During a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) stated that Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is “achieving the objectives of” and “working for” Vladimir Putin after Paul objected to a unanimous consent motion to advance a bill to advance Montenegro’s bid to join NATO. McCain said, “If there is objection, you are achieving the objectives of Vladimir Putin. You’re achieving the objectives of trying to dismember this small country that has already been the subject of [an] attempted coup. I have no idea why anyone would object to this, except that I will say, if they object, they are now carrying out the desires and ambitions of Vladimir Putin, and I do not say that lightly.” McCain then asked for unanimous consent to advance the bill, which Paul objected to. McCain then stated, “I note the senator from Kentucky leaving the floor without justification, or rather — or any rationale for the action that he has just taken. That is really remarkable, that a senator, blocking a treaty, that is supported by the overwhelming number, perhaps 98, at least, of his colleagues, would come to the floor, and object, and walk away, and walk away. The only
Author: Ian Hanchett
Fmr Clinton Spox Fallon: It Would Be ‘Mistake’ for Dems ‘To Be Distracted’ by MSNBC Trump Tax Story
On Tuesday’s broadcast of “CNN Tonight,” former Clinton Press Secretary Brian Fallon stated, “I don’t think we learned anything at all interesting” from MSNBC’s report on part of President Trump’s 2005 tax return. Fallon said, “I never could have predicted I’d coming on your show tonight, Don, and throwing cold water on a report about Donald Trump’s tax returns, but I don’t think we learned anything at all interesting tonight.” He added that Trump “owes the public the full release of all his tax returns. I think that’s the only way we’ll ever get to the bottom of all his financial holdings and any connections he may have to Russia.” Fallon concluded Democrats should keep their focus on criticisms of the American Health Care Act, and the tax story “would be a mistake for Democrats to be distracted by.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
CNN’s Alesci: MSNBC Trump Tax Story ‘Seems Like a Positive Outcome’ for Trump
On Tuesday’s broadcast of “CNN Tonight,” CNN Money Correspondent Cristina Alesci said that MSNBC’s story on part of President Trump’s 2005 tax return resulted in a headline that is “pretty positive” for the president because it shows “he made a decent amount of money,” and “paid taxes in 2005.” Alesci said, “[T]he bottom line is, the headline is pretty positive for Trump. Looks like he made a decent amount of money, putting to bed any rumors or myths that he’s not a successful businessman. And he paid taxes in 2005. So, it seems like a positive outcome for him.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Flashback: Clinton Says Trump Might Be Avoiding Releasing Taxes To Hide ‘That He’s Paid Nothing in Federal Taxes’
During the September 26, 2016 presidential debate, Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speculated that one reason Donald Trump might not have released his tax returns is that “he doesn’t want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he’s paid nothing in federal taxes.” Clinton said, “So you’ve gotta ask yourself, why won’t he release his tax returns? And I think there may be a couple of reasons. First, maybe he’s not as rich as he says he is. Second, maybe he’s not as charitable as he claims to be. Third, we don’t know all of his business dealings, but we have been told, through investigative reporting that, he owes about $650 to Wall Street and foreign banks. Or maybe he doesn’t want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he’s paid nothing in federal taxes. Because the only years that anybody has ever seen, were a couple of years where he had to turn them over to state authorities when he was trying to get a casino license. And they showed he didn’t pay any federal income tax.” (Video via CNN) Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Spicer: Trump Is ‘Proud of’ Obamacare Replacement, But It’s ‘Never Been a Take It or Leave It’
During Tuesday’s press briefing, White House Secretary Sean Spicer said, “The president is proud of” of the American Health Care Act, but that there will be an amendment to it, and “this has never been a take it or leave it.” Spicer said of the American Health Care Act, “The president is proud of it. The president is proud of the fact that we’re working with Congress, but this is a bill that’s not his, it’s a joint effort that we’ve worked with the House and the Senate on. He’s proud of it. He’s proud of the impact that it’s going to have on American patients.” He later added that there “will be a manager’s amendment” to the bill. Spicer also said, “this has never been a take it or leave it.” And that if there are good ideas to strengthen the bill, “we’ll do it.” Spicer further stated, “This is it. If we don’t get this through, the goal of repealing Obamacare, and instituting a system that will be patient-centered is going to be unbelievably difficult. This is the vehicle to do that.” He did state that he did welcome the ideas of Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), who has
Brian Williams: It’s ‘Striking’ That ‘An Alternative Universe Is Being Proposed’ By the WH
