Will Media Notice Pelosi's Gaffe 'Medicare Established in the '50s'?

Will Media Notice Pelosi's Gaffe 'Medicare Established in the '50s'?

By Noel Sheppard (Bio | Archive)
May 13, 2009 - 10:04 ET

At the end of President Barack Obama's statement Wednesday morning concerning a number of pending bills before Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.) interrupted him to offer some truly sycophantic praise about all the good he's doing for the nation:

You, under your leadership and working with this Congress, have done more to promote healthcare to move it along, prevention, technology, the biomedical research, children's health, veterans' health, than has been done in our country since Medicare was established in the '50s.

Medicare was established in the '50s?

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Um, no Madame Speaker, for Medicare and Medicaid were both established under the Social Security Act of 1965.

Think media members when they report this interesting interruption at the end of this brief event -- pretty uncommon for someone to interrupt the President this way! -- will point out her lack of basic historical knowledge concerning this entitlement program?

Yes, that is rhetorical, as is whether or not anyone will challenge her statement even if she had gotten Medicare's commencement correct.

After all, doesn't her praise completely ignore the greatest expansion to Medicare in history, namely the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2003?

How silly of me, for the only thing that happened that year as far as the media are concerned was the invasion of Iraq.

Please accept my apologies for bringing it up.

For those that can stand it, here is the complete text of what Pelosi said at the end of the President's announcement:

Mr. President, may I say something? You talked about what happened this week, but I think it's important to note that under your leadership, since you became President, whether it was signing and taking the lead on the SCHIP, the children's health insurance, or the health IT that is in the recovery package, or other legislation that has gone along. You, under your leadership and working with this Congress, have done more to promote healthcare to move it along, prevention, technology, the biomedical research, children's health, veterans' health, than has been done in our country since Medicare was established in the '50s. So, already you have a remarkable record where down the path we're going to get the job done. But I thank you for the leadership you have provided already this year.

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.

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Fading memory

May 13, 2009 - 10:16 ET by pickersenior

Long term memory goes first.

Medicare in '65, the EIT briefings in '02.

What's next?

"if liberals didn't live it, it doesn't exist"

Her depends...

May 13, 2009 - 11:05 ET by NavyBuckeye

that is what will go next....scary consdiering the amount of crap that comes from her.

"You see Obama is going to tax those not payin taxes...those making
over 97,000 dollars ayear. Once you make that much you don't pay
taxes...he's going to make them pay. And I will finally get a break." -My mom who is on welfare and foodst

Medicare, The 50's, Five....

May 13, 2009 - 10:19 ET by GeneralAl

Hey Pelousy, were we losing 500 million jobs a month back in the 50's when Medicare began? I bet you were never told it was going to be paid for with tax increases either! I figured out your problem with water boarding.You thought they meant skate boarding and said "What a wonderful way to get them to talk!"

She'd be a funny SNL

May 13, 2009 - 10:20 ET by tater

She'd be a funny SNL skit.

If she wasn't really the Speaker of the House.

www.theholyrosary.org

"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we can not resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary." -Sister Lucia

Hey Tater, Pelosi isn't ...

May 13, 2009 - 10:33 ET by SentryDan

Hey Tater, Pelosi isn't Speaker of the House, she is dictator of the House.

I'm sure Pelosi remembers everything about the 50s (NOT) since she was only a teenager at best and at worst a preteen. Bet she even had a crush on Elvis.

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.

and obama isn't prez either

May 13, 2009 - 10:48 ET by TruthMonger

and obama isn't prez either - just a new form of the wizard of oz - so pelosi - or anyone - can feel free to interrupt

it would be nice to find out who's behind the curtain sometime soon - if possible - being old-fashioned i like to know who the real potus is at all times

Palin/Prejean 2012

Soros

May 13, 2009 - 11:25 ET by kg

"DumbAssity of Dope"

GAAAHHHH!!

May 13, 2009 - 10:21 ET by Scuba Dude

That picture of "Lefty" Pelosi is frightening!!!

The press has ignored all her lies about when and what she knew about waterboarding. I do not think there is a snowballs chance in you know where for them to even bring this up. The words of adulation and praise for Bambi Obama must not be sullied.

"The wrOng ONE was elected"

True Scoobs

May 13, 2009 - 11:14 ET by Blonde

They don't call her "Popeye" for nothing!

I hope he fails, too.

Those are the kinds ...

May 13, 2009 - 10:26 ET by SentryDan

Those are the kinds of statements made by someone who is senile. Apparently Pelosi has lost the ability to remember things, as is evident by her statements concerning when medicare started and what when on in the classified briefings on the interrogation techniques being used by the CIA/U.S. Military.

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.

I'm not a psychologist, but

May 13, 2009 - 11:10 ET by mattm

I'm not a psychologist, but then who is? Anyway, I don't think it's senility.

My theory is that liberalism is a denial of reality, and that in order to remain a liberal for a long period of time, one has to deny reality for long periods of time. You also have to isolate yourself in a cocoon - like Washington D.C., where the lies of liberalism are reinforced every day and the truth is suppressed because it is considered politically incorrect.

However, since nobody can totally isolate themselves from reality, and since deep down even the self-deluded know they are lying to themselves, violent inner conflicts arise within their minds. The truth is constantly trying to rise to the surface and they are constantly trying to beat it down.

After 30 or 40 years of this, the mind is bound to shut down at some point.

When Injecting Botox, Do Not Insert The Entire Needle

May 13, 2009 - 10:30 ET by dbo

Pelozi is also too ignornant to realize that natural gas is a fossil fuel.

Interesting concept.

May 13, 2009 - 14:32 ET by Willis_Leon_Johnson

Taken in the context of this thread....

Does that mean when she 'breaks wind', it's a fossil fuel?

http://gjresult.com

I'd rather be waterboarded

May 13, 2009 - 10:31 ET by Texasteacher

I'd rather be waterboarded than deal with anything this idiot b**** says. She truly represents san fran values, doesn't she?

Speaking of waterboarding, is it any worse than having your older sibling/cousin/etc. hold your head underwater for a few minutes when you were a kid?

obama's notion of bi-partisanship is telling conservatives to shut up and do what he wants.

If they hold you til you feel like you're drowning, sure.

May 13, 2009 - 13:04 ET by mvfreeman

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=water+boarding&aq=0&oq=water+bo

I had some mean-a**

May 14, 2009 - 09:17 ET by Texasteacher

I had some mean-a** brothers...

obama's notion of bi-partisanship is telling conservatives to shut up and do what he wants.

SSI

May 13, 2009 - 10:32 ET by jessieH

jessieH 1. How much money has been paid into SSI since it was started. 2. How much has been paid out to the people. 3. How much did congress steal from it.

Hey Jessie, it all started ...

May 13, 2009 - 10:40 ET by SentryDan

Hey Jessie, it all started under LBJ. That's when the congress started raiding the Social Security "Lock Box". I guess the "Lock" on the lock box wasn't big enough to keep the liberal thieves out.

Social Security was started under FDR. Not sure of the initial rate or cap. So I don't know how much was taken in so far or how much hs been paid out.

But the lock box contains IOUs from the government for government bonds. How much are those worth?

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.

It's a hard number to track down

May 13, 2009 - 14:39 ET by Willis_Leon_Johnson

The total of IOUs is an unknown, and will remain that way until we get HONEST congress people.

Estimates of the total debt including future benefits to current workers is around 45 Trillion dollars.

The future of Social Security is bleak.

On the other hand, the congresional 401k is bulging with cash that belongs to our 'representatives'.

And I'm not sure what the 'match' is, or the limits on how much a member can put in, but I feel confident that NO PRIVATE 401k can hold a candle to it.

http://gjresult.com

I thought that for the most

May 13, 2009 - 10:42 ET by BKeyser

I thought that for the most part, we should expect an illiterate interpretation of history from Joe Biden...

I mean Harry Reid...

ooops- Tim Gei... no wait, John Murth... dammit- who rattled off this incoherent drivel again?

Oh, that's right! The last bastion of integrity and honesty, Nancy Pelosi! You go girl! (She'll answer this by saying she was NEVER told that medicare was actually being used in the 60's, only that it was authorized by the Bush administration around that time.)

Pelosi

May 13, 2009 - 10:46 ET by QueenMum

This is serious. Pelosi is clearly losing her cognitive skills and should step down. The position of Speaker is too important to be held by someone who continues to misspeak like this. I honestly don't think it's partisanship anymore. The errors are becoming more and more blatant and outrageous. I'm sure Robert Byrd could use some company there in the nursing home. (No offense meant to anyone who has a loved one in a nursing home.)

GO CAVS!!!!!

