Axelrod: Public Will Grow ‘Very, Very Happy’ with Health Care Law
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: Another round of polling has shown continued deep public skepticism about the health care law — including concerns over whether the new law will control costs. On ABC’s “Top Line” today, for our first anniversary of the political Webcast, we brought the show to the White House lawn to chat with White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod about the next steps in the ongoing political battle over health care. Axelrod said components of the law will grow more popular over time with the public: “The program hasn’t taken effect yet, and that’s why they’re not buying into it. I didn’t expect these numbers to turn around overnight,” Axelrod told us. “I think as the American people become familiar with what this program is and what it isn’t, they’re going to be very, very happy with it. Every bit of polling suggests that the major tenets of the program are very popular. It’s just that people aren’t aware that they are part of the program.” President Obama today called the law a “critical first step” — raising the question of what the second and third steps might be. He said “adjustments along the way” are unavoidable, and welcome. Watch part one of our interview with Axelrod HERE.
Watch the rest of the interview HERE.
Email
Obama Focuses on Housing Market
GOP Caucus Train Heads to Nevada
public companies are estatic. they took over a billion in hits yesterday alone. say bye bye to u,s, employees.as a business owner this is bad and it will lead to job losses and health insurance cuts and quality because we will all chose the cheaper govt plan for our employees.the only jobs being created are at the IRS what a joke.
Posted by: catman | March 30, 2010, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
We should build a huge statue of Axelrod in every city in this country. He is so full of himself that we should be so also.
Posted by: Huh | March 30, 2010, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
He’s right, of course. When seniors discover that the closing of the Medicare donut hole is real and that death panels are not, it’s going to be a sea change.
People are already realizing the benefits. My neighbors are thrilled they can get their 24-year-old daughter on their plan, and another parent at my son’s daycare said he can stop worrying about her getting insurance due to an injury from the delivery.
The real benefits will become clear, and the lies will be exposed.
Posted by: Brian | March 30, 2010, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
The three comments above had to come from somewhere other than rational intelligence, because none of you really know what the bill contains, yet you already hate it! Classic prejudice.
Posted by: Gerald | March 30, 2010, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm
This is from the same bunch who were going to calm the seas and lower the tides.
Posted by: Jeff | March 30, 2010, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
Yes, when seniors realize that the enormous help they will receive with the ‘donut hole’ is an enormous $250, they will be elated.
When Axelrod and his friends are covered under the same insurance that the rest of us have, then I will listen to his crap. Not until then.
Posted by: Sue | March 30, 2010, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
Gerald-Come on Gerald, the man is pretty arrogant don’t you think?
Posted by: Huh | March 30, 2010, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
The insurance companies SHOULD love this bill.they’re going to make billions. Those threatened by the State to purchase their junk,not so much. This is what happens when both parties are controlled by an oligarchy that owns this country.
Posted by: par4 | March 30, 2010, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
The insurance companies SHOULD love this bill.they’re going to make billions. Those threatened by the State to purchase their junk,not so much. This is what happens when both parties are controlled by an oligarchy that owns this country.
Posted by: par4 | March 30, 2010, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
Every time he speaks his nose gets longer. Just look at it. He should keep quiet. Think nose jobs should be covered?
Posted by: gollywiggle | March 30, 2010, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
Unbelievable, I think he really believes this. The more we hear about it, the more we dislike it. When the accounting methods are further exposed as bogus, when seniors realize that Medicare benefits will be cut more each year and more doctors refuse to take Medicare patients, when businesses continue to lay people off or dump them on the government program, when states are unable to fund mandated new Medicaid patients, then we’ll see where the poll numbers end up. It will get nothing but worse…
Posted by: Julie white | March 30, 2010, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm
GOOD JOB AND WE SUPPORT YOU ALL THE WAY AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD DEFENDER OF HUMANITY AND OUR RIGHT TO HAVE GOOD HEATH CARE FOR EVERYONE EVEN THE REPUBLICANS lol
Posted by: Gary davis | March 30, 2010, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm
I am amazed that the President and his staff want to talk us into liking a bill that we did not want passed. Oh, the way they see it is that we the people just do not understand that the President knows better than we about what we need. Sorry, we do not buy the PR campaign and in fact each article and Ad about health care reform simply feeds fuel to my opposition. I do not want government involved with my decision about which insurance I buy. Remember in November
Posted by: deborah Alfano | March 30, 2010, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
Why do people listen to this political spin-master, tell his lies?????
Axelrod is as much a lier as Obama himself.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | March 30, 2010, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
And because this journalist and all others are so ill-informed and quite frankly, lazy, any answer he would give is accepted. The only way that costs could have been significantly controlled is through a single-payer universal healthcare system. That ship has sailed. Much later, even with subsidies to buy insurance, the folks will figure out that The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act won’t go far enough in protecting patients and sure as hell won’t make healthcare more affordable.
