Fred Armisen playing Obama in a mock address to the American Nursing Association continually referred to healthcare legislation currently before Congress as "surprisingly unpopular."
"Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid have assured me that unpopular though it may be, in the days ahead this bill will be passed by both the House and Senate and sent to my desk for signature," assured Armisen.
"Finally, after decades of effort, we will have real healthcare reform even though, as I have said, it may not be popular. Or viewed favorably by Americans. Or what the people want us to do" (video embedded below the fold with transcript, h/t Story Balloon):
FRED ARMISEN AS PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good afternoon. Roughly sixteen years ago in 1993 and ‘94, a newly-elected Democratic President Bill Clinton working with the Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate attempted to pass the first serious health care reform in a generation. Predictably, the forces of the status quo went into action. The bill was attacked relentlessly. Unfairly distorted and became so unpopular it was finally abandoned. That fall of '94, the Democrat Speaker of the House was defeated in his own district and the Republicans took over both houses of Congress. I am here today joined by House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid to tell the American people this is not going to happen again. Now, polls may show the healthcare reform bill currently before Congress to be surprisingly unpopular.
KRISTEN WIIG AS NANCY PELOSI: They really don't like it.
WILL FORTE AS HARRY REID: I thought it would be much more unpopular. Much more popular, excuse me.
WIIG: I was stunned.
ARMISEN: All the same. It is not going to be abandoned. It is a good bill. A good bill hat we have perhaps failed to properly explain. Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid have assured me that unpopular though it may be in the days ahead, this bill will be passed by both the House and Senate and sent to my desk for signature. Finally, after decades of effort, we will have real healthcare reform even though as I have said, it may not be popular. Or viewed favorably by Americans. Or what the people want us to do.
Naturally the same forces that fought reform sixteen years ago are back trying to convince members of Congress that a vote for this legislation is political suicide.Now, granted this bill is very unpopular, but come on, does anyone seriously think Nancy Pelosi could lose in her San Francisco district? A place where Republican candidates often finish fourth behind professional dominatrixes - and homeless people. Let's get real, that's not going to happen.
Now, Senator Reid, I'll admit, is in a different situation. He's up for re-election this fall in Nevada where healthcare reform is especially unpopular. I'm not sure why, but it is.
Really, really unpopular. Angry mob unpopular. So let's be frank, Harry could lose this November, but let me make something clear, I don't think he will. Or at least it won't be because of this unpopular healthcare bill. After all, he's got other problems. Healthcare could poll at 100% and Harry Reid would still have problems. I think even Harry would agree he's not the most telegenic or charismatic guy around. Am I right about that?
Plus he has been hurt by some of the sleazy deals he cut with other Senators in order to get health care passed. I mean you have to acknowledge they were sleazy.FORTE: You're right, they were. They were.
ARMESON: I mean the Cornhusker Kickback. It just smelled bad.
FORTE: It did.
ARMESON: Also, Harry hasn't been able to spend much time back in Nevada campaigning as he's been tied up here in Washington working on this deeply unpopular healthcare bill. But that doesn't help. But still, I wouldn't count Harry Reid out. He's a scrapper. Plus even if he should lose, we'll still have enough Democratic senators for a majority. I mean, no offense.
FORTE: None taken.
ARMESON: I mean, who knows? We might even be better off without him. I don't know.
FORTE: Maybe.
ARMESON: But I'll tell you what, even with all of Harry's problems, I'll bet he makes it, although you never know. Nevada is weird. Now, Nancy here, I'm sure of. Come on, San Francisco.
WIIG: I feel pretty good.
ARMESON: As for myself, I will unfortunately not be on the ballot this fall. I wish I could be because unlike this healthcare bill, I am really, really popular. You'll see what I mean in 2012. Thank you and live from New York, it's Saturday Night!
Interesting how the folks at "SNL" really harped on how unpopular the bill is, and how Obama, Pelosi, and Reid are willing to force it through regardless of what the people want.
Nice to see some honesty in the media concerning this issue even if from a comedy show.
Although this wasn't very funny, this skit more accurately depicted what's going on with healthcare reform than what's been emanating from so-called "real journalists" for months.
Bravo, SNL. Bravo!
