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Rick's List
President Obama Touts Health Care Reform; Scott Roeder's Sentence
Aired April 01, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Here's what we're following for you. As a matter of fact, we're going to be bringing you the very latest from the president of the United States and this --
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here's what's making THE LIST today.
It's atrocious, cruel, murder, planned, plotted and devised for years and years and designed and executed solely for the purpose of killing someone with whom he disagreed.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What do you say to all of the parents who are outraged and who are calling for your resignation?
DANIEL SMITH, PRINCIPAL, SOUTH HADLEY HIGH SCHOOL: At this point, I'm not going to talk any further.
CHO: Will you resign when your contract is up?
SMITH: I have no comment at this point.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This year, millions of small business owners will be eligible for tax credits that will help them cover the cost of insurance for their employees.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: This year, millions of small businesses will benefit.
The lists you need to know about. Who's today's most intriguing? Who's making news on Twitter? It's why I keep a list, pioneering tomorrow's cutting-edge news right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Hey, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Here's what's at the very top of the LIST today. We're going to be waiting to hear from the president of the United States in just a little bit. He wants to address the nation once again.
He's back on the road and, this time, he's in Portland, Maine, and the latest in a series of speeches really designed to continue selling the new health care law. But, this is going to be a little bit different. This time, the president wants to create a road map, per se, for how people can actually use the health care reform plan that he has had passed.
We hope to be able to take you to Portland Expo Center. That's where the president's going to speak in about 20, 25 minutes or so. What he's trying to do is count the impact on small businesses, arguing that companies will see both short- and long-term businesses. This comes as critics of the law say that the business already is being hurt by the economy, will see even more problems under the plan.
We're going to bring you the speech live as soon as the president takes the stage.
But, first, have you seen what's going on right now in Wichita, Kansas? These are live pictures that are coming in right now. It's the sentencing of a Kansas man convicted of killing an abortion doctor. This has been a huge news story. Anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder stalked Dr. George Tiller, visited Tiller's church on several occasions, before eventually gunning the doctor down while he was acting as an usher in church.
Roeder walked up to Tiller, put a .22-caliber handgun to his forehead, and pulled the trigger, leaving him bleeding on the floor for everyone, including church members, children, Tiller's family, to see.
Roeder has already been convicted of murder. That's a done deal. At issue today is when he will be eligible for parole. The minimum is 25 years. The prosecutors are pushing for a hard 50 years.
So, this is where it -- the argument really begins. The Tiller family, by the way, didn't speak, but a spokesperson for the victim, for Dr. Tiller, did address the court. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEE THOMPSON, TILLER FAMILY SPOKESMAN: It is an act of terrorism characterized by the boasting and the complete lack of remorse.
This defendant brags about this murder. Nothing could be more cruel, abhorrent, heinous, to utilize some of the words of the statute, than to enjoy or be utterly indifferent to the suffering caused by a murder. Yet, that's just what's happened here.
And if this person is set free, he will do it again and again and boast about it while stopping for pizza on the way home. We urge the court to see that the prison doors are irrevocably and forever shut on this coward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That was the spokesperson. And the key to that quote was the use of the words heinous, atrocious, and cruel.
This is the legal jargon that the prosecution is using to try and justify upping it from 25 years to 50 years, that hard 50 that they have been referring to.
Here's the district attorney. He -- used the same words when she addressed the court.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOLA FOULSTON, PROSECUTOR: We believe that we have adequately presented throughout the course of the trial and even through the defendant's own testimony that the preparation or plan was an indication that killing was meant to be especially cruel, heinous, and atrocious.
And, of course, the court can consider any other conduct that in your opinion is especially heinous, atrocious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: All right. Then there's his lawyers, Roeder's lawyers. They have been making their case to the court.
Vinnie Politan is joining me, by the way.
Is this his attorney?
VINNIE POLITAN, COURT TV: No, it's not. This is one the character witnesses for Scott Roeder, who is getting up there talking about the good character of the guy who walked up to Dr. Tiller and shot him in the head.
SANCHEZ: Yes. And that's interesting that you just did that, that you put your finger to the very temple on my head when you used that expression, because isn't that also the argument that is being made by them for while Tiller should only be given 25 years? After all, he wasn't reckless. He actually put the gun very close to the head, as opposed to spraying, which may have resulted in the death of somebody else?
(CROSSTALK)
POLITAN: Well --
SANCHEZ: It's a hell of an argument.
POLITAN: It's very creative. And this attorney obviously has to be creative because of who his client is, a man who got up on the witness stand during the trial and told the jury everything that he did, showed no emotion, no remorse.
And he's sitting in the courtroom the same way today. He has no remorse for what he did. He believes that he did what he was supposed to do to save all those unborn children. And that's the problem the attorney has today. Well, how can you argue for this guy?
SANCHEZ: All right. You have been watching this thing. So, hey, Rog, do me a favor. Take this shot live real quick. Let me just -- I'm just going to dip in real quick. I just want to make a point to the viewers here. Let's see what he says.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think everyone here can agree with that. And yet I also expect almost everybody here in this courtroom will blanch if I say he was motivated by love.
And yet willingness to offer your life for others precisely meets the Bible's very definition of love.
