October 18, 2011 9:43 PM

Romney's "credibility" on health care attacked

By
Lucy Madison
Topics
Campaign 2012

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney continued to defend his Massachusetts health care plan in Tuesday's Republican presidential debate, reiterating for the umpteenth time his pledge to repeal "Obamacare" if elected and disputing charges that he lacks conservative credibility on the issue.

"You just don't have credibility, Mitt, when it comes to repealing Obamacare," charged fellow candidate Rick Santorum during a heated exchange in Las Vegas. "Your plan was the basis for Obamacare. Your consultants helped Obama craft Obamacare. And to say that you're going to repeal it, you just -- you have no track record on that that that we can trust you that you're going to do that."

Romney argued that the law he signed while Massachusetts governor was specific to the state - and that he never believed that it or anything like it should necessarily be imposed on the nation as a whole.

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"I was in interviews in this debate stage with you four years ago. I was asked about the Massachusetts plan, was it something I'd impose on the nation? And the answer is absolutely not," Romney told Santorum. "It was something crafted for a state. And I've said time and again, Obamacare is bad news. It's unconstitutional. It costs way too much money, a trillion dollars. And if I'm president of the United States, I will repeal it for the American people."

The former Massachusetts governor added that voters in his state supported his health care program three-to-one, and that the plan was a response to a state-specific need.

"We dealt with a challenge that we had; a lot of people that were expecting government to pay their way," he said. "And we said, you know what? If people have the capacity to care for themselves and pay their own way, they should."

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Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also hammered Romney for his health care plan, noting that while likening "Romneycare" to "Obamacare" was "not a fair charge," the Massachusetts plan was essentially "one more big government, bureaucratic, high-cost system, which candidly could not have been done by any other state because no other state had a Medicare program as lavish as yours, and no other state got as much money from the federal government under the Bush administration for this experiment."

"There's a lot as big government behind Romneycare," Gingrich added. "Not as much as Obamacare, but a heck of a lot more than your campaign is admitting."

Referencing the Newt Gingrich-affiliated Heritage Foundation's onetime support for the individual health care mandate, Romney fired back: "Actually, Newt, we got the idea of an individual mandate from you!"

"That's not true," responded Gingrich. "You got it from the Heritage Foundation."

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Gingrich added: "What you just said is not true. You did not get that from me. You got it from the Heritage Foundation."

"And you never supported them?" Romney pressed on: "Let me ask, have you supported in the past an individual mandate?"

"I absolutely did with the Heritage Foundation against Hillarycare," Gingrich said.

"OK. That's what I'm saying. We got the idea from you and the Heritage Foundation," Romney concluded.

"OK," Gingrich conceded. "A little broader."

Romney's support for the Massachusetts health care plan has been a constant source of criticism throughout his campaign, and he has repeatedly tried to distance himself from the accusation that President Obama used Romney's plan as the basis for his own controversial law.

On Tuesday, he continued his efforts to deflect that criticism.

"The best way to make markets work is for people to be able to buy their own products from private enterprises," he said. "What we did was right for our state, according to the people in our state. And the great thing about a state solution to a state issue is, if people don't like it, they could change it."


  • Lucy Madison

    Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.

