The Note: Trump seeks yet another shot at health care

Some leading Republicans prefer Trump not return to the issue of health care.

June 17, 2019, 5:59 AM

The TAKE with Rick Klein

He can get new pollsters and a new press secretary, and he can revive big chunks of his 2016 playbook as he formally launches his reelection campaign this week.

But President Donald Trump can't give up on repealing Obamacare -- at least not yet. He told ABC News' Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos that he'll give that push one more shot, with another health care plan now being promised in the next month or two.

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos talks with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House.
ABC News

"Obamacare has been a disaster," Trump said. "We're going to have a plan. That's subject to winning the House, Senate and presidency, which hopefully we'll win all three. We'll have phenomenal health care."

Trump -- and his Republican Party -- have been here before. Some leading Capitol Hill Republicans think they've been there too much already, particularly with Democrats poised to make health care a defining issue in their primary and beyond.

The president has long promised to cut health care costs and cover more Americans, all while preserving core Obamacare expansions like guaranteed coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. His administration, of course, is still fighting to have Obamacare tossed out in court.

But a replacement plan that meets Trump's specifications has so far never actually been produced. Many in the president's party may prefer that it stay that way.

The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks

ABC News' Jonathan Karl asked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Sunday if former Vice President Joe Biden had sufficiently answered for accusations from women who accused him of inappropriate touching.

"In short, does he get it?" Karl asked.

The congresswoman paused, sighed and really didn't need to say anything else.

Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl speaks exclusively with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in her first Sunday morning interview since taking office on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," June 16, 2019 on ABC.
Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC News

She went on to say, o, she didn't really think he had put the issue behind him.

Later, when asked if progressives would rally behind Biden, who leads in early primary polls, Ocasio-Cortez answered the question with a subtle pivot. She said the Democratic Party should learn lessons from 2016 and nominate someone who excites people.

Again, the implication was clear.

Last week, both Pete Buttigieg and Beto O'Rourke made comments about how the party needed generational change at the top.

Now with the first debate of the Democratic primary looming, Biden has said the candidates should try to avoid bruising each other too badly. But on that front, he might not realize how much it will take to win some of his fellow Democrats over.

The TIP with Molly Nagle

Former Vice President Joe Biden was going it alone, largely skipping events that would have placed him alongside his competitors, such as the California Democratic Party state convention and the Iowa Democrat's Hall of Fame dinner.

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign stop at Clinton Community College, June 12, 2019, in Clinton, Iowa.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

However, Biden's schedule shows a shift. This week alone, Biden is scheduled to take part in at least three multi-candidate events. Monday, he'll appear at the Poor People's Moral Action Congress in Washington along with nine other competitors. Later this week, he'll take part in two big events in South Carolina: Rep. Jim Clyburn's famous fish fry, with 21 other candidates, and a Planned Parenthood Action Fund forum on reproductive rights, with 10 competitors.

These events come just a week before the candidates will face off in the first debates -- where Biden, the front-runner, is likely to be the target of many attacks.

But Biden has also committed to taking part in the Polk County Steak Fry on Sept. 21 in Iowa -- along with at least 17 other candidates -- showing this shift could be here to stay.

ONE MORE THING

Over the course of two days, ABC News' Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos spent 30 hours with President Donald Trump, flying on Air Force One to Iowa, traveling in his armored vehicle called "The Beast," greeting him in his West Wing residence, embedding in the Oval Office for a day of meetings, and sitting down for a one-on-one interview in the White House Rose Garden. Read the full transcript of the interviews here.

THE PLAYLIST

ABC News' "Start Here" podcast. Monday morning's episode features ABC News Political Director Rick Klein, who tells us more about President Donald Trump's exclusive interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, which came amid the news that the Trump campaign has fired some of its internal pollsters. Then ABC News' Lana Zak breaks down The New York Times' report that outlines alleged new American efforts to combat Russia cyberattacks. http://apple.co/2HPocUL

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

  • President Donald Trump has lunch with Vice President Mike Pence at 12:30 p.m.
  • Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., will appear at 10 a.m. at the Merrimack Town Hall in New Hampshire with area senators, representatives and town councilors to host a community discussion on PFAS contamination.
  • The three-day Poor People's Moral Action Congress opens at Trinity Washington University. Ten 2020 Democratic candidates are expected to take the stage and field questions from members. Candidates scheduled to attend on Monday include: former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Michael Bennet, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Kamala Harris, Miramar, Florida, Mayor Wayne Messam, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang.
  • Former Vice President Joe Biden travels to New York City Monday evening to attend a Biden for President finance event.
  • Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., speak at the 20th Annual LGBTQ Gala in New York City for the DNC LGBTQ caucus events at 8:30 p.m.
  • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will attend a "Speaker in the House" conversation about health care, hosted by Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, California, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific time.
  • Download the ABC News app and select "The Note" as an item of interest to receive the day's sharpest political analysis every weekday.

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