SANCHEZ: There we go. We're using -- it's basically he did what he did out of love. But we're talking about killing another human being. He's killing another human being in the name of love and in the name of the Bible, in the name of Jesus Christ, the prince of peace.
It's a very difficult argument to make, but, nonetheless, one he's making.
Now, I should also let the viewers know -- programming note -- and correct me if I'm wrong -- we're expecting that he might take the stand any moment, right?
POLITAN: Oh, yes. Yes, he's going to speak today.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
POLITAN: Any defendant who is be sentenced has a right to speak and elocute. And, for Scott Roeder, this is it. This is his swan song. He's looking at a minimum of 25 years, perhaps 50 years, before he is even eligible for parole, which he may or may not get.
So this is going to be his chance to stand back up on the soapbox and tell all of us why he did what he did and what he did was the right thing to do.
SANCHEZ: Now, the whole issue of a biblical argument, is there any precedent to something like that? I imagine it may be depending on how far you want to go back.
POLITAN: No.
(CROSSTALK)
POLITAN: See, this man speaking right now, Scott Roeder in court, that's what this whole thing is about for them, an opportunity to espouse their views and let the world know and make their mark. For Scott Roeder, this is a guy who wants to go down in history as changing things.
And the sad part of this is, he has changed things. Through a murder, now there are no more abortions in Wichita, Kansas.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
POLITAN: He stopped it. SANCHEZ: Late-term abortions, we should preface.
POLITAN: Right. Well, he stopped it.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
POLITAN: He stopped it. So, he's looked at by some of the people who believe in what he did, like this man speaking, that this guy, you know, he's a hero. He's someone we should look up to. This is someone perhaps we should emulate. That's the scary part of all this.
SANCHEZ: Is there any question that when he takes the stand, he's going to use this as a soapbox, so to speak?
POLITAN: Well, that's interesting, because he's --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Or is he going to use it to claim his defense, and say this is unjust; I should not be sent to prison for life?
POLITAN: I don't think he's going to even mention the hard 50 vs. the 25 years.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: You don't?
POLITAN: I don't. I really don't, because to me he looks a little different in court today than he did during his trial.
During his trial, he was very subdued. The judge really constrained what he could talk about. Today, I think the judge will give him a little bit more leeway, and he's going to take as much as he can get. That's what I think.
SANCHEZ: Apparently, what -- let's dip in again, guys. Let's see what's going on right now. This is a character witness for Roeder.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- sentence fragment here.
I think you're going to -- I realize that you're going to call me crazy for saying this, but Scott longs to be a law-abiding citizen. Scott is not your typical first-degree murder defendant. His life is not weighed down with drugs, booze, gambling, or fights.
Until May 31, he was known as a peaceful, law-abiding, Bible- honoring citizen. So, how is this consistent with murdering a doctor providing constitutionally protected services? Very few in America today think of Scott Roeder as a law-abiding citizen. But I can testify from my conversations with him, that's exactly what he longs to be. I have talked to him about this, and I want to -- I want to put this into words, and read it to him. He told me this hits the nail on the head, so I present this as an accurate expression of Scott's heart.
Remember, we're dealing with a conflict of laws. By no means is it unanimous along legal experts or among voters that there's any harmfulness --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your Honor (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you quoting Mr. Roeder? I'm trying to determine if you're quoting Mr. Roeder.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said it was a statement that he agreed with, not that he's (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm -- this is --
SANCHEZ: All right, it's interesting, but, you know, I just heard him say something, Vinnie. And we're going to be coming back to this, because we expect that Roeder is going to take the stand.
But he just said he was a law-abiding citizen up until the day of the actual murder. In fact, I have been reading, and you can tell me if I'm correct -- you're the expert here -- that he was stalking the doctor before this.
POLITAN: Yes, for 10 years.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
POLITAN: For 10 years.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: So, he wasn't a law-abiding -- so, that's a lie?
POLITAN: It really is, because he had been there -- he was going to do it one time before, had brought a gun to the church, but, on that day, Dr. Tiller wasn't there. So, he had to pack up, go back home, and try it on another day.
So, he has attempted this in the past. And you're saying he's law-abiding. What has he done? This is a guy -- and maybe he believes in his cause. Maybe he doesn't. I get the feeling that this guy was a bit of a drifter, a bit of a loser, if I could use that word.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: A loner?
POLITAN: A loner out there. He lost his jobs, couldn't keep a job, was looking for something to hold on to, and I think he found his cause and then it sort of snowballed from there out of control, to a point now where this is all he cares about.
SANCHEZ: Well, it's interesting. His characterization of law- abiding is that fact that he didn't have a drug problem or an alcohol problem.
POLITAN: Right, right. And he didn't kill anyone before he killed this guy. Come on.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: It's an interesting case, but he's the guy who is trying to defend him. Again, he's an activist for him.
We're going to follow this.
POLITAN: OK.
SANCHEZ: And, obviously, we're going to get you back if Roeder takes the -- we have got two stories competing right now.
This is what is going on, folks. Let me tell you the two stories that we're going to have going on, maybe both of them taking place at the same time, and we're going to have to do some juggling for you. The president of the United States has just arrived in Portland, Maine. He's trying to sell his health care to small businesses. He hopes to be able to explain to them the how-tos of health care reform.
Apparently, the president doesn't think many Americans understand health care reform. And if you look at some of the polls out today, the president would probably be right.
So, as he's set to speak, we are committed to showing you what the president has to say, especially on something as important as this, but at the same time we're also going to be trying to dip into Roeder when he takes the stand. We will get you through this somehow over the next two hours.
Meanwhile, take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: OK. You OK with that, Vinnie?
POLITAN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: You hadn't seen that yet?
POLITAN: No, I hadn't seen that yet, but I'm going to cancel my trip to Guam now. (LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Guam tipping over, that's the long and the short of it, folks. I don't even need to explain beyond that, other than to tell you that that will be prominently displayed on this newscast today. What the hell was he thinking?
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: And then there's the Massachusetts bullying case. Now there's a call for school officials to resign. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Time for Yellin's list.
And Jessica Yellin is joining us now, and she's going to be taking us through this moment with the president of the United States. The president is going to be talking to Americans about something that the polls seem to indicate he needs to talk to Americans about, because I think most Americans are looking at this health care thing and saying either, A, don't like it or, B, don't get it. And neither one of those are really good, right?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. The president really is focused on helping people understand what's in the bill, because polling has shown -- we have talked about this before, Rick -- that when you break down what is in the bill, people tend to like it more than when you describe it as a big blob of health care reform.
So he's trying to show folks especially what it can do for small businesses right away. And that's the message of this event he's holding today in Portland, Maine.
SANCHEZ: We got that picture up, guys? What is that? Is that somebody just introducing him, Ang? OK. So, we don't need to go there while people are talking about some of the local stuff.
Let me bring Dan Lothian in.
Hey, Dan, how are you?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Rick.
SANCHEZ: How's your cold?
(LAUGHTER)
LOTHIAN: It's actually an allergy. It's doing much better.
SANCHEZ: OK.
LOTHIAN: I have my voice now.
(CROSSTALK) SANCHEZ: You sound good. And I sound a little better as well. But, you know --
LOTHIAN: A couple more days, and I will just be fine.
SANCHEZ: Comes and goes.
LOTHIAN: That's right.
SANCHEZ: Why this strategy? Before, the president was out there, it seemed like he was cheerleading, and most of his events looked like political events. We're told this is going to be more of like a how to build a model airplane kind of presentation, right?
LOTHIAN: It is. And I think the most important thing here is that there's a lot of information out there that the White House believes just isn't right, a lot of myths that they're trying to knock down.
And, in fact, you know, this morning, I heard from one Republican staffer who was pushing back at this tax incentive for these small businesses, and saying, listen, any gains that might see are short- term, it's not anywhere as big as the White House is putting out there.
And so the White House, really, as you pointed out, is trying to use this as a -- sort of a selling tool to small business owners and say, here is what you can do to see some immediate benefits from this health care law --
SANCHEZ: Yes, the tax credit thing.
(CROSSTALK)
LOTHIAN: -- that they can be seeing these tax credits, right. Right. And that's what they have been really focusing on.
And to that end, we're going to see even beyond today this big campaign from the White House where, along with the IRS, they will be doing a lot of flyers. They're sending out flyers. They will be holding more than 1,000 workshops focused on small business owners to show them, listen, here is how you will be able to find out how much this health care law will mean to your small business.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
As a matter of fact, I mean, they're really out there. They're even getting out information to us. I know you have looked at some of these notes. Thirty-five percent of the premiums that the small business pays to cover its workers, it's a tax credit which is effective immediately.
And in 2014, the rate's going to increase to 50 percent. I mean, they got the nuts and bolts. They want to make sure everything is out there. And as we look here, the president of the United States is starting to come out on the stage now. I think I hear the music. And, as usual, when the president comes out, everybody gets out their cameras nowadays. Do you remember when George Bush used to come out from -- remember this, Dan, Jessica?
Remember when George Bush would come out and somebody would hand him a phone and he would say hello to somebody's relative or something? I always thought that was -- I haven't seen this president do that yet, but it's kind of interesting to watch when you do this.
(CROSSTALK)
YELLIN: Not yet.
Can I emphasize one thing you said, Rick?
SANCHEZ: Yes, go ahead, sure.
YELLIN: Which is the big message today is immediately. You were talking about these tax credits, that they go into effect immediately. The president is going to drive home which elements of this health care bill can help you now. There's a big movement to repeal it on the right, so he wants people to remember all the bennies they're getting right now.
SANCHEZ: All right. Now he's up on the dais and it looks like he's heading over to the podium. A big hug and a big kiss is in order as usual, some of the politicking. And then we're going to get down to brass tacks here, as the president comes to the microphone.
Guys, we will be talking on the backside of this and we will probably talk a little about financial reform as well.
Here now, the president of the United States.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Thank you, Portland. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you so much.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you, everybody.
Well, what -- what a wonderful reception. I guess, when the sun comes out around here, everybody gets pretty excited.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: I --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you! OBAMA: I love you back.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now, I have to say, the last time I was in Maine, it was before the caucuses.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: It was a little cooler here, as I recall.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: But it is wonderful to be back.
