After a video of ObamaCare architect Jonathan Gruber declaring that the health care law only passed due to the "stupidity of the American voter" went viral over the weekend, the Big Three broadcasts networks were initially silent. However, on Thursday, CBS This Morning finally noticed the scandal as co-host Charlie Rose informed viewers: "A new controversy stirring this morning over the Affordable Care Act. An architect of President Obama's health care law says it was written to take advantage of what he calls 'voter stupidity.'"
Rose noted that "Republicans are fuming and the adviser is backpedaling" as he turned to correspondent Jan Crawford. Crawford began her full report by observing: "...the timing of this thing could really hardly be any worse. You've got open enrollment starting this weekend, the Supreme Court taking up a major challenge to the law. It's a time the administration was needing to build support and enthusiasm, but these comments are stirring more controversy than ever."
Crawford introduced a soundbite of Gruber's insulting remarks: "He was one of the most senior advisers helping to create the health care law and that's why people could not believe he said this." A clip ran of Gruber arrogantly proclaiming on October 17, 2013: "Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage and basically, you know, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically, that was really, really critical to getting the thing to pass."
Crawford pointed out "Those remarks weren't the only time Obama adviser Jonathan Gruber suggested the administration pulled a fast one with the law," as she highlighted another clip of him from October 4 of that year.
She emphasized Gruber's central role in developing ObamaCare:
Gruber was a key player in developing the law. The New York Times, in a glowing 2012 profile, said he not only "put together the basic principles of the proposal," but helped Congress "draft the specifics of the legislation." As a consultant, the government paid Gruber, an MIT economics professor, nearly $400,000 for that work.
Crawford concluded that Gruber's comments "have added to critics' continuing distrust of the law and the administration," who "say this is a defining moment that confirms their suspicions."
In one soundbite, Rush Limbaugh reacted: "The architect flat out saying they had to lie and he's joking about it with his fellow economics buddies."
In another clip, former Mitt Romney adviser Avik Roy denounced Gruber: "What you hear Jonathan Gruber saying in that video is exactly that, 'Yeah, we made false promises and we took advantage of the stupidity of the American people in order to get this law passed, and we're happy that we did.'"
Neither NBC's Today nor ABC's Good Morning America covered the growing controversy on Thursday.
Here is a full transcript of the November 13 This Morning segment:
7:33 AM ET
CHARLIE ROSE: A new controversy stirring this morning over the Affordable Care Act. An architect of President Obama's health care law says it was written to take advantage of what he calls "voter stupidity." Jan Crawford is in Washington, where Republicans are fuming and the adviser is backpedaling. Jan, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Insult Uproar; ObamaCare Insider Sorry for Calling Voters Stupid]
JAN CRAWFORD: Well, good morning. You know, I mean, the timing of this thing could really hardly be any worse. You've got open enrollment starting this weekend, the Supreme Court taking up a major challenge to the law. It's a time the administration was needing to build support and enthusiasm, but these comments are stirring more controversy than ever.
JONATHAN GRUBER: We were trying to control health care costs.
CRAWFORD: He was one of the most senior advisers helping to create the health care law and that's why people could not believe he said this.
GRUBER [AHEC CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 17, 2013]: Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage and basically, you know, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically, that was really, really critical to getting the thing to pass.
CRAWFORD: Those remarks weren't the only time Obama adviser Jonathan Gruber suggested the administration pulled a fast one with the law.
GRUBER [WASHINGTