Prefacing this question, a bewildered Roberts recapped, "We have the election, recent election in Massachusetts, where Ted Kennedy had been senator there for almost 50 years. Health care was very important to him. And a relative newcomer, a Republican, Scott Brown, wins..."
The Senator’s wife offered a condescending explanation for the failure, thus far, to pass government-run health care: "And people don't quite understand either the depth and the ramifications [sic], in spite of the President explaining it." Roberts didn’t press Heinz Kerry on this insulting remark.
Ms. Heinz Kerry was on, officially, to talk about surviving breast cancer. However, Roberts eventually turned the conversation to how Brown could have won: "When you see this great debate, this debate on health care reform. And now, it's been, in essence, put on hold because of what happened in your husband's state of Massachusetts, your state of Massachusetts, what's the answer?"
Heinz Kerry added of Brown: "So, you had a charming guy, who is very open and relaxed and outgoing." Roberts chimed in, "Drove a pickup truck."
A transcript of the January 17 segment, which aired at 8:17am EST, follows:
ROBIN ROBERTS: Heinz is so passionate about health issues that over the last 14 years, she has organized a Women's Health and environmental issues conference. When you see this great debate, this debate on health care reform. And now, it's been, in essence, put on hold because of what happened in your husband's state of Massachusetts, your state of Massachusetts, what's the answer?
TERESA HEINZ KERRY: There's more interesting ways of doing it. We underutilize our community health centers in this country. And there's amazing community health centers. I visited many of them in '04. And I would add more and more and more preventive care. Preventive care pays and pays and pays.
ROBIN ROBERTS: We have the election, recent election in Massachusetts, where Ted Kennedy had been senator there for almost 50 years. Health care was very important to him. And a relative newcomer, a Republican, Scott Brown, wins in a decidedly-
HEINZ KERRY: Yeah, five points.
ROBERTS: Yeah. What's happening?
HEINZ KERRY: I think it's legitimate fear, and, or, anger, that things aren't fast enough, partially based on the fact that the problem is so huge and vast, what we inherited in this country. And people don't quite understand either the depth and the ramifications [sic], in spite of the President explaining it. So, you had a charming guy, who is very open and relaxed and outgoing.
ROBERTS: Drove a pickup truck.
HEINZ KERRY: Oh, yeah. He seems nice. I’ve never met him. But, he seems nice. He seems friendly. Why not?
ROBERTS: Still flashing that Heinz candor. It made her a lightning run during her husband's presidential run. A run that came within three points of Heinz becoming First Lady. You know the scrutiny that Michelle Obama is under. Everything she says, how she dresses. Is there a little part of you that's like- "Glad I don't have to go through that. I can say what I want to say."
HEINZ KERRY: Well, you know, I'm thankful that I have a lot of work to do. And that I can do it. And I will always speak from my heart. And I don't speak with evil intentions. And I'm thoughtful. But she's very wise. And she's very wise. And I don't envy her job right now because it's such tough times globally. But she's young enough and has enough stamina and strength to be a very important support to her husband. And he needs it.