Add a Comment See all 17 Comments
by Kattyusa October 19, 2011 2:46 PM EDT
I was so distracted by the uncalled for animosity displayed by Rick Perry last night.....When Perry first entered the race I had high expectations for him - I don't know why, maybe all the hype and suggestion of white knight on his charger...anyway, he certainly has not lived up to the hype. I am beginning to think he has so many negatives he tries to cover them up with his constant, and uncalled for attacks on Romney. Perry does not wear well. His physical stance reminds me of the high-school bully just waiting to pick a fight. With his solid backing on the immigration issues and bickering just doesn't do anything for me.
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by PatientAdvocate October 20, 2011 3:38 AM EDT
I was distracted by Romney's arrogance and defiance, especially on health care. When Gingrich and Santorum rightfully attacked Romney about RomneyCare and his lack of credibility on the issue, Romney got red-faced and angry. For some unknown reason Bachman came to his rescue and changed the subject. But you know, come to think of it, Bachman (who claims to be a conservative) never attacks Romney. Hmmmm. At any rate, Romney's temper and phony rhetoric are troubling. He says " well if they don't like it, they can get rid of it." However, the truth is once you put a big government entitlement in place that people get dependent on, it is not that easy to just get rid of. Romney has attacked Perry almost daily with inaccurate and false information (including fliers) about his record on immigration. So, as silly as it is, Romney's hypocrisy on immigration is fair game. Amnesty was yet another thing that Romney was for before he was against it.
by phillyfanaticoldtimer October 19, 2011 2:06 PM EDT
Newt won the debate....again. He is the only one with workable solutions. If the public can forgive the sins of JFK, Bobby, Teddy, MLK,and Clinton, why not Newt? None of his sins put America in jeopardy like some of these Dems. And he has a Contract with real solutions. I would vote for anyone but the Hunt or Paul for Prez but even the weaker candidates would not kill America as Obama and his Dem minions in the Senate have. And we all know Mitt would wipe the floor with Bama in a debate by just reminding voters of the huge list of failed Bama policies. That alone would take about an hour in a debate. LOL
Reply to this comment
by valwayne October 19, 2011 2:03 PM EDT
Romney did a great jobs! He clealy is the one that can best Unite the Republican party, independents, and democrats who realize what a disaster Obama has been to beat Obama in Nov 2012. And Romney has the most business experience to fix the disastrous economy Obama has inflicted on us and get Americans back to work. The Kool-Aide drinking left wing mainstream media knows all that so they will be after Romney, but then he should know that the mainstream media is on the Obama relection team, and be prepared for it. Hopefully? It always surprises me that Republicans tend to forget that!
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by davidbthelen October 19, 2011 1:59 PM EDT
Our nation and our world have many problems. It seems at times the glass is 99 percent empty. However, have you ever watched our returning disabled veterans racing in contests? They show all of us the glass is really at least 1 percent full.
We must believe in ourselves no matter how hopeless things may be.
If you add the glasses of everyone that are filled with hope, no matter how small, will cause all of us to reach goals beyond our wildest dreams.
I believe we will find synergy, if we just work together!

The following are two interesting videos worth watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPvgg_6hGOU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpECBDzOITE&feature=related

I believe we all are born with God given talents; however, many have not discovered these yet.
I believe we all have a small piece of solutions to our massive (US) economic challenges; though, we must all work together.
I believe you cannot build a house with one material; it will take several (siding, roofing, appliances) materials to build a home.
I believe we should stop worshiping those with lots of cash; you cannot find warmth or comfort lying within a barrel of cash like a home does.
I believe we should not just focus on a single nail or a single light bulb of a house; we need to appreciate all walks of life that build our whole economic home.
I believe hope is the number one ingredient to keep healthy cells healthy; without it, problems such as divorces, drinking and gambling will occur.
I believe in a better tomorrow, if we all just work together.

We are all on this huge ship called the USS America. We all agree our ship are heading in the wrong direction. You cannot change the direction of a large ship 180 in one swoop. It will take contest energy and time.
We must set certain stars (or lights of hope), as our guide for all of us to point our ship. Then we may again become that shining (hope) city on the hill for all to see. Then we may all feel our total glasses are now at least 99 percent full.
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by MassManny October 19, 2011 10:46 AM EDT
The Boston Herald column Newt referenced in the debate last night was by Margery Eagan, "Health-care agency sick" http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view/2011_1018health-care_agency_sick/ . It exposes the disaster of RomneyCare as it's playing out in Mass.

Other aspects of Romney's record still need to be exposed. See MITT ROMNEY'S DECEPTION, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwwcAa6nHm4
He actually promoted "gay marriage" -- implementing it in violation of the Constitution, without legislative authorization. Romney called the illegitimate court ruling "law."
Romney supported Kevin Jennings' "gay" propaganda in the Mass. public schools, a "Governor's Commission on Gay & Lesbian Youth," and Dept. of Educ. "Safe Schools" programs. He issued proclamations celebrating GLBT "Youth Pride" events.
Romney included Planned Parenthood and its $50 abortions in RomneyCare.
And more...
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by GrannyCares October 19, 2011 10:40 AM EDT
Thought the debate turned into a food fight, and CNN was after ratings -- not substance!

