Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Clinton Warns That GOP President Would Repeal Health Law
Hillary Rodham Clinton sharpened her partisan rhetoric to appeal to Democratic primary voters [in New Hampshire] Friday by issuing a dire warning: President Obama's health care law would disappear if a Republican wins the White House in 2016. ... "If the country elects a Republican president, they will repeal the Affordable Care Act. That is as certain as I can say it," she continued, noting the unlikelihood that Democrats take over the Senate and House next year. (Rucker, 7/3)
Mrs. Clinton鈥檚 speech demonstrated the challenge she faces: She must keep a wary eye on Mr. Sanders without attacking him, but she must also seem engaged and rouse her supporters, so attacks on the Republican field on issues like the Affordable Care Act have been her approach. She kept to that script here on Friday, warning that a Republican president would repeal the health care law, and she denounced the administration of George W. Bush for 鈥減oor management鈥 of the economy that led to the recession. (Haberman, 7/3)
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie said on Sunday Supreme Court justices of his liking would not have legalized same-sex marriage and would have struck down a key provision of a national health care law. ... "If the Christie-type justices had been on that court in the majority, we would have won those cases in the Supreme Court rather than lost them," he told "Fox News Sunday" in an interview. (Lange, 7/5)
It t has never been a way to win friends and influence voters, but New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie isn鈥檛 shying away from reform of two 鈥渄o-not-touch鈥 entitlements鈥擬edicare and Social Security. His goal is to cut the long-term debt since formally announcing his improbable campaign for the GOP presidential nomination last week. ... During an interview today on 鈥淔ox News Sunday,鈥 Christie doubled-down on his pledge to pursue major entitlement reform if he somehow overcomes other huge political liabilities to win the primary and general elections next year. 鈥淚 put that plan forward and I鈥檓 going to keep talking about it,鈥 Christie said. They say don鈥檛 touch it. I鈥檓 going to hug it.鈥 (Pianin, 7/5)
In diners and in pubs, at house parties and during town-hall-style events, Governor Christie spent his first week on the campaign trail as a declared presidential candidate trying to sell his policies to New Hampshire voters. Christie has delivered four policy speeches so far, giving specific proposals on how to overhaul Social Security and Medicare, on national defense, on the economy and on education. Christie this month said he will deliver two more, one on reforming the country鈥檚 criminal justice system and another on immigration. (Hayes, 7/4)