Posted by: PoeticJustice | March 30, 2010, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
DAVID AND OBAMA BOTH IS LIARS AND HAS NO CONSCIENCE
Posted by: ANN | March 30, 2010, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
I for one have read the complete bill. Just like all those MORONS that “have not” read the Bill. They have heard it from Susie or Joe Blowheart, that heard it from either Fox News or all the MORONS that don’t have BRAIN. IF YOU CAN READ YOU WILL SEE THAT THE BILL HELPS IN A LOT WAYS. I know it is not perfect Law. But at least it is something to start with. Now to the people of this Blog that think the Government is going running Health Care. You people are the BIGGEST MORONS. Insurance Companies will still be in control just like ALLS. Because the (2) two Health Insurance Programs that the Government is involved with is Medicaid & Medicare.
Posted by: gjhardtimes | March 30, 2010, 7:51 pm 7:51 pm
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
This is the Republican anti-health care strategy.
It was also their strategy in the most recent presidential campaign. I say, go for it. Appeal to American’s fears. Do it! See how far you get with that strategy.
Posted by: Joe The Mechanic | March 30, 2010, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
My concern is the way it was passed and all the special deals that were made by the president, Reid and Pelosi to get it passed. Also, Axelrod says when we read it we will like it. Were we not supposed to see it posted for all to read pior to passage. we were promised full disclousure and a Washington in which there would not be business as usual. So much for promises. Makes one wonder what else is being hatched behind closed doors and deals being made for us. Since only the President and his advisers knows what is good for America and it’s people.Remember this come November (let’s show them we can make decisions for ourselves and vote for those who support our ideals and not the administrations)
Posted by: Lew | March 30, 2010, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm
I’m really sad for our country that this scheme to force sick kids to have affordable health insurance is just another step towards a socialist dictatorship. I mean, when people find out what’s in store for them – that they keep having to have insurance whether they want it or not – they are going to be terrified and extremely angry, not happy, duh!!! I mean, socialism had a human face right? As far as I know Hitler also had a face – and so does NOBAMA, even though unlike Hitler he doesn’t have a moustache and he’s always LYING. If you squint a little bit and assume they’re all LYING alll the time it all fits together WHY CANT YOU ALL SEE IT?!!
Posted by: Luud | March 31, 2010, 9:14 am 9:14 am
TYPICAL LIAR. HE THINKS WE’LL BELIEVE IT IF HE SAYS IT OFTEN ENOUGH. THIS IS THE MOST CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION IN AMERICAN HISTORY. THAT “HOPEY-CHANGEY” STUFF IS NOT WORKING. SEE YA IN NOVEMBER.
Posted by: EAST COAST | March 31, 2010, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
Sue, the seniors help for the donut hole problem isn’t just $250 they will receive in 2010.
The bill will cut the amount in the donut hole in half by 2011. By 2020 the coverage gap will be entirely eliminated.
Like a lot of folks, the more facts I learn about this bill, the more I like it.
Our family is thrilled that our soon to graduate college son will be able to stay on our family’s insurance plan. The job he will be starting out with will most likely not have insurance coverage at all.
Posted by: Lydia | March 31, 2010, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
Lew, I read the bill online before it was voted on. Did you not google search it?
deborah Alfano, the government isn’t going to be involved with which health care you buy!
The bill simply tells the insurance companies that there are certain things they must cover, even in their minimal plans. It is no different than what most states do for auto insurance. There is a minimum coverage requirement that the auto ins. must have if they sell insurance. This is purely to protect consumers from buying a lousy plan and overpaying for it, because the consumer thinks it is as good as another company’s.
Where in the bill did you read the government is going to decide this for you? Please don’t tell me you took the word of one of those talking heads on radio or t.v. that play loose with the facts and heavy on the dramatics! If the Pinnochio rule applied to them, their noses would be miles long!
Posted by: Lydia | March 31, 2010, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
To Joe the Mechanic: Or better, Joe the Political Naif! They used deals and politics to pass this bill?!! Shock!! LOL! Do you suppose Republicans are less political, or more ethical? Pressure, deals and compromise are virtually the definition of politics, and it has served out country well for over 200 years. Where have you been? That is how our system works, and even with all of the corruption, back room deals and all the rest, it works better and serves the will of the people better than any other government on earth. Actually, it is far cleaner, far more open and transparent, and far more responsive to public sentiment now than ever in the past. So, after giving Congress a year to come up with a bipartisan bill, which the Democrats tried to work out with the GOP only to be stiff-armed, Obama finally used the power of the presidency to deliver on promises to the voters who overwhelmingly elected him. Imagine, he had the nerve to not roll over and let the GOP write the bill — what was he thinking? Let’s contrast his approach to the Clinton and Bush administrations: Clinton said basically, here is the health care plan we wrote .. now, pass it. And George Bush and the GOP congress had eight years, and came up with nothing. Now, does that make Obama, A. a terrible person, or B. an effective president? If your answer was not B, you simply don’t know what you’re talking about.
Posted by: A Lucky Guy | March 31, 2010, 11:58 pm 11:58 pm