There are some people I want to say a few nice things about. First of all, we could not have a better small business administrator than your own neighbor, Karen Mills, and so please give her a huge round of applause.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: She's doing a great job. I think she has more than a few folks from Maine on her staff. She's kind of stocked them all over the place. And everybody's doing a great job over at the SBA.
I want to thank -- thank you.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: I want to thank one of the finest governors in the country, John Baldacci, who is here.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Thank you, John. Where is he? There he is right there. Thank you.
Your outstanding mayor, Nic Mavodones, is here.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And we have got two great champions from Maine whose tireless efforts have helped working families all across this state and all across this country, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressman Mike Michaud.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: All right. It is good to be back in Maine. And I want everybody to remember, when I came here during the campaign, I made a promise, and it wasn't a promise about any particular issue. It was a promise that our government would once again be responsive to the needs and aspirations of working families, of America's middle class.
It was a promise that Washington would concern itself, not just with the next election, but with the next generation of Americans.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now, keeping that promise is even more critical now, at a time when so many families and so many small business owners are still struggling here in Maine and all across the country.
Every time I visit with workers in a factory or families in a diner, every time I sit down and read letters from Americans across the country, I see and hear the same questions.
Folks are asking, how am I going to find a job when I have only known one skill my entire lifetime, and I just got laid off and I'm in my 50s? How am I going to retire when I keep spending my savings just to get by or trying to make sure that my kid can go to college, and tuition keeps on going up? How am I going to make it when I'm stretched to the limits on my mortgage and on my bills?
Those are the questions that I hear. And I want you to know, we are working every single day to spur job creation and to turn this economy around. That's why we worked so hard over the last year to lift one of the biggest burdens facing middle-class families and small business owners, and that is the crushing cost of health care right here in America.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And, Mainers, I want you to know that, last week, after a year of debate and a century of trying, health insurance reform became the law of the land.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Last week.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Last week.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
AUDIENCE: Yes, we did! Yes, we did! Yes, we did! Yes, we did! Yes, we did!
OBAMA: Yes, we did.
AUDIENCE: Yes, we did! Yes, we did! Yes, we did! Yes, we did!
OBAMA: Because of folks like Chellie and Mike, it happened. Because of people like you, it happened.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: It happened because people had the courage to stand up at town hall meetings and talk about how insurance companies were denying their families coverage because of a preexisting condition. It happened because folks wrote letters about how premiums had gone up 50 or 70 or 100 percent in some cases, and it was forcing them to give up their insurance.
It happened because countless small-business owners and families and doctors shared stories about a health care system that was working better for the insurance industry than it did for American people.
And when the special interests sent an army of lobbyists to Congress and blanketed the airwaves with millions of dollars in negative ads, all of you mobilized and organized and you refused to give up.
And when the pundits were obsessed over what the polls were saying and who was up and who was down and what would this mean for Democrats and Republicans, you never lost sight of what was right and what was wrong. You knew it wasn't about the fortunes of one party, it was about the future of our country.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And today, Portland, because of what you did, the future looks stronger and more hopeful than it has in some time.
Now, over the last year, there's been a lot of misinformation spread about health reform. There's been plenty of fear-mongering, a lot of overheated rhetoric. You turned on the news, you'd see that those same folks who were hollering about it before it passed, they're still hollering about how the world will end because we passed this bill. This is not an exaggeration.
John Boehner called the passage of this bill --
(BOOING)
OBAMA: No need to -- we don't -- we don't need to boo. I just want to give the facts -- called this -- passage of this bill "Armageddon." You had others who said this is the end of freedom as we know it.
So after I signed the bill, I looked around and --
(LAUGHTER)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: -- I looked up at the sky to see if asteroids were coming.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: I looked at the ground to see if cracks had opened up in the earth.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: You know what? It turned out it was a pretty nice day. Birds --
(LAUGHTER)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Birds were still chirping. Folks were -- folks were strolling down the street. Nobody had lost their doctor. Nobody had pulled the plug on granny.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: Nobody was being dragged away to be forced into some government- run health care plan.
But the thing is, though, you have to love some of the pundits in Washington. Every single day since I signed the reform law, there's been another poll or headline that said, "Nation still divided on health care reform. Polls haven't changed yet."
Well, yes. It just happened last week.
(LAUGHTER)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: It's only been a week.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Can you imagine if some of these reporters were working on a farm and --
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: -- you -- you planted some seeds, and they came out the next day and they looked and -- nothing's happened.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: There's no crop.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We're going to starve. Oh, no.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: It's a disaster.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: It's been a week, folks.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: So, before we find out if people like health care reform, we should wait to see what happens when we actually put it into place.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Just a thought.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now, look, this reform is not going to solve every problem with our health care system. It is a huge, complicated piece of business, a couple of trillion dollars, thousands of people affected, thousands of people working in the industry.
It's not going to bring down the cost of health care overnight. We're going to have to make some adjustments along the way. But it represents enormous progress.
It enshrines the principle that every American should have the security of decent care --
(APPLAUSE)
-- and that nobody should go bankrupt because they've got a kid who's sick with a pre-existing condition --
(APPLAUSE)
-- that small businesses shouldn't be burdened because they want to do the right thing by their employee.
So now that this bill is finally law and all the folks who've been playing politics with health care will have to finally confront the reality of what this reform is, they're also going to have to confront the reality of what it isn't.
