Bill: Hillary’s Questionable Surrogate
Recently, while campaigning for Hillary in Flint, Mich., Bill Clinton used a few choice words to describe Obamacare. He said of President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform, “So you’ve got this crazy system where all of a sudden 25 million more people have health care and then the people who are out there busting it, sometimes 60 hours a week, wind up with their premiums doubled and their coverage cut in half. It’s the craziest thing in the world.”
Bill’s Obamacare comments also reveal a bigger underlying question: Is Bill Clinton a good surrogate for Hillary? Does he not want Hillary to be elected so he doesn’t have to deal with the agonizing problem of giving a title to his position as the president’s husband? With her meticulously crafted image, it’s hard to imagine that Hillary or her campaign team would be happy with Bill’s various comments, especially comments that don’t align with Hillary’s positions. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway recently called Bill their campaign’s “best surrogate,” yet again confirming fears that Bill is just not as competent a Hillary surrogate as people like Michelle Obama or John Podesta.Although Clinton later tried to rectify his mistake, the damage was done. His statement was shocking to hear, as Hillary has repeatedly stated her support for Obamacare: “As president, I’ll defend the Affordable Care Act, build on its successes, and go even further to reduce costs.” Bill Clinton’s assertion wasn’t a fair one. Yes, Obamacare has its negative aspects. Still, I don’t agree with the way he phrased his displeasure with Obama’s health care policy. You cannot disregard the good it has done for so many people and call it “the craziest thing in the world.” Yes, Bill Clinton was right in saying that a lot of people dislike the individual mandate aspect of Obamacare as well as possible out-of-pocket costs. It has sparked anger in people who almost qualify for the government subsidies but don’t. However, the uninsured rate for the first quarter of 2015 was 11.9 percent. Prior to the fourth quarter of 2013, the rate was 5.1 points higher, at 17 percent. According to a survey from The Commonwealth Fund, 86 percent of people who were “insured through Obamacare or newly insured in Medicaid” were very or somewhat satisfied with their healthcare coverage, while 62 percent of respondents reported that they previously wouldn’t have been able to obtain or afford their current care. More actions have to be undertaken to expand access to insurance, but Obamacare has done a fairly decent job.
His comments could easily be used as Republican ammunition against Hillary in this enormously consequential election. The Republican National Committee has already sent out mailers in swing states saying, “Bill Clinton finally tells the truth… and it’s not going to help Hillary.” Trump has also addressed the incident, thanking Bill for “being honest.” Although that definitely wasn’t his intention, Bill may have ended up helping Trump with the bad timing of his comment. With only one month until the general election, that might have been especially damaging.