Meet the Press transcript with Axelrod today. How NOT to "draw a line in the sand."

[madfloridian]

I don't watch Sunday morning TV much anymore. It is too pat, too annoying. I like for people to stand up and say what they mean, and not tip toe around issues. There is usually too much of that for me on any political TV anymore.

I ran across this transcript at RCP of the interview today with David Gregory and David Axelrod. I found myself squirming at the non-answers given. I don't like the way Gregory interviews at all, but he came out on top on this one.

David Axelrod on Meet the Press

They discuss several issues, then Gregory asks him about the public plan in health care reform.

MR. GREGORY: But you're confident about getting that bill with a public plan this year.

MR. AXELROD: I'm confident that we're going to get a healthcare reform bill. I think a public choice will be part of it. I think the public wants to have that option and wants to see that kind of competition, and I think we will, we will have that.

Gregory tries again.

MR. GREGORY: Well, let's be clear what we're talking about as well. You're talking about a public sponsored, a government sponsored healthcare plan that can exist side by side with private insurance plans, and that allows Americans without insurance to make a choice between a private and a public plan.

It's interesting. In the press conference this week, the president said any opposition to that is illogical. But at the same time, he won't draw a line in the sand, nor will you in your previous answer. And yet supporters of that public plan, including Howard Dean, doctor, former governor, former head of the Democratic Party, said it's got to be in there. This is what he said as reported by The Hill newspaper on Friday: "We are here;" he said at a rally, "we're not going away. We voted for change a few months ago. We expect change. And if we don't get it, there's going to be more change." That's what Howard Dean said. "`Success on healthcare reform is a must for Democrats,' Dean told The Hill. `I think it's going to be a catastrophic problem for the Democratic Party if they can't get this bill out.'" And what he means is with a public plan.

MR. AXELROD: Well, first of all, I think that if we don't pass healthcare reform it's going to be a catastrophic problem for the country, not just the Democratic Party; for families, businesses and the country itself. Look, we believe strongly in, in a public choice; not one that's subsidized by the government, but one that will embrace the best practices, that will reduce healthcare costs and give people the best quality care. What the president said was illogical were the same people who say that the government is incompetent, the government can't run anything, the government shouldn't be involved in, in anything say, but we can't let that be one of the choices because it'll be an unfair advantage against the, against the insurance companies.

Gregory pushes the issue, says why no ultimatum from the president, asks why he doesn't say the bill must have it or he won't sign it. Axelrod's answer astonishes me, yet I know it it should not.

MR. AXELROD: Look, we have gotten a long way down the road by not drawing bright lines in the sand, other than on the major points, which is that we can't add to the deficit with this healthcare reform, so it has to be paid fore, it has to reduce costs, and we want to make sure that all Americans have a quality, affordable health care. Those are the, those are the things that have to be accomplished. People have different ideas. We're willing to listen to those ideas. But that's where we're--that--those are the imperatives that we have to sell.

Oh, hell, yeah...be sure not to draw any bright lines in the sand. Never want to do that with the majority we have.

That kind of interview just gives strength to the argument that the group which set out to neutralize the Democratic Party did it well.

The words of Al From recently:

One of the important things we had to do in 1992 was remove the obstacles that kept people from voting Democratic in the first place," he said.

Sounds like that policy of no more "bright lines" in the sand has taken firm hold.

[RockaFowler]

1. I despise Gregory

He was constantly talking over Axelrod today and interrupting him. He's annoying and I only wish that someone else got the MTP job besides him. It seems like Gregory wants to be a part of the story instead of the Moderator that he is supposed to be.

[madfloridian]

8. I don't like Gregory at all.

But I want our Democratic spokesmen to be able to have clear issues to stand for and speak firmly on.

[DJ13]

2. When the GOP owned the WH they formulated legislation then submitted it to Congress

When the Democrats own the WH they submit ideas to Congress, then let them fuck up the resulting legislation.

We need to mimic the way the GOP ran the government when they had a majority if we hope to EVER get Democratic goals implemented.

Instead of formulating a solid plan, then submitting it to Congress, Obama said he wanted Congress to come up with health care reform ........and look at the mess its become as a result.

[DrToast]

22. How'd it work out the last time the White House dumped a health reform bill on Congress?

[4_TN_TITANS]

27. You nailed it....

Anything Congress comes up with on it's own will be a 'make everybody happy (read:lobbyists)' clusterfuck. We need a president to take the lead, not try to push the blame on Congress when they float up the predictable turd for legislation.

[Hutzpa]

3. How so??

I don't see it that way - David came out on top, I saw a moderator trying to be a slimeball with
his line of questioning.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. David definately won.

