CNN'S Lemon: 'At Least the President Is Trying to Reform Health Care'

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On Saturday's CNN Newsroom, anchor Don Lemon played a clip of his interview with Allen Hardage, identified as the director of America's Town Hall:

LEMON: Where was the outrage five years ago, ten years ago, 15 years ago? Why all of a sudden this outrage now? At least the president is trying to reform health care, so where did the outrage suddenly come from?

ALLEN HARDAGE, DIRECTOR, AMERICA'S TOWN HALL: Don, this is the second town hall he's done in the last week that I actually saw real Americans get up and ask questions. It wasn't a pre-selected group or a --

LEMON: But hang on, before you do that. Real Americans, that's another term that really sets people off.

HARDAGE: Well, let me tell you what I mean by that.

LEMON: We're all real Americans. Everybody.

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HARDAGE: Where anybody can get in and anybody can ask a question. And you have seen a completely different tenor in -- in the town hall he held on Tuesday and today, than town halls we have been seeing so far in this debate. That's what I mean by real Americans.

LEMON: OK. Or maybe you know what, the whole real American thing -- can we lose that real Americans?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure.

LEMON: Because everybody in this country, who is a citizen...

(CROSSTALK)

HARDAGE: Absolutely.

LEMON: ...we're all real Americans.

HARDAGE: Absolutely.

LEMON: And that is part of the issue that really sets people off and divides people. So let's get rid of that real Americans. We're all -- I'm real American. You're real American.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure.

LEMON: Conservatives, liberals, independents, we're all poor or rich real Americans.

HARDAGE: Absolutely.

LEMON: Continue your point.

HARDAGE: But here's my point. If we're going to open this debate up and have everybody come in and put their ideas forth. Virginia is absolutely right. He said it himself, this is a hard issue. So we need to -- we need to bring everybody to the table. Let's hear everybody's ideas and concerns, and come up with a consensus.

Lemon's defense of Barack Obama (at least the president is trying to reform health care) came as he asked why there's a "sudden" outrage.  The outrage has been building for months, as Obama set records for unprecedented spending and deficits, expanded federal meddling in banks and auto companies, fired executives and guaranteed the government would back up auto warranties.  The disastrous cap and tax legislation he's pushing through Congress will have a devastating impact on energy prices, destroy jobs, and give government even greater power. 

Now the man with zero credible executive experience wants to expand his authority over an additional one-sixth of the economy.

This wasn't the only time Lemon set aside any pretense of objectivity to laud Obama.  On November 1, 2006, he interviewed Michelle Obama at a birthday celebration for Jesse Jackson.  Santita Jackson, Jesse's daughter, became part of the segment:

LEMON: Are you ready to be first lady?

OBAMA: No comment.

LEMON: Where's hubby tonight?

OBAMA: He's coming. He is flying in. His flight doesn't come in until late. My date is Santita Jackson.

LEMON: Santita, get over here.

OBAMA: Get over here.

LEMON: Santita Jackson and Michelle Obama. Let me get you guys right here. Daughter of the great one who's turning 65. Wife of the great one now.

The great one now. Obviously, that journalistic detachment doesn't extend to people who use inflammatory language such as "real Americans," disparaged by the anchor Saturday as "another term that really sets people off."  Well, at least some people in the mainstream media.  It appeared as though Hardage was merely suggesting town hall participants are average citizens, rather than, as he said, "a pre-selected group." That wasn't good enough for Lemon, who bullied the guest into an admission that every citizen is a real American.

Several mainstream media types have gone to work for the administration.  Perhaps as Lemon reminds viewers that at least Obama is trying to reform health care, a White House opening for another dependable news reader will develop.                    


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Wait just a minute

Which party told us that protesters were un-American and didn't represent real America? Which party ran to the microphone to assure everyone that this is Astroturf? What party claimed they saw swastikas?

And which cable TV host tried to portray policy opponents as throwing down the "new n-word?"

Don Lemon, stick that indignation back up the ass it came from. If you want to be protected from insinuations, don't make them in the first place.

 

 

KC... Two

KC...

Two words...

Thank you.

If I had posted what I wanted, I couldn't have been as civil as you are here at the moment.

Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh

Count me in! And isn't

Count me in! Hey, Don!  Why the "sudden outrage" as you put it elsewhere, over the term Real Americans ?

