She even told the former Fist Lady that "many people" felt her 1993 universal health care proposal was "ahead of its time." This lead to a question by an audience member who, in ‘93, just happened to have been on the Clintons's universal health care task force:
Robin Roberts: "What you said then in, in ‘93, many people felt it was just, in some ways, ahead of its, ahead of its time. Somebody that was there, and wants to ask you what is different now, between what happened then, and he is Dr. Steve Eckstat. He is, he works at the free clinic of Iowa. Doctor?"
Clinton: "Hello, doctor."
Dr. Steve Eckstat: "Morning. In 1993, I was a member of the Clinton Health Care Task Force when we were attempting to provide universal health care coverage of all Americans. We were unsuccessful, unsuccessful then and now the number of uninsured, 80 percent of whom are working families and individuals, has risen from 23 million in 1993 to over 46 million. If elected president, Senator Clinton, would you be willing to try again to provide universal health care coverage for all Americans and make that at priority for your administration?"
During a tease for the segment at the top of the 7am hour, Roberts offered a sympathetic spin of Clinton’s health care program:
Hillary Clinton: "Good morning. I'm delighted to be back here. It’s going to be fun. We’ll have a good discussion here today."
Roberts: "We will. It will be lively, I'm sure. And you have agreed to answer their questions on health care and veterans care. So we'll get your questions throughout the morning. And also, you at home, you can e-mail questions to the Senator at ABCNews.com, because health care, such a vital issue in this country. One in six Americans, one in six, no health insurance. So what can the Senator do to fix the health care system? Universal health care. When, when you hear that word, sometimes people think, oh that must mean that our taxes are going to be raised. We'll get to all those issues and so much more throughout the morning, Diane."
The first part of the town hall meeting, which aired at 7: 08am on March 26, featured Roberts asking such tough queries as whether it was unfair for liberals to attack Hillary’s support of the war. The ABC host also failed to press the Senator on what seemed like contradictions. At one point Clinton noted her support for the House bill to remove U.S. troops by summer of 2008 and then admitted that, as President, she would leave some troops in Iraq:
7:08
Robin Roberts: "We are back here in Des Moines for our town hall meetings. And with us this morning is Senator Hillary Clinton. The presidential candidates we're bringing to you. And the campaign trail right into your living rooms, as we love to say. And the main topics today , health care and veterans care. First of all, again, Senator Clinton, thank you very much for your time this morning. And I know how, already, you've been wanting to mingle with the people here and how important that is to you. We want to get to their questions on health care and that’s why they’ve come, but you’ve agreed also to answer some questions dealing with the news. Because, today, the Senate takes up their Iraq vote, the Iraq bill. We saw on Friday, the House-"
Clinton: "Right"
Roberts: " -historic, the way that they are calling for American troops to be out of Iraq by the end of the summer of 2008. Now, you have said that if this President does not end the war, if you are president, you will. So would you sign this House bill?"
Clinton: "Yes, I would. And I'm hoping that we can get it passed in the Senate. The problem is, it just takes more vote to get that done. We have to get more Republicans in the Senate and that's been a challenge for us, but we're working very hard to persuade our Republican colleagues to start this path toward redeploying our troops out of Iraq. The President has said he would veto the House bill. I'm hoping that if enough Republicans speak up, and we get enough Republican votes we'll be able to get something passed and then perhaps he will work with us to start to extricate ourselves from Iraq."
Roberts: "So you would sign a bill that has a hard, definitive deadline to get the troops out?"
Clinton: "Well, at this point, that's not possible. But if I were President, I would certainly work with the Congress to begin to withdraw troops. In fact, you don't need the Congress to tell you to do that. The President can do that on his own, which is what I wish he were doing. And it is a realistic time table to begin to move troops out. But you have to as President be judging what happens as you go. And I have said, it is likely we’d have to leave a smaller contingent of troops to deal with al Qaeda because they are Iraq and we can't afford to let them have a staging ground against the rest of the region, or against us from part of Iraq. And, you know, if the Iraqis began to defend themselves, we would want to provide logistical and training support. That's what I've been saying for a couple of years that's what most of the Democrats have been saying. So far, it's fallen on deaf ears of the President, but we're doing everything we can to set deadlines, set goals, to put in bench marks, to some way try to work with the President to begin to make this happen."
Roberts: "Everyone here is well aware of the criticism that you have received for voting for the war in 2002. You have taken responsibility for that. Just last week, your husband said it's unfair how some liberals have compared what you have said, and what you did to that of Senator Barack Obama who has said at the time he was opposed to the war. Is it unfair?"
Clinton: "Well, I think that we're all in this together now. The important point is that the Democrats are united and we have all put forth plans, we have all voted for plans to begin the phased redeployment of our troops. I think we've got to keep the focus on the President. You know, the President rushed us to war. He didn't let the inspectors finish their work. He has mismanaged this and this is his responsibility and it is very regrettable that President refuses to listen to the people of our country, to see what’s happening on the ground and begin to take steps to undo this policy. But I'm very proud that all the Democrats are saying the same thing. And that's what we should all be working towards is to begin to change this policy and get us on the right track."
Roberts: "Well, that is something that the country, I think, completely agrees on, on both sides about that."
A few minutes later, Roberts set up the question by Dr. Steve Eckstat, a former member of her ‘93 universal health care task force:
Roberts: "What you said then in, in ‘93, many people felt it was just, in some ways, ahead of its, ahead of its time. Somebody that was there, and want to ask you what is different now, between what happened then, and he is Dr. Steve Eckstat. He is, he works at the free clinic of Iowa. Doctor?"
Clinton: "Hello, doctor."
Dr. Steve Eckstat: "Morning. In 1993, I was a member of the Clinton Health Care Task Force when we were attempting to provide universal health care coverage of all Americans. We were unsuccessful, unsuccessful then and now the number of uninsured, 80 percent of whom are working families and individuals, has risen from 23 million in 1993 to over 46 million. If elected president, Senator Clinton, would you be willing to try again to provide universal health care coverage for all Americans and make that at priority for your administration?"
Clinton: "Well, doctor, I certainly would. It’s one of the reasons why I am running for president. I thank you for your work back in 1993. We had a dedicated group of doctors and nurses, hospital administrators and so many others who were working literally around the clock to try to achieve a health care plan that would be available, guaranteed, affordable for every American. I think we’re in a better position to do that today than we were back in ‘93 and ‘94. In part, because the number of uninsured has grown and it's hard to ignore the fact that nearly 47 million people don't have insurance. But also because, so many people with insurance have found it's difficult to get health care because the insurance companies deny you what you need. And so there are many millions of more people who have had that experience, either themselves or in their families. And a lot of businesses are now saying we can't continue to afford to do this and it's really hard for small businesses, but even for large business to complete in the economy, especially globally, if they have to pay the cost of health care. The other thing we have information about now is how much money we're not spending in the right way in our health care system. We spend more money than anybody in the world by a very big number, but we don't provide people insurance and we waste a lot of money and we don’t get the best results. And we don’t get the best results. So, for all those reasons, I believe the American people are going to make this an issue in the 2008 campaign. And as President, I believe I learned a lot back in 1993 and ‘94 about how to bring us together to actually start down the path of universal health care coverage. So, I’m very excited about it, because I know we can do this in America if we put our minds to it."
Roberts: "Dr. Eckart [SIC], thank you very much. And we'll have more of your questions throughout the morning. We spent twice as much in this country on health care than any other country in the world. So, we'll have much more with Senator Hillary Clinton throughout the morning."