They'll have to finally acknowledge that this isn't a government takeover of our health care system. They'll see that, if Americans like their doctor, they will keep their doctor. And if you like your insurance plan, you will keep it. No one will be able to take that away from you. It hasn't happened yet. It won't happen in the future.
It's not going to bring down the cost of health care overnight. We're going to have to make some adjustments along the way. But it represents enormous progress. It enshrines the principle that every American should have the security of decent care and that nobody should go bankrupt because they've got a kid who's sick with a preexisting condition --
(APPLAUSE)
-- that small businesses shouldn't be burdened because they want to do the right thing by their employee.
So now that this bill is finally law and all the folks who have been playing politics will finally have to confront the reality of what this reform is, they're also going to have to confront the reality of what it isn't. They'll have to finally acknowledge that this isn't a government takeover of our health care system. They'll see that if Americans like their doctor, they will keep their doctor, and if you like your insurance plan, you will keep it. No one will be able to take that away from you. It hasn't happened yet. It won't happen in the future.
What this reform represents is basically a middle of the road solution to a very serious problem. It's not single payer. Some people wanted that. I understood that, but that is not --
(APPLAUSE)
See. But -- so, you know, it's not that, but it's also not what the Republicans were advocating for, which is essentially that you completely deregulate the insurance industry, you let them run wild, and that somehow you are going to benefit. That was their theory. It was called the fox is guarding the chicken coop health care plan.
(APPLAUSE)
So it's not the plan that some on the left supported in the past. It's not what some on the right supported. But it is a common-sense plan. This reform incorporates ideas from both Democrats and Republicans, including, by the way, a number of ideas from your senator and somebody I consider a friend, Olympia Snowe, who spent many hours meeting with me on this bill.
(APPLAUSE)
And what this -- what this reform does is it builds on the system of private health insurance that we've already got, so that if you have insurance, this reform will make it more secure and more affordable. If you can't afford insurance or if you've been denied coverage, you're finally going to be able to get it, and overtime costs will come down for families, businesses and the federal government, reducing our deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next two decades. That's what this reform will do.
(APPLAUSE)
Now, Portland, it will take about four years to implement this entire plan -- because we've got to do it responsibly. We need to get it right. But there are also a set of reforms that will take effect this year. So I just want everybody to understand what's going to happen this year.
Starting this year, millions of small business owners are going to be eligible for a tax credit that will help them cover the cost of insurance for their employees.
(APPLAUSE)
And let me talk about what this means for a small business owner like Bill Milliken. Bill, stand up.
(APPLAUSE) That's Bill right there. Now, I want to give a little plug to Bill here. Bill owns Market House Coffee and the Maine Beer and Beverage Corporation, both here, right here in Portland.
(APPLAUSE)
In exchange for this publicity, I hope that I'm going to get some samples of the beer.
(LAUGHTER)
OK. He nodded in the affirmative.
(LAUGHTER)
Now, he wants to give his part-time employees health insurance and he wants to give them more hours, but he can't do both, he can't afford to do both. So this tax credit will make it easier for an employer like Bill who wants to do the right thing by his workers.
Starting now, small business owners like Bill will have the security of knowing that they can qualify for a tax credit that covers up to 35 percent, over a third of what they pay for their employees' health insurance.
(APPLAUSE)
And starting now, small business owners that provide health care to their workers can sit down at the end of the week, they can look at their expenses, and begin calculating how much money they're going to save. And for small business owners who don't currently provide health insurance, they'll be able to factor in this new benefit when they're deciding to do so.
Now, it won't solve all our problems, but it means that employees that work for Bill have a better chance of keeping their health care or getting health care.
And if they're already getting health care, it means Bill's got some extra money; that means he means might hire that extra worker.
(APPLAUSE)
Right?
(APPLAUSE)
So -- so this health care tax credit is pro-jobs. It's pro- business, and it starts this year.
This month, we're going to --
(APPLAUSE)
This month, we're going to be sending out details on how to apply for this credit to millions of small businesses across the county. But if you want to learn about it today, we're going to put all the facts on our Web site, www.whitehouse.gov.
All right, so that happens this year. Here's what else happens this year. Tens of thousands of uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions and parents whose children have a pre-existing condition will finally be able to purchase the coverage that they need.
(APPLAUSE)
That happens this year.
(APPLAUSE)
So last week, I met a man named David Gallagher, whose daughter Lauren had written me a letter last year. When Lauren's mom lost her job, their entire family lost their health insurance.
When they tried to get new insurance, David was denied coverage because he once had a complication-free hernia surgery, but the insurance companies wanted to weed him out. They figured, well, the guy's been sick before; we don't want to have to cover him; we don't want to bear that risk.
So Lauren's been worried sick about what would happen if her father became ill or injured. Now, because of this reform, David Gallagher can finally have access to health insurance again. That begins this year. That starts this year.
(APPLAUSE)
So that's -- that's just one of the insurance reforms that starts this year. Here's what else happens. Insurance companies won't be able to drop people's coverage when they get sick or place lifetime limits or restrictive annual limits on the amount of care they can receive.