And isn't Hardage a hoot.  "Real Americans" go to town hall meetings and sit quietly and listen respectfully while the President gives a 10 minute speech in response to a 30 second question!

You know, as the wheels started to come off this thing, I wondered how long it would take for a liberal to come up with the tired liberal whine...at least he's trying.....

Yep, that's what counts.

And where, oh where is the

And where, oh where is the outrage, OUTRAGE, over those folks who insist that they are not Americans, but are 'African Americans' and want to be 'seperate but (more) equal'? Why no problem with that divisive label? Ho hum, I won't hold my breath.

D

Write Congress and Senate and tell them what YOU think!

Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.

Or

Indonesian-Americans.

at least he's trying, mb

In ObamaWorld and other strains of virulent liberalism, it's always intent that matters, rather than action, isn't it?

..at least he's trying.....

Me too, I also don't get the "we've got to do SOMETHING" argument.  Throwing gasoline on a fire is "doing something" but it isn't really helping the situation.

 

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean that people aren't actually plotting behind your back.

terms like un-American, KC

are generally reserved for folks with obsolete and dangerous thoughts.  You know, stuff like the concept of limited government, personal responsibility, adherence to the Constitution. . .

Agreed

The most revolutionary thing the Founders ever did was consider revolution in the first place. Think about it; subjects of a king deliberately denied his authority over them. The revolution was in believing that they didn't have to take it.

I say that same spirit is happening here. We refused to be bullied by a king, no matter how highly he thought of himself. And here, we refuse to be bullied by the Democrats, no matter how highly they think of themselves. The Democrats tried to ram through a law that they hadn't read and didn't understand; but they came to town hall meetings to patronizingly "explain" and "inform" their constituents why it was needed. The people, however, refused to be disrespected that way.

The most American thing you can ever do is tell a politician to stick it up his ass.

ha..ha...hahahahahaha!

What. A. Schmuck! *snicker*

2010: A GOP Hill

When life hands you a

When life hands you a 'Lemon,' make a big batch of Vodka Lemon Sorbets, turn on some music, and chill out so you don't have to watch this tripe! :-D

 metaphorsbwithu

"Where was the outrage five

"Where was the outrage five years ago, ten years ago, 15 years ago? Why all of a sudden this outrage now?"

I think the outrage started when regular Americans realized that in Eubama's utopia, their 80 year-old mothers would be gently forced to accept death from their disease rather than treatment and then the money saved from keeping those old, useless fogies alive could be used for the more productive people in society, like free health care for low-wage illegals and sex change operations for would-be transexuals.

Why Was The Outrage........

Why was the outrage OK when it was against Bush? Remember those losers after Katrina crying about no milk for their babies? Remember the debit cards for food that bought wide screen TVs? Remember the claims that Bush blew up the levees? Remember the claims that help didn't arrive because of racism, even though the governor and mayor were minorities? In the meantime, there have been disasters all across America in predominantly white areas and the Messiah doesn't even mention them! Know why? Because they solve their own problems without crying! I bet they would have all kinds of government money and help if they were BLACK!

We need illegal aliens, winston

They help boost up "those without insurance" figures to make it a crisis demanding immediate action.

This punk was probaby six

This punk was probaby six when Hitlery tried to take over healthcare.  Now he's all grown up and his hero is trying it again and he can't figure out why people are upset.

Hey dufus:  We don't want socialism!  That's your answer.

Gawd, what a moron.  I doubt he'd be this upset if a white president was having difficulties.

 

I think this dork Lemon

I think this dork Lemon unwittingly threw his party under the bus since their congressional leaders brought up the term "un-American."  These libs get more foolish day after day with their rhetoric.

 

 When the people fear the government it's called tyranny, when the government fears the people it's called liberty!

This Dork Is....

This Dork is an example of affirmative action at work at CNN! You move a minority ahead of all others to achieve racial balance and end up with journalistic malpractice! Of course when you are the Communist News Network, malpractice is your calling card!

Americans

I would think that Americans are defined by people who want America to continue as America.  A Socialist, Statist, Marxist, Communist type of government is NOT American.  But, then again, I am not a ''soaring speaker'' and when I talk, I actually say something.

JMHO.

You Hit The Nail On The Head!

You hit the nail on the head, or rather the "Liberal" on the head! Real Americans don't look to Europe or Communism for inspiration! They look to American history and heroes for it! This Communist loving community agitator has an axe to grind with the very nation that allowed him to rise many times higher in society than possible in any other nation. In return, he visits other nations and thumbs his nose at us and has the "Audacity of Deception" to try and shove European Communism down our throats! True Americans love our country, are proud of our heritage, and DESPISE COMMUNISM! Do you understand that, Mr. Tele-Prez? If you don't now, you will in 2010, as will your Commiecrat buddies as they lose some, or perhaps all, of their power as "Real Americans" vote them out of office!

A real Lemon

Male cheerleader poses as journalist. Gimme a B....

Randy

LEMON: Where was the outrage

LEMON: Where was the outrage five years ago, ten yearsago, 15 years ago? Why all of a sudden this outrage now?

 

Either these people don’t get it or they are not trying.

 

It is not JUST the health care, it’s bail outs, government motors, it’s the bank take over, its housing take overs, it’s 35 Czars (that answer to no one but the chosen one) etc..... etc.......

 

These people cant be this stupid; they just have one talking point and stick to it.

 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

 

Dork

Isn't this the guy who's eyes were sticking out like ping-pong balls when an African correspondent disagreed with his "Obama is so unprecedented in his African popularity" and she told him "Bush was just as popular with Africans"?  Poor thing was speechless.

"at least he's

"at least he's trying"

yea, same could be said of Bush trying to fix Social Security, and Obama used his "trying to fix" against him in the compaign, scaring old people in Flordia.

I for one would have loved Bush's fix, but I doubt a single Lib would argree that "hey....he tried to fix it" no, they all say "thank God he failed."

 I've really had this conversation.

Questioning?

The mentally ill Nancy Pelosi says the protesters are "un-American". I say with great indignation; " ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY PATRIOTISM?" Hey Barack, trust me dude, you really DON'T want to hear what people are saying about you in "casual conversation". It aint a pretty picture,,,,,,,Dawg

This pretty faced airhead does not understand.

This pretty faced airhead does not understand. The president isn't just trying to reform health care, he's trying to re-form the United States of America. Health care is just incidental to Obama's plan.

A blast from the past:

  • Our second goal is high quality, affordable health for all Americans.
  • The American system of medicine is a model of skill and innovation, with a pace of discovery that is adding good years to our lives. Yet for many people, medical care costs too much, and many have no coverage at all.
  • These problems will not be solved with a nationalized health care system that dictates coverage and rations care.
  • Instead, we must work toward a system in which all Americans have a good insurance policy, choose their own doctors, and seniors and low-income Americans receive the help they need.
  • Instead of bureaucrats and trial lawyers and HMOs, we must put doctors and nurses and patients back in charge of American medicine.
  • Health care reform must begin with Medicare; Medicare is the binding commitment of a caring society.
  • We must renew that commitment by giving seniors access to the preventive medicine and new drugs that are transforming health care in America.
  • Seniors happy with the current Medicare system should be able to keep their coverage just the way it is.
  • And just like you, the members of Congress, and your staffs and other federal employees, all seniors should have the choice of a health care plan that provides prescription drugs.
  • My budget will commit an additional $400 billion over the next decade to reform and strengthen Medicare. Leaders of both political parties have talked for years about strengthening Medicare. I urge the members of this new Congress to act this year.
  • To improve our health care system, we must address one of the prime causes of higher cost: the constant threat that physicians and hospitals will be unfairly sued.
  • Because of excessive litigation, everybody pays more for health care, and many parts of America are losing fine doctors. No one has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit; I urge the Congress to pass medical liability reform.

~G.W. Bush| January, 2003~

medical liability reform

We now know that has absolutely nothing to do with health care costs.  Otherwise, Barry would be on the case, right?

MMB

Yeah, that was silly of President Bush to bring up TORT reform- that'll never work...

For one thing

W wasn't (isn't) a lawyer, so of course he see the forest and recognizes that while trees are in the way, some can be cut; ie. tort reform.

An attorney, on the other hand, is so enamored with the trees that he's blind to the forest.  His worry is that each "tree" IS the forest.  Remove just one, and the forest is no more. 

maybe obama will try to fix the world next...

to paraphrase Rush: liberals are always to be judged on thier intent, not the results of thier actions.

