Des Moines Register: Clinton puts Sanders on defensive [View all]

[Gothmog]

Last edited Mon Jan 18, 2016, 05:55 PM - Edit history (1)

Since Iowa is the first contest where voters will get to vote, I found this editorial interesting http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/kathie-obradovich/caucus/2016/01/18/obradovich-democrat-debate-clinton-puts-sanders-defensive/78910602/

“Now, there are things we can do to improve it, but to tear it up and start over again, pushing our country back into that kind of a contentious debate, I think is the wrong direction,” Clinton said.

Sanders objected to Clinton’s characterization, emphasizing his past support for the existing health care law. “We're not going to tear up the Affordable Care Act. I helped write it. But we are going to move on top of that to a Medicaid-for-all system,” Sanders said.

Clinton, however, emphasized the political difficulty of approving a single-payer system. She noted that a Democrat-controlled Congress was unable to even approve a public option allowing Americans to buy into Medicare. And Sanders had no good answer when asked why the state of Vermont couldn’t pass an expensive single-payer plan, saying that was for the governor of Vermont to answer.....

Whichever Democrat wins the nomination will have to overcome the opposition that independent voters in Iowa and elsewhere have for Obamacare. Cozying up to Obama also could have consequences after the primary season.

Clinton mostly succeeded Sunday in keeping Sanders off balance, pressing her attacks and distracting him from areas where she is weakest. That’s enough to give her the win for this debate – if Iowa Democrats don’t choke at the negative attacks.

I am glad that Sec. Clinton is supporting President Obama and the fact that Sanders did not answer the question about Vermont's inability to adopt a single payer plan was telling