(APPLAUSE)
Now, this isn't some abstract concept. There was a story in a local paper this week about a woman named Theresa D'Andrea.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: D'Andrea!
OBAMA: D'Andrea. Excuse me. Thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
Where is she?
Are you up there? Stand up.
(APPLAUSE)
Stand up, Theresa.
(APPLAUSE)
Now -- now, Theresa's husband passed away recently from cancer.
And before he died, he hit the lifetime cap on his insurance. And as a result, Theresa's not only had to cope with the loss of her husband, but with $60,000 in medical bills. And this is after she's already spent all of her retirement savings on medical care.
Now, because of this reform, a situation like Theresa's won't happen again in the United States of America, and that's going to start this year.
And we're inspired by stories like yours.
(APPLAUSE)
Starting this year, all new insurance plans will be required to offer free preventive care. And starting this year, this may interest some of you here, if you are a young person who doesn't have insurance or doesn't have a job that offers insurance, you're going to be able to stay on your parents' insurance policy until you're 26 years old, starting this year. Starting this year.
(APPLAUSE)
So now --
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thank you.
OBAMA: You're welcome.
(LAUGHTER)
Thank Shelley (ph) and Mike. They voted for it. Thank them.
(APPLAUSE)
This year seniors who fall into the coverage gap known as the donut hole, some seniors probably know about that, they're going to receive $250 to help pay for prescriptions, and that's just the first step, because what we're going to be doing is over the next several years, closing that gap completely. And I want seniors to know --
(APPLAUSE)
I want seniors to know, despite some of the stuff that's been said out there, these reforms don't cut into your guaranteed benefits. What they do is eliminate co-payments and deductibles for preventive care like checkups and mammograms. You will be getting those for free now. This is why AARP supported this bill, because it's good for seniors. It's the right thing to do. It's good for young people. It's the right thing to do. It's good for people who've hit these lifetime limits. It's good for people with preexisting conditions.
(APPLAUSE)
All that -- all that happens this year. And then, by 2014, each state will set up what we're calling a health insurance exchange, but it's basically just a competitive marketplace where uninsured people and small businesses, who right now are out there on their own trying to negotiate with insurance companies, they can now be part of a big pool. Millions of people coming together, leveraging their purchasing power, which is going to lower their rates.
They'll get a better deal. You know, Wal-Mart, the reason they are able to give you low prices is because they buy and they tell their suppliers, "We the biggest -- we're the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to whatever product you're talking about, so you've got to give better prices."
Well, the same thing is true when it comes to the insurance market. So everybody who can be part of this pool is going to get a better deal than they would otherwise get. And by the way, members of Congress are going to be part of this pool, so you know it's going to be good because they're going to have to use it themselves for their own families.
(APPLAUSE)
So that will happen in the next few years. And when this exchange is up and running, millions of people are also going to get tax breaks to help them afford coverage. So even though this pool will give you lower rates, you'll get a better deal, some folks still can't afford it, so we're going to give you tax credits to help you afford it. And that adds up to the largest middle class tax cut in health care in history. That's what this bill is about.
(APPLAUSE)
So think about it. So think about it. That's what this is about. We're setting up a pool using the private market to give people a better deal. We're giving tax breaks to working people, some of them working two or three jobs who still can't get insurance. We're going to give them some help. We're going to give small businesses help so that they can help their workers and improve their bottom line. And we've got a whole bunch of insurance reforms so people like Teresa aren't going to be disadvantaged and taken advantage of when they need it most.
That's what this bill is, and it's paid for. And it saves on our deficits. Now, this is what everybody's been hollering about as the end of freedom.
(LAUGHTER)
And now that it's passed, they're already promising "We're going to repeal it." They're going to run on a platform of repeal in November.
And my attitude is, go for it. You try to repeal it.
(APPLAUSE)
I want -- I want these Members of Congress to come out of Washington, come here to Maine and tell Mr. Milliken there, "You know what? We're going to take away your tax credits, essentially raise your taxes."
If you want -- if they want to do that, be my guest. If they want to look at Lauren Gallagher in the eye and tell her they plan to take away her father's ability to get health insurance, that's their right.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: (inaudible)
OBAMA: If they want to go tell Theresa that, once again, you can face a lifetime of debt if you lose a family member, they can run on that platform.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: (inaudible)
OBAMA: If -- if they want to have a fight, I welcome that fight. Because I don't believe the American people are going to put the insurance industry back in the driver's seat.
(APPLAUSE)
I'm happy to have that argument.
(APPLAUSE)
I'm happy to have that argument.
(APPLAUSE)
Now -- now, in fairness, and I want to be scrupulously fair, some of them have now said, well, it -- we want to repeal and replace this bill with -- with our brand of insurance reform.
But when you poke and prod and you ask them, well, what is it exactly you're going to replace it with, it turns out they want to deregulate the insurance market.
We've already been there. We know what that's like. We're not going back.
(APPLAUSE)
We're not going backwards. This country is ready to move forwards.
(APPLAUSE)
Portland, Maine is ready to move forward.
(APPLAUSE)
And while we're talking about moving forward, I just want to mention one thing, kind of, lost in the -- the shuffle of all this health care debate is the fact that part of the bill that we signed, that I signed this week, is going to provide an additional $68 billion that used to go to banks and financial services companies --
(APPLAUSE)
-- and that's now going to go to the student loan program to expand Pell Grants --
(APPLAUSE)
-- and to make sure that college is affordable for every young person in America.