Two points I ...

Two points I want to make. First, Obama isn't trying to reform healthcare (Tort reform must occur before you can do anything with healthcare.). Obama is trying to put more controls on every American's life, except his elitist friends.

Second, these liberal SOBs are calling me and millions of other Americans "un-American". Anyone who is willing to put their live of the like to keep this country free is definitely not "un-American". We, who have served and who are currently serving in the U.S. Military are more American than the slugs in congress who are the one making the un-American statements and have never put on the uniform. There are some exceptions; Murtha is one of the slugs that comes to mind. Also, we veterans have more of a right to be able to speak our peace than most. And we definitely have more of a right than the current occupant in the White House.

Remember folks, Freedom isn't Free. It was bought with the blood and sacrifice of the men and women who are serving and who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know.

Also remember folks, that the way to SUPPORT THE TROOPS is to support their mission. Anyone who says that they support the troops but don't support their mission is lying about supporting the troops. And if you want to know, yes I do have a dog in the fight, he is a United States Marine.

 

Why is Barack Obama even interested in Health Care

"It's where the money is". Willy Sutton

A fascistic grab for power

Obama does not give a damn about America’s Health Care, for one thing neither he nor any other similar elitist would entrust his own health to the limited procedures that some nameless faceless bureaucrat says are permissible.

No, Obama and the Democrats are simply making a fascistic grab for power over a vital part of America.  May the b@stards go to Hell for their efforts.

- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.

At least ?

The Joker lies, doesn't he know it?

If you think Experts are Expensive

If you think experts are Expensive, try using amateurs to do the job.

This is what I told a major Financial Corporation once, when they said my bid was too high to rewrite their legacy computer system.

About 3 months later they wanted me to take over the rewrite, after the company they had hired had them in a worse mess than they had before they hired them.

My new bid was about 1/3 higher than my original bid, because I had to not only rewrite the system I had to contend with the 'Rookie Mistakes' made by the other company.

The Financial Corporation told me after I completed the job that the rewrite ended up costing them 2 1/2 times my original bid - not counting lost production costs.

The American Medical industry has the most educated and arguably some of the most brilliant people in America within its ranks.

Amateur Politicians now state they can make it better than the Medical Experts can, more affordable and available for everyone without raising costs?

Emergency Rooms have become the most brutalized area in a Hospital, not only raising operating costs for the entire Hospital but Health Insurance as well.

Amateur Politicians decided that any and everyone should be treated in the Emergency rooms, as a 'Sacrifice for the Common Good' regardless of the burden and expense.

Amateur Politicians now say that this is working so well, that they must 'Redouble Their Efforts' by brutalizing the entire Medical system to have the same operational rules.

If you think Medical experts were Expensive, wait until the Amateurs are finished.

Geek,

If you think experts are Expensive, try using amateurs to do the job.

What a fabulous and universally true statement.  It is at the core of everything that is upde'd in our government, and specifically Obama's administration.  Mortgage mess, banking mess, auto industry take-over, post office, tax policy, health care policy, foreign policy....on and on.

Would you mind if I borrowed it?  It is truly brilliant, thanks for making my day.   

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

President Bush tried to reform health care

President Bush had great ideas for reforming health care that wouldn't cause any of the 80% happy with what they have to lose it.  He proposed tort reform, allowing private citizens to ban together and get the same rates that big companies do (the left has now co-opted this with "exchanges"), and giving tax cuts and credits for people who purchase their own insurance

The Democrats blocked these proposals and gave no good reasons.  The media didn't even cover it.   All of the things he proposed could have been tried with very little risk. It's sad how the media let the Democrats get away with obstructing commons sense programs that most Americans would support by letting Democrats block them with impunity.

Unlike the Democrat Government Health Control plan, the Bush plan could have been undone pretty easily if it caused more problems than it solved (though I couldn't imagine how it could). 

I Guess Lemon...

...doesn't think advocating a competitive free market approach to health care/medical insurance and in the providing of services is an alternative.

--

We need to stop calling them "Progressives" when in reality they are big government "Socialists" who no longer value the individual's rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

CNN'S Lemon: 'At Least the

CNN'S Lemon: 'At Least the President Is Trying to Reform Health Care'

At least Jack the Ripper was trying to perform surgery. Does this excuse him? Next to "Obama inherited the problem", this trite excuse is annoying me.