I never had much of an

May 13, 2009 - 10:55 ET by balboa

I never had much of an opinion on NP before, but having seen her waffling about the waterboarding and when she knew, what she knew...YIKES.

Check this out...

May 13, 2009 - 13:09 ET by mvfreeman

Never been much of a Jon Stewart fan but he hammers Pelosi in this one...

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=227326&title=waffle-house

Me neither, but I have to

May 13, 2009 - 13:29 ET by motherbelt

Me neither, but I have to admit that's rich!!

They might say "Wow, that sucks!" But at least they'll say "Wow!" -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes

Heh.

May 13, 2009 - 13:44 ET by mvfreeman

Hoisted by her own petard.

Loving every minute of it.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09122/967159-109.stm

I just love it when what goes around finally comes around.

The great society

May 13, 2009 - 11:02 ET by 10ksnooker

It was a crock from the beginning.

She must have meant.....

May 13, 2009 - 11:02 ET by AZTech2020

HER 50's.......yeah, that'd put it at about her true age, dontcha think??

Nothing New Here

May 13, 2009 - 11:06 ET by slickwillie2001

I don't see a significant change in Princess Nan's mental abilities; for as long as she's been in the public spotlight she has been considered as dumb as a box of rocks. The liberal media may only now be considering showing that to us. It appears that other democratics and the media are very close to throwing her under the bus. They will support her vigorously, until they don't.

Last week Denny Hoyer suggested that if there is a Congressional investigation of waterboarding, that Pelosi should be one of the first on the witness stand (Ref). That was a huge step for Hoyer to take and it is ominous for her royal highness.

But make no mistake, the Bamster opened this can of worms. He said he wanted to be a new kind of leader, move on, look forward, etc. Then he decided to go the banana republic route and go after his predecessors. Now he seems surprised that VP Cheney and others are fighting back and Princess Nan is looking like collateral damage.

On the other hand, -a more interesting question, —does the Bamster and his Chicago Outfit perhaps know what they are doing? Knowing that his personal record on this is somewhat clean, is the Bamster doing this to tilt greater power towards himself vs Congress? Does he have a problem with the Princess? Does he want to, in effect, replace her with someone that will be beholden to his visage for the job of Speaker?

Rush today

May 13, 2009 - 12:21 ET by seven

Rush says Hoyer is tight with Rahm. If Rahm wants out of the way, it will be so. I think Obama may be done with her and her usefullnes is over. He will get her out. The tentacles from the Whtehouse over reach daily.

Well, let's see. Have

May 13, 2009 - 11:15 ET by fitzfong

Well, let's see. Have they bothered to notice Stretch Pelosi's blatant fabrications about her endorsement of waterboarding? No. Have they bothered to notice the "stimulus" foreclosure brokerage kickback that Dianne Feinstein secured for her husband's real estate business? No. Have they bothered to notice Schmuckie Schumer's overt theft of Michael Steele's credit report? No. Have they bothered to notice Harry Reid's litany of illegal land deals? No. Have they bothered to notice that the Treasury Secretary, a serial tax cheat, has a conflict-of-interest a mile wide? No. Sure, ABC did an investigation into Jack Murtha's multi-million dollar, taxpayer-funded vanity project, but nobody bothered to follow up on it. So, I think you can expect the media not to pick up on Stretch's latest gaffe.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill

A Question for Nancy

May 13, 2009 - 11:19 ET by Red Jeep

A reporter should ask Nancy which President signed Medicare into law, Truman or Eisenhower?

Speaking of Medicare

May 13, 2009 - 11:19 ET by StarAZ

Is everyone enjoying the choreography of this? First, it's in the "stars" to do something about health care...the, oh, look, Medicare tanking...and the nice ins companies say they will be able to cut costs now that you mention it...etc. This guy gets it:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2009/05/12/20090512robb13.html

oh sure

May 13, 2009 - 11:46 ET by candance

See this was back in 1950, when FDR went on TV to declare the depression over and the war mission accomplished. The Fox network picked it up in all 57 states.

Incidentally, we really should give the government some kind of trophy - they've managed to bankrupt a "foolproof" program in less than one lifetime.

I'm glad you cleared that

May 13, 2009 - 14:47 ET by QueenMum

I'm glad you cleared that up, candance. My family didn't get a tv until 1954, so I guess we missed it. :)

GO CAVS!!!!!

And thes SOBs kept saying

May 13, 2009 - 12:18 ET by RR GOP

And thes SOBs kept saying George Bush is an idiot.