(APPLAUSE)
And I want to know, do they want to repeal that as well, because I'm happy to have that discussion.
(APPLAUSE)
Sixty-eight billion dollars -- $68 billion that was going to banks and financial institutions -- we've just taken that money from the banks, from the financial institutions, doubling Pell Grants, making sure that -- making sure that young people, if you've got debt when you got out of college -- and I know I did, so you probably do, too -- that you will never have to pay more than 10 percent of your income in repayments --
(APPLAUSE)
-- so that you're not going broke because you decided to get a college education that makes our economy stronger, that makes America stronger.
If they want to repeal that, too, we can have that discussion.
(APPLAUSE)
You know, the road to this victory has been long. It has been -- it has been difficult. And it's absolutely true that because health care is such a complicated issue, a lot of people got worried. A lot of people got scared. And the misinformation seeped in.
And then the process was ugly, and everybody was arguing, and there was all kinds of stuff going on in the Senate and the House, and everybody just said, "Ah, you know, this looks like a mess."
I understand that. That's part of our democracy. This is a -- you know, democracy is a messy business. You know, it is the worst form of government, except for all the other ones that have been tried. That's what Winston Churchill said.
(APPLAUSE)
That's what Winston Churchill said. He was absolutely right, you know, it can be frustrating sometimes, but ultimately that's what makes our country so great, is because everybody is able to voice their opinions. Everybody is able to get out there and -- and organize and -- you know.
(APPLAUSE)
And you're free to call your president an idiot, you know. The --
(BOOING)
No, it's -- that's a wonderful thing.
You know, as I was driving by, people were waving, you know, everybody was clapping. And then one guy's like, "Eh."
(LAUGHTER)
He saw me through the window, too. He went, "Eh."
(LAUGHTER)
I thought, that's -- that's the great thing about the country.
(APPLAUSE)
But I want everybody to learn the lesson from this debate. In reaching this milestone, it doesn't represent the end of all our problems. We still have jobs to create and deficits to reduce. We still have children to educate. We still face enormous challenges in this country. Jobs haven't been returning fast enough, despite everything that we're doing. The economy's growing again, but people still haven't been hired back as fast as they need to. Small businesses are still having trouble getting credit out there.
So there are all kinds of issues we're going to have to work on. But what this fight has taught us about ourselves and about this country, it's bigger than any one issue.
It reminds us that the change is never easy, but it's always possible. It reminds us that in the United States of America, we still have the power to shape our own destiny. It reminds us that we as a people don't shrink from a challenge. We don't shirk our responsibilities. We embrace challenges. We don't fear the future. We shape the future. That's what we do. That's who we are. That's what you're about. That's why you're here. That's why I ran for president of the United States of America.
(APPLAUSE)
That's what makes this the United States of America.
Thank you, Portland. God bless you.
(APPLAUSE)
God bless the United States of America.
(APPLAUSE)
SANCHEZ: Boy, we were just having a discussion here. I'm joined by Congressman Tom Price. This is as fired up as we've seen the president of the United States in quite a while. I mean --
REP. TOM PRICE, (R) GEORGIA: He must be running for office.
SANCHEZ: He's not, but his peeps are. He wants to get people elected. And he's concerned about the midterms. He made fun of the polls, made an allusion to the parable of the seed, that you can't plant something in the ground and expect a week later you're going to see it grow, made fun of reporters for using the polls.
And he blasted you guys. He's blasting Republicans. He said you guys want to repeal this thing, you go ahead. You want to tell kids they can't get a Pell grant, that they can't get a college loan, you go ahead. What do you say to the president?
PRICE: We've looked through this bill now and I think we've come up with 10 pages that are actually decent. So 2,690 we think ought to be changed, repeal and replaced with positive, patient-centered health care. That's what we put forward, and that's what we'll continue to fight for because that's what the American people want.
SANCHEZ: And the president just answered you. I'll kind of use this. The president just said, well, what you guys want to do is essentially also -- let me find the words. You also want to find a way to control and regulate the insurance companies. Same thing as he's doing, right?
PRICE: What we want to do is put patients in charge, not government or insurance companies. And this bill, the bill that the president signed, puts the government in charge. And that's not what the American people want.
There are positive reforms, things that we put on the table that we believe make it so patients and families and doctors can made medical decisions. As a physician, I know how important that is. It's imperative, and that's what the American people want.
That's the direction we ought to be going, not this policy that has been put in place now that not only does not put patients and families and doctors in charge, it will increase costs and decreases quality.
SANCHEZ: Do you still want to repeal this? I'm hearing from your camp, I'm hearing repeal, replace. Maybe not repeal, maybe repeal some, but replace others. Give us the definition of what you're actually talking about.
PRICE: Look, we want to repeal the stimulus money that hasn't been spent, the TARP money that hasn't been spent. We want to repeal the egregious aspects of the policy that this president and Speaker Pelosi have put in place. And that includes the portions of the health care bill that put the government in charge.
We want to repeal the Democrat government takeover of health care, yes.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you this question. If you start taking this bit by bit, don't you get yourself in a little bit of trouble? How do you say for somebody who finally has insurance for their kid who's 22- years-old who just graduated from college, because of this economy they can't get a job, parents can't afford to insure him, and if he has a pre-existing condition or something like that, that's really tough.
How do you say to them, "I'm sorry, I know President Obama gave you that, but I, Tom Price, Dr. Tom Price, am going to take that away from you"? How do you do that?
PRICE: The fact is we've got positive solutions that allow individuals to get health coverage. Every single American would have the financial wherewithal to get the coverage that they pick for themselves.
SANCHEZ: Hold on, congressman. What about that case? That's one significant concrete example of what these guys are trying to do. One of the biggest problems they're having is selling their message. But at least they've got this one thing you can say, OK, that's one concrete thing they could do. Would you keep that?
PRICE: It was in our bill.
SANCHEZ: OK.
PRICE: That's one of the things we proposed. That's part of those 10 pages out of the 2,700 pages.
The good news is that there are positive solutions. The bad news is the president and Speaker Pelosi and her crowd put in place a bill the people of America don't want. It will decrease the quality of health care and increase the costs.
I talked to a doctor yesterday who said I'm no longer going to be able to practice. I'm leaving the practice of medicine. "The New England Journal of Medicine" came out with a study just last week that said one-third of the physicians in this land may, in fact, leave the practice of medicine. They say the doctors are very, very concerned about what this bill includes. That's why we believe it's going to decrease quality and increase costs.
SANCHEZ: To be fair, you know that I have friends who are doctors who started leaving the profession when HMOs took over.
PRICE: Sure.
SANCHEZ: So it's not just this bill. Doctors have kind of been some unhappy guys for quite a while. I'm not speaking for you, obviously, but there's been a problem out there with the medical profession.
And the insurance business has had as many problems dissatisfying doctors as this promises to have.
PRICE: You're absolutely right. None of the work force issues are addressed in this bill at all. And we're decreasing the pipeline of physicians coming into this nation right now in terms of education.
But the fact of the matter is there are positive solutions. And that's what we ought to be concentrating on. That's what wasn't concentrated on when this bill was passed.
SANCHEZ: Isn't the whole thing really about being able to create something that allows small business guys, a guy who's got 12 employees and all of a sudden -- I'll go back to the diabetes example. He's got 12 employees who are all generally healthy, but all of a sudden the 12th one, and now is allowed to know who he is, by the way, develops a debilitating disease, diabetes or something worse, a horrible heart attack.
The other 11 now have to have their premiums jacked up, and the employer has to charge more for it, has a hard time keeping his employees. That same employer can go to Canada and pay $4, $5, $6 less to hire those people. Whether it's your plan or Obama's plan, there is a fundamental problem with health care system in the United States.
PRICE: As we've talked about before, the status quo is unacceptable.
SANCHEZ: OK.
PRICE: The status quo is unacceptable. We've been saying that for years.
SANCHEZ: Why didn't you do something when you were in power?
PRICE: Well, I was there only three terms, only one term in the majority. The fact of the matter is Republicans worked with Democrats to increase the availability of HSAs and flexible savings accounts and things that were responsive to people.
Also, regardless of what you think about the policy, the Medicare Part D program, the prescription program for Medicare was the largest change to Medicare in over 40 years. So there were some things that were done.
What we didn't do, what they didn't do before I got there, was to ram a bill through that the American people didn't want. And they refused to go against the 60 vote margin in the Senate.
SANCHEZ: The polls still show it's down. By the way, since you just said that, the president said this is ridiculous. It's been a week. How can you criticize something that's only been out there a week? He's confident that with more speeches like the one he just gave in Portland, Maine, he's going to get the American people turned around by the midterms. Can he do it?
PRICE: I don't think he can, because the American people don't like what was passed. And it was the president --
SANCHEZ: What about the argument that if you look at its parts the American people will like it? That's what the Dems say. PRICE: They like the headings. They like you've going to do something about pre-existing, yes. There's a way to do it that puts patients in charge and not the government in charge.
You've got to do something about portability. You ought not lose your insurance if you change your job or lose your job. But there's a way to do it that puts patients in charge, not the government.
And with all due respect to the president, it was the president who came out the day after the bill was passed and said, the sky's not falling. What we're seeing is individuals that will lose jobs because of this piece of legislation.
SANCHEZ: I like your handshake.
PRICE: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: That's a man's handshake right there.
PRICE: It's a surgeon's.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Congressman, thank you for coming, sir. You were very kind in being here just at the right time as the president was done with his speech and being able to give us a different perspective on this. That's very much appreciated.
PRICE: Happy Easter.
SANCHEZ: Thank you.
When we come back, Jessica Yellin and Dan Lothian are going to be joining us. We're going to continue the discussion not only about this, but we might even delve into financial reform given the fact that there are some headlines today that are downright scary.
Did you see this, congressman? This is unbelievable. There are narrow hedge fund guys who made $4 billion last year. Look at this. David Topper, George Soros. How would you like to make $4 billion a year?
PRICE: George Soros is using that money to elect folks to the government --
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: I know. There you go again. We'll be right back. That's part of the story as well. This is RICK'S LIST. I'm Rick Sanchez.
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