On Monday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The 11th Hour,” anchor Brian Williams stated it was “striking” to TV viewers to see “an alternative universe is being proposed” by the White House. Williams asked if it was “as striking” to members of the press corps in the briefing room “as it is to television viewers that, an alternative universe is being proposed, alternative definitions are being trotted out, in real-time?” Later, he said, “at the presidential level,” trust “is obviously essential. And, when people talk about this, they use the example that makes us all sound like the parents that we are, and that something like, Iran is found violating the nuclear deal, and a president has to address the nation. And in this case, he is forced to use language to show he’s really, really serious because of what came before it.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Sanders: ‘Deductions Have Gone Up Too High’ Under OCare, GOP Plan Will ‘Result In People Dying’
During a town hall on MSNBC’s “All In” on Monday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) argued that the Republican Obamacare replacement plan is “going to result in people dying,” Obamacare has its flaws, such as deductions going up “too high,” and the goal should be improving Obamacare, rather than throwing it out. Sanders said that under the GOP replacement “many of the folks who voted for Trump are going to be hurt the most.” He added, “[T]here is a reason why the American Medical Association opposes it, why the American Hospital Association opposes it, why AARP, and many groups, the AFL-CIO, many other organizations oppose it. … It’s going to result in people dying, because you don’t have health insurance, and you get sick, what do you do? You don’t go to the doctor. And by the time you get to the doctor, it could be too late. Sanders further stated, “It’s easy to say — to rip apart the Affordable Care Act. You know what? It is not a perfect piece of legislation. Okay? We all agree with that. Deductions have gone up too high, premiums have gone up. It is not a perfect piece of legislation. The goal should
Ryan: I’m ‘Pretty Encouraged’ by CBO Score on OCare Replacement Plan, But They Overestimated The Uninsured Number
On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” House Speaker Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) stated he was “pretty encouraged” by the CBO report on the American Health Care Act, although “I think they sort of overestimate the uninsured number, just like they overestimated who would be insured by Obamacare, but I do believe that if we’re not going to force people to buy something they don’t want to buy, they won’t buy it, and that’s kind of obvious.” Ryan said, “Well, actually, I think, if you read this entire report, I’m pretty encouraged by it. And it actually exceeded my expectations. Bret, Tom Price and Mick Mulvaney there mentioned the estimates before we’re that more, — 25 million people would be on Obamacare today. Less than half that are. But, look at what they said the reason why they think this uninsured would happen. We’re saying the government’s not going to force people to buy something that they don’t want to buy, and if we end an Obamacare mandate that says you must buy this government, one-size-fits-all, plan, guess what? People aren’t going to buy that. So, of course, they’re going to suggest that if we’re not going
GOP Rep Issa: ‘Not Prepared’ to Vote for Obamacare Replacement, ‘I Think We Can Do Better’
On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) said that he isn’t prepared to vote for the Obamacare replacement plan the way it is right now “because I think we can do better.” Issa answered a question on whether he could vote for the plan as it stands right now [relevant remarks begin around 3:30] by stating, “I’m not prepared to vote for [how] it is right now. And I think — that’s not because of a specific, this is unacceptable, but because I think we can do better. I think we can do better in a number of areas of concern, including, we still have a problem of this — the shrinking pools that were created under the Affordable Care Act. And I think it’s important that when you look at the individual, if just you needed a plan, can we, in fact, do something to make sure that it doesn’t get skewed by such a large amount for sick people. Because, if we can’t find those affordable plans, we generally move people back into Medicaid or other aids. So, I think it’s important that we do a little bit more look at it.
Conway: Trump Has ‘Leaned Into’ OCare Replacement, ‘He’s Negotiating’
On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” Counselor to President Trump Kellyanne Conway stated of the proposed Obamacare repeal and replacement, “The president and the vice president have leaned into this legislation, and the president did what leaders do this week. He listened. He’s negotiating. But he’s also the ultimate decision maker and deal maker.” Conway said, “The president and the vice president have leaned into this legislation, and the president did what leaders do this week. He listened. He’s negotiating. But he’s also the ultimate decision maker and deal maker.” She added, “[W]hat the president has said is that if you have good improvements to the bill, let’s hear them. And just this past week, Brian, he had leaders of the grassroots movement in, who represent millions of people who are concerned about healthcare. He had 35 of the whips in. Vice President Pence is up on Capitol Hill, at a lunch with the Republican senators, talking about healthcare. The president had dinner with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). He’s talked to Senator [Rand] Paul (R-KY) on the phone. He’s working the phones. He’s meeting with people in person.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett