Jack & Jill Politics

EVENING OPEN THREAD IS UP

Will keep searching.

I was able to find the text only of the woman's comments, not sure without
the video it will translate well. For instance when McCain says below we
don't shout in my townhalls, he was responding to someone yelling in the
background and not to the woman who is speaking directly to him.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/…
l_meeting_98028.html

“UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I too want to thank you for coming today, and I thank
you for looking to the right, instead of always to the left.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was pleased, Senator McCain, to see that you support
some of the objectives of President Obama and his health care proposals,
like coverage for all, lowering the costs, eliminating pre-existing
conditions and things like that.

Some of the things were said here today, I don't agree with. You mentioned
the two-year wait in England to be treated for MS. I have a daughter-in-law
who has MS. She waited 20 years, because she could get no health care
coverage. She could not get insurance because she possibly might have MS.
So, from the time she was in her 20s on, she was denied any insurance until
she qualified for Medicaid and was totally disabled.

Now, that is not right. Our country is better than that…

MCCAIN: Could I just quickly respond and then continue?

I agree with you. I hold no brief (ph) for much of the practices of the
insurance companies in America. Don't get me wrong. We have to fix the
pre-existing condition situation — and we don't shout at my town hall
meetings.

So, I agree with you. We have to address the issue of people with
pre-existing conditions, people who are unable to obtain health care
insurance and we should do it through risk pools, and it is going to cost
money. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The other thing is, Mayo Clinic, that you talked about
having good practices, is one of the ones that Senate — President Obama has
cited as being the type of medical facility that we should pattern our
health care reform on.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Yes, they just don't agree with his — they
just don't agree with his proposals.

(CROSSTALK)

MCCAIN: Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They — they — they suggest some of the same things
that the Mayo Clinic is doing.

And I have some experience with the Mayo Clinic. My husband, who was on
Medicare, chose to stay on just regular Medicare. So, he had the choice of
going to Mayo's. I chose an HMO with Medicare. And I am wondering, when we
have that choice with our government-provided Medicare, why are so many
people opposed to a government-provided health care option?

I believe — I believe you — I believe, Senator Kennedy. I just promoted
you.

(LAUGHTER)

(BOOING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator McCain. I'm sorry. I believe you have had
access to government-provided health care for most of your life. And, you
know, I would imagine that most of us here are on Medicare. And there may be
some who would like to give up their Medicare.

CROWD: No!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, none of us do. So, what is so wrong with
government-provided health care?

And…

(APPLAUSE)

MCCAIN: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have one more question. In the proposals you were
suggesting, I didn't see any way to control costs. That's been one of our
major problems, not only the denial of care, the rationing of care by health
insurance companies, but that the costs have gone out of control.

So, how would you propose that — how would your system control it?

MCCAIN: What I — I will send you a cope of that poster board there.”

I was able to find the text only of the woman's comments, not sure without
the video it will translate well. For instance when McCain says below we
don't shout in my townhalls, he was responding to someone yelling in the
background and not to the woman who is speaking directly to him.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/…
l_meeting_98028.html

“UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I too want to thank you for coming today, and I thank
you for looking to the right, instead of always to the left.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was pleased, Senator McCain, to see that you support
some of the objectives of President Obama and his health care proposals,
like coverage for all, lowering the costs, eliminating pre-existing
conditions and things like that.

Some of the things were said here today, I don't agree with. You mentioned
the two-year wait in England to be treated for MS. I have a daughter-in-law
who has MS. She waited 20 years, because she could get no health care
coverage. She could not get insurance because she possibly might have MS.
So, from the time she was in her 20s on, she was denied any insurance until
she qualified for Medicaid and was totally disabled.

Now, that is not right. Our country is better than that…

MCCAIN: Could I just quickly respond and then continue?

I agree with you. I hold no brief (ph) for much of the practices of the
insurance companies in America. Don't get me wrong. We have to fix the
pre-existing condition situation — and we don't shout at my town hall
meetings.

So, I agree with you. We have to address the issue of people with
pre-existing conditions, people who are unable to obtain health care
insurance and we should do it through risk pools, and it is going to cost
money. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The other thing is, Mayo Clinic, that you talked about
having good practices, is one of the ones that Senate — President Obama has
cited as being the type of medical facility that we should pattern our
health care reform on.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Yes, they just don't agree with his — they
just don't agree with his proposals.

(CROSSTALK)

MCCAIN: Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They — they — they suggest some of the same things
that the Mayo Clinic is doing.

And I have some experience with the Mayo Clinic. My husband, who was on
Medicare, chose to stay on just regular Medicare. So, he had the choice of
going to Mayo's. I chose an HMO with Medicare. And I am wondering, when we
have that choice with our government-provided Medicare, why are so many
people opposed to a government-provided health care option?

I believe — I believe you — I believe, Senator Kennedy. I just promoted
you.

(LAUGHTER)

(BOOING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator McCain. I'm sorry. I believe you have had
access to government-provided health care for most of your life. And, you
know, I would imagine that most of us here are on Medicare. And there may be
some who would like to give up their Medicare.

CROWD: No!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, none of us do. So, what is so wrong with
government-provided health care?

And…

(APPLAUSE)

MCCAIN: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have one more question. In the proposals you were
suggesting, I didn't see any way to control costs. That's been one of our
major problems, not only the denial of care, the rationing of care by health
insurance companies, but that the costs have gone out of control.

So, how would you propose that — how would your system control it?

MCCAIN: What I — I will send you a cope of that poster board there.”