I think these clowns have easily won the idiocy contest.

One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).

Hideous

May 13, 2009 - 12:32 ET by BDelaney

I was scrolling down and I saw this hideous troll waving her finger! Just Princess Pelosi (Pro-abortionist, not just pro-choice)

My girlfriend and I were

May 13, 2009 - 12:52 ET by bigtimer

My girlfriend and I were having coffee this morning listening to this...we both almost needed a spew alert except for the fact that anything coming from Pelosi is usually a lie...for us it was comical though...she couldn't have been attempting to kiss butt anymore than she was with her rhetoric at that moment, let alone her own job...anybody notice Hoyer wasn't exactly shaking his head up and down in agreement? I always notice him when he has to be in situations with Pelosi most times...he is still fuming over her taking what he was next in line for...Speaker of the House.

Actually, it is starting to be too much fun with the dems at times.

Is Pelosi going to make a statement anytime soon where she admits she once again had her facts wrong?

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

We need to abolish medicare

May 13, 2009 - 13:00 ET by goldbar

We need to abolish medicare and medicaid and all forms of socialized medicine. I'm tired of paying for someone else's medical bills.

goldbar: Although I

May 13, 2009 - 13:07 ET by QueenMum

goldbar: Although I understand your basic premise, the problem I see is that we already have elderly people who did work hard and pay taxes all their lives and consider Medicare to be their due. They're not all deadbeats who've failed to plan for their old age. Medicaid is another subject.

GO CAVS!!!!!

That's the best you could do?

May 13, 2009 - 13:10 ET by Blonde

Sheesh.

I hope he fails, too.

Senator Threatens to Call Pelosi as Witness

May 13, 2009 - 14:02 ET by slickwillie2001

Another shot at Princess Nan: Lindsey Graham Threatens to Pull Pelosi into Torture Probe: http://thehill.com

"Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), an influential Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has threatened to call House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) before the Senate for an investigation of abusive interrogation techniques used during the Bush administration."

Is that a bus I hear warming up over there?

Did McCain's thorough beating in the general election straighten out Graham?

Hey slick... Thanks for this

May 13, 2009 - 14:07 ET by bigtimer

Hey slick...

Thanks for this info...I just hope McC doesn't take him aside again and make him see things differently like he has before, which has been maddening over the past years on the Senate floor, with bills/amendments regarding votes later.

I sure appreciate this news...

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Nan's Scared, Very Scared

May 13, 2009 - 14:30 ET by stratman

My take on this is Pelosi's very afraid of losing her position. She has been caught in a series of lies concerning EIT's. This particular bootlicking scene with his eminence MaoBama was to ingratiate herself, simultaneously hoping he won't throw her under the bus and maintain good grace with the Obamanuts.

Pelosi has also announced the imminent victory for Obamacare this summer, a blatant attempt to change the subject away from her lies.

BO wants her out

May 13, 2009 - 15:29 ET by Truthtalk

No way the media has decided to suddenly do their job and start calling attention to these lies. If so they would have gone after Biden instead of just chuckling about Joe being Joe. No way Stewart would dare say anything bad about a dem, unless the message came down that it's ok. Obama wants her out so he has more control. Pelosi is sucking up to him to try to save herself. If this is what it takes to get rid of her, fine. She's dangerous to the country.

Hi Tt... Yep...and Hoyer is

May 13, 2009 - 15:35 ET by bigtimer

Hi Tt...

Yep...and Hoyer is waiting with anticipation!

He and Rahm were buddies also for years in the House.

Nothing like watching the left eat each other....and they talk about the repub party in-fighting.

It's all getting to be delicious to behold at times.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

This infighting is nothing

May 13, 2009 - 16:07 ET by NL207

This infighting is nothing new for people of this political stripe. The French Radical Republicans eventually guillotined one another after they exhausted the ready supply of French nobility. Most of the dreaded Committee for Public Safety fell under the blade themselves.

Hi NL.. I didn't know

May 13, 2009 - 16:20 ET by bigtimer

Hi NL..

I didn't know that...always love NBs for that very reason, always, always learning from others.

...thanks.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Pelosi

May 14, 2009 - 02:35 ET by LoosMoose

>> "Um, no Madame Speaker"

actually... when she steps out of the hall, she is Rep. Pelosi, she is only madame speaker when in the building. They should stick that to her ever chance, and maybe it would remind her also that she is not Sec. of State since she has assumed that role on her own in the past.