The presidential campaign for New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is launching a new television ad today in Iowa and New Hampshire that details the candidate's record on the issue of health care.
The 30-second spot, entitled "Stand By Us," describes Clinton's efforts to pass universal health care in the 1990s and her work in relation to the Children's Health Insurance Program -- an expansion of which was recently vetoed by President George W. Bush despite Republican lawmakers such as Iowa's own Sen. Chuck Grassley calling on him to approve the bipartisan measure. Although the U.S. Senate passed the measure with a veto-proof majority, the House vote was much closer.
“With the stroke of a pen, President Bush has robbed 10,500 uninsured Iowa children of the chance for a healthy start in life and the health coverage they need but can't afford," said Clinton in a prepared statement following the veto. "These children are invisible to this president, but they aren't invisible to the American people or to the overwhelming bipartisan majority in Congress – and they aren't invisible to me. I was proud to help create the Children's Health Insurance Program during the Clinton Administration, which today provides health insurance for six million children.”
Although Clinton is first with a new ad, she is not the only presidential hopeful to issue a public comment following the President's action.
"At a time when we’re spending billions of dollars on a war that should never have been authorized and giving billions in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, today’s veto of this bipartisan plan shows a callousness of priorities that is offensive to the ideals we hold as Americans," said Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. "But George Bush doesn’t have the last word, and I will keep fighting for the Republican votes needed to override his veto.”
Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd questioned the President's priorities.
"This President's priorities are unconscionable," Dodd said. "With the resources it takes to execute just over 3 months of the Iraq War, we could fully fund the expansion of health care for needy children that Bush vetoed. Indeed, today's veto is another reminder that this war is not only adversely affecting our security but also adversely affecting our other top priorities, and it's time for Congress to do what it must do to end it."
John Edwards, although no longer a voting member of the Senate, expressed his dismay not only with the President's decision, but with the Republican presidential hopefuls who support the veto.
"Today, we have witnessed a president that has turned his back on health care for children," said Edwards. "Not surprisingly, in George Bush's administration, corporate cronies and insurance industry allies always come first, while children's health care comes last. In an America where nearly 9 million children don't have health coverage, Congress must do what is right and fight for these children and override Bush's cruel veto.
"Even more shocking is that Republican Presidential candidates, including Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney are all lining up with President Bush and against health care for our children. Instead of threatening the health care of children, it's time for Bush, and Republicans like McCain, Giuliani, and Romney to start picking on someone their own size."
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson also did not let his inability to vote in Washington prevent him from voicing his displeasure.
"The Grinch came three months early this year and stole children's health care," said Richardson. "Unfortunately, this is no fairy tale, and unless Congress overrides the President's veto, it will not have a happy ending. President Bush's veto is irresponsible. It is outrageous. It is simply immoral. Of the many shifting rationales the President has offered for vetoing this bill, one is that it will burden private insurance companies. That sums up everything we need to know about this President. Choosing between insurance companies and children should not be hard."
Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, like Dodd, drew attention to the money being used in Iraq as a part of his statement.
"With one stroke of his pen, President Bush has denied health insurance to 3.8 million kids who were due to get it under this bipartisan expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program," Biden said. "He’s willing to spend billions and billions of dollars in Iraq, but he’s not willing to invest in our kids’ healthcare. It is unconscionable and wrong. Every child in this country should have health insurance. The President’s veto is a tragedy for the millions who don’t."
Republican hopeful and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said the bill took the wrong approach, but refused to refer to it as bipartisan legislation.
"I agree with the President that this legislation – while well intentioned – took the wrong approach," he said. "The Democrat SCHIP expansion bill would take children out of private insurance and put them into government insurance. It was a flawed approach. The right course is to get all children and all citizens insured with private, market-based health insurance."
A close look at the websites for Republican candidates Fred Thompson, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul and Sam Brownback produced no official statement in relation to the veto.
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, voted against the measure in the House because he said the bipartisan plan did not go far enough.
![[Essential Estrogen]](http://www.essentialestrogen.com/gfx/blank.gif)

Comments (1)
Senator Grassley surprises us once in a while! :)
Posted by Chris Wilcox | October 4, 2007 6:30 PM
Posted on October 4, 2007 18:30