This is like one of those times a member of a professional wrestling posse turns heel on national television and sets off the drama.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, a leading Democrat and frequent battering ram for his party, said Tuesday that pursuing Obamacare in lieu of other policy priorities was a mistake. “After passing the stimulus, Democrats should have continued to propose middle class-oriented programs and built on the partial success of the stimulus, but unfortunately Democrats blew the opportunity the American people gave them,” Schumer said during a speech on Democratic strategy. “We took their mandate and put all of our focus on the wrong problem: health care reform.”
Schumer added that Obamacare “wasn’t the change we were hired to make.” His admission was frank for as devoutly liberal and on-message he typically is for his party. But it was the pushback he received from fellow Democrats — sensitive and sarcastic — that really got the popcorn popping.
“We come here to do a job, not keep a job,” Pelosi said to CNN, a comment that only the most naive would buy. “There are more than 14 million reasons why [Schumer’s comment] is wrong.” A 2012 Congressional Budget Office report said that Obamacare “will reduce the number of nonelderly people without health insurance coverage by 14 million in 2014.”
Pelosi wasn’t the only leading Democrat to respond to Schumer. Multiple Obama officials former and current — including an ex-national security spokesman who once responded to a news anchor’s question with “Dude!” — blasted their concerns and the New York Democrat on Twitter.
Shorter Chuck Schumer – I wish Obama cared more about helping Democrats than sick people.
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) November 25, 2014
@jonfavs @MrWalterShapiro the broader point is Obama ran to solve long festering politically hard problems that others shy away from
— Dan Pfeiffer (@pfeiffer44) November 25, 2014
Jon Favreau, President Obama’s former lead speechwriter, took particular umbrage.
So what are Chuck Schumer’s specific ideas for “middle-class programs” we should’ve passed instead of health care and after a big stimulus?
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) November 25, 2014
Funny, I don’t remember Chuck Schumer giving that advice when he was privately and publicly championing the Affordable Care Act in 2010
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) November 25, 2014
In 2010, Obama said he’d rather lose re-election than lose health care. That’s why 14 million more have coverage, and why I’m proud of him.
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) November 25, 2014
The Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol, new to Twitter but excelling at its core functions, couldn’t help but jump in himself.
Enjoying hissy fit by Obama kids @TVietor08, @jonlovett and @jonfavs vs. @chuckschumer. How dare he try to save the Democrats from Obama?
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) November 25, 2014
According to the most recent RealClearPolitics average of polls, a majority of Americans continue to oppose Obamacare. 38 percent approve, and 53 percent disapprove.