1 - Gingrich (Really seemed to be the only one that remained 'presidential' throughout the debate)

2 - Romney (Took a lot of blows, but still standing at the end)

3 - Cain (Also, took a lot of blows, but did not respond as professionally as Romney)

4 - (Distant Fourth) - Sanatorum -- strictly for throwing punches with some landing on Cain.

5 - Bachmann -- for repeating over, and over, and over that Obama was going to be a 'one term president', and again letting us know that she was a federal tax attorney

6 - Paul (Still Paul)

7 - Perry (He was not prepared again -- indicating that he was going to release another plan this Friday. Thought he really came across in a petty fashion. Perry -- in our view -- is not ready for prime time! The guy really seems to have an IQ deficit!)
Reply to this comment
by PatientAdvocate October 20, 2011 3:53 AM EDT
Here is what I believe to be a more thoughtful and fair analysis:

1- Gingrich (smart elder statesman, not afraid to attack Romney)
2- Cain (for standing up to the criticism without getting angry)
3- Perry (for doing better than last time, was more prepared, more confidence and passion about the need for energy independence)
4- Santorum-not afraid to call Romney on his lack of credibility
5- Paul- I don't understand his foreign policy, but he is an honest man
6- Romney-too slick, too polished, and too phony; I don't trust him. He got angry and lost his cool when attacked by SAntorum, Gingrich, and Perry; and then he called out Anderson ! Anderson ! to save him.
7- Bachman-I don't get why she runs to Romney's rescue when she claims to be a conservative. Do they have a financial arrangement worked out?
by empath06 October 19, 2011 8:57 AM EDT
They are all crooks looking to get the most from the leaders of big companies for their own self interest.
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by Hawkman74 October 19, 2011 7:37 AM EDT
Attacks on Romneycare aren't going to hurt Romney's poll numbers because its old news. All Romney supporters already know about Romneycare and have decided to support him anyway because it isn't a liability.
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by TheDetectiveInTheMirror October 19, 2011 7:32 AM EDT
As more and more Americans fall into poverty, instead of any honest assessment of our program in Massachusetts, or the nation's need for health care reform in general, you get this sort of knee-jerk idiocy, with Gingrich and Romney running from their own ideas, instead of addressing the actual realities.

The truth is, as Physicians For A National Health Care Plan point out, 'the reason we spend more and get less than the rest of the world is because we have a patchwork system of for-profit payers,' all of them, I'd add, seeking not the best answer for a patient's health, but to sell the most profitable services, devices and pills, many of them unnecessary. What Romney should say is that a) the cost containment problems presented by the Commonwealth's universal coverage were always planned to be addressed subsequently, as they are now by the move to substitute global pay systems for fee-for-service amongst providers, and that b) as Obama always pointed out before his usual dive into the arms of special, campaign contributing interests, that a true single-payer system would be of great advantage to the nation's peoples and industries, spreading risk over the entire pool of patients, and allowing for the elimination of all sorts of overlapping bureaucracies. Every other industrial country has healthier populations wildly more content with their healthcare than ours, at half the cost.

These people should try to understand not only Socialism, which in the age of massive markets is the only truly fair way of distributing the fruits of a huge, collective endeavors such as is our interconnected economy while preserving the price-setting and resource allocation virtues of free-markets, but why it is that the owners of property and their millionaire politician shills are so anxious to turn the entire concept into a Frankenstinian monster - and has nothing to do with the efficiency of crony capitalism, and everything to do with protecting their own obscene gains.

Meanwhile, misery and suffering and literal death and destruction face millions of our people, so that the rich can cavort in their limousines and twenty-thousand foot manors, and then joke about being unemployed as they seek, laughably, to call themselves our leaders.

This is life on The Wrong Side Of The Mirror.

The Detective In The Mirror
www.KurtLarsen.net
Reply to this comment
by allouchsit October 19, 2011 7:28 AM EDT
Perry needs to quit now and quit wasting our time and other people's money. What an embarrassment for the people of Texas that they elected this man twice! If Perry were nominated Obama would whip the daylights out of him at their first and only debate.

On the other hand, Romeny did extremely well against all comers last night. He was the adult in the room giving them all a lesson in simple civility. He will easily beat Obama, hands down.

The rest of them haven't got a clue which end is up.
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