[Hutzpa]

5. Yeah!

on being a slimeball....nothing new, we all knew that he is a slimeball.

David 'Karl Rove dancing Partner' Gregory.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. They're both named "David."

N'est-ce pas?

[madfloridian]

9. Agree about Gregory..don't care for him at all.

But don't you think we are going to have to draw some bright clear lines about something while we have this majority?

I do.

[Hutzpa]

11. Oh absolutely

especially when it comes to public option, but here is what I think the Obama administration is
doing on this subject, (this is my opinion only) eventually there is going to be a public
option within the health care bill, I beleive so strongly.

This is how I see it being played out....the administration knows that if they go in touting public
option, the private insurance companies will shot them down quickly, (think of Clinton) so what you
do is to pretend that you're not interested in public option, get public all wound up by creating
hysteria which in turn will generate enormous pressure on everyone involved, before they know whats
going on.....bam! its checkmate.

This is how I see it being played, but you have to remember....(this is my assertion)

[truedelphi]

6. Look, the Empty Suits in Washington, be they suits worn by the President or

The House or the Senate, are just that - Empty Suits. Anbd those Empty Suits have pockets filled with the dollars of Corporate America.

We need to totally abolish the form of Corporate-Sponsred, Illegitimate Money Laundering and Money Issuing, People and Planet Destroying Government.

Enough is Enough already.

Anyone with their head out of the sand far enough to Read Taibbi's report on Goldman Sachs, or to occassionally take in a show like this one (with Axelrod interviewed) knows that the current state of affairs is Beyond Obscene.

The mood is dangerous. View the Max Keiser video w/ Catherine Austin Fitts. Fitts who holds economic seminars helping people make decisions about their money is saying that the people in the upper echelons of the banking industry better have safe rooms in their houses.

[truedelphi]

7. For clarity sake of above post - Catherine Austin Fitts

is not advocating any form of "Take to the streets, off with their heads." But she has been reporting on the fact that people at her seminars are angry.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

10. Money line for me was when AX said "a public choice, not one that's subsidized by the government"

which Gregory did not follow up on and ask him what he meant by that. I take that as a very ominous statement.

[madfloridian]

12. Sounds like another privately run plan.

.

[izzybeans]

19. i took it to mean, that a public choice is different than subsidizing the private plans.

[K Gardner]

14. Gregory nearly came positively unglued when asking Axelrod about the Nico Question at the presser..

that's all I saw channel surfing and it was enough.

[madfloridian]

15. Sometimes we must draw bright lines...and mean what we say.

I am getting concerned that the post partisans are winning the battle for the future.

Read this column by Al From from January this year. Try and tell me that everything he pleaded for is not happening in front of our eyes....because to me it appears to be going on.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15517.html

[bvar22]

20. Howard Dean is not afraid to draw bright Lines in the Sand.

I was really disturbed by some of the things Axelrod hinted at:

"Look, we believe strongly in, in a public choice; not one that's subsidized by the government"

This will be a Poison Pill if the For Profits are allowed to dump their unprofitable clients into the Public Plan.

The ONLY way this could possibly work is if the For Profits are REQUIRED to take all comers including High Risk and Pre-Existing Conditions. If not, the Public Option WILL fail.

Then, the Corporate Sponsored, Corrupt "Centrist" Democrats can go on camera and say, "We tried, but it didn't work."
Say "Goodbye" to REAL HealthCare Reform for another generation.

[madfloridian]

28. No, he is not afraid to do that.

I guess that is why he is on the outside of the party leadership looking in.

[bertman]

23. Agree wholeheartedly on drawing bright lines in the sand. It's not a tactic one wants to

use too often, but on something of this magnitude, the President needs to go to the mat with Congress.

Recommend.

The administration is now trying to weasel its way out of a Medicare-type option for Americans. It's all about not hurting those poor poor for-profit insurance companies.

Thank Dawg for Howard Dean.

[Time for change]

16. It's very disappointing to me that the administration refuses to insist on a public option

Without it, I believe that health care "reform" will be "reform" in name only. It will essentially be a plan for government subsidization of insurance companies.

[madfloridian]

17. And I agree with you.

As I often do.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. I absolutely agree. My hopes are fading. I was cautiously optimistic before, but no more.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[madfloridian]

18. Video TPMTV...Note the power talk of the Republicans. Caution of Democrats.

It scares me to hear this lack of fight.

TPMTV: "No bright lines in the sand" on the public option in health care.

[EndElectoral]

24. Draw some damn lines in the sand already. Quit catering to these damn bastards

[madfloridian]

25. Yep