 posts)fierywoman
(7,641 posts)Roy Rolling
(6,856 posts)By in large, artists reject authoritarian politics. Celebrities are an asset to Democratic causes, and that's why they are on the right wing's shit list.
Big advantage Democrats.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)to be able to work with others towards a single goal.
Compromise isn't a dirty word to performing artists.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)mainstreetonce
(4,178 posts)from the Reality
TV host who doesn't give a damn.
Great TV
Response to DonViejo (Original post)
mainstreetonce This message was self-deleted by its author.
truthisfreedom
(23,113 posts)to fight the good fight for our brave country's citizens. THANK YOU JIMMY KIMMEL!
PA Democrat
(13,225 posts)managed to help engineer an end run around the Republicans.
I love people capable of using smarts and humor to make their point and Jimmy Kimmel's performance was sublime!
Wounded Bear
(58,440 posts)Figures he'd get his facts straight before he went on TV with his monologues.
FakeNoose
(32,356 posts)Thanks Jimmy and Chuck. This is awesome teamwork!
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Julian Englis
(2,309 posts)By lying so grandly and repeatedly, Cassidy helped Kimmel more easily.