The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.

This is not reform!

One of the most insidious myths of Obamacare is the notion that this is 'reform'. Setting up a system guaranteed to cause the existing system to fail and be replaced by an entirely new system is not 'reform'. This is like leaving home in the morning and telling the family you are going to take the car in for repair, and coming home in the afternoon with a new car.

This is why the Bamster cannot talk about heath care without his usual endless list of outright lies. He starts his speeches with lies, he answers questions from the press and the public with lies, and whatever the White House releases on health care is filled with his lies. They cannot afford to let on that this is not reform, but a complete replacement of private business with government bureaucracy.

Willie,

"This is like ...telling the family you are going to take the car in for repair, and coming home in the afternoon with a new car."

Very true, but I might add, it's like telling the family you are going to take the 2008 Honda Accord in for repair and coming home in the afternoon with a "new" 1970 Ford Maverick

The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.

Real Americans means All

Real Americans means All Americans, not just some hand selected synchophants asking prescreened questions.  That isn't American and they don't represent America.  Lemon knows this, he is just being a shill for the left blowing a smoke screen over the real issue.

When you don't give a segment of our society a voice, when you don't let them speak, you divide.  This administration has divided this country far more than any other in my life time.  Bush, as much as the libtards cried "bushitler", etc. never tried to silence them.  Obama and Emmanuel have worked tirelessly at not allowing Conservatives a place at the discussion by adhominen attacks, by ridiculing (teabaggers), by excluding (phoney townhall meetings).

They have built this trainwreck of a presidency and I for one am happy to see the Great and Mighty O's approval rating dropping faster than Rachel Maddows pants at a NOW convention.

 

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho

Lemon must have been residing in a cave back in 1993...

....when Broom Hilda was busy trying to foster HillaryCare on this nation.

Lemon must be one of these government-educated goobers who actually believes politicians like Reid, Pelosi, Waxman, Frank, Obama, et al., actually sit around in their plush D.C. offices fretting over his, and everyone else's, health care.

Hogwash.

All these people care about is acquiring more and more political power. Period. This is not about health care reform of any kind. Never has been, and never will be.

It is about government taking over 100% of our nation's health care system.

-Dave

Been Flagged yet? If not, try harder.

I'm certain

when Obama drug his grandmother back out from under the bus to lament her death from cancer he was touched by his thoughtfulness, compassion and angst.

___________________________________________ 
"The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax"  - HR 3200 (Health Care Bill) Pg. 203. Ln 14 & 15

              

                    I can't wait till all these people who went to work for obama get canned! Of course, they have been working for obama since he first started running for the office of King. It's strange for CNN to say "real americans", since they, & the govt., are pushing to put illegals on the healthcare plan.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The outrage was the same 15

The outrage was the same 15 years ago when Hillary tried to do the same thing: insert government where the private sector can do better.  You historically challenged journaist.

All history began 1/20/09

All history began 1/20/09 for the Obamabots....

OK, let's go through this again

"Where was the outrage five years ago, ten years ago, 15 years ago? Why all of a sudden this outrage now? At least the president is trying to reform health care, so where did the outrage suddenly come from?"

  1. Because, the USA cannot afford it.  The USA doesn't have the money.  Mandatory spending, as it stands now sans Obamacare, is already unsustainable.  This truly is "an inconvenient truth."  An 8-ton elephant in the room.

  2. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Health care in the USA is the best there is.

  3. Given the current economic fiasco, trust in the government is very low right now.

  4. The disdain and attempt at marginalization of the town hall and TEA protestors from the left-propaganda of the mass media fuels the outrage.  That is the nature of the human beast.  You wanna piss people off?  When they feel aggrieved, treat them with contempt.

"At least the President is

"At least the President is trying to reform Healthcare"

This is the essence of the debate:  The left has succeeded in making the debate one of 'what reform should be done 'rather than 'what reform is needed'. 

This is the big lie.  We live in a country where the Healthcare is simply the best and most available in the world.  100% of the people in his country have access to healthcare.  That is a fact.  A few people don't have health insurance who would like to have health insurance.  This number is less than 15 million people.  That is also a fact.  So how do this facts compel the need to completely destroy and recreate the healthcare system?

The entire debate is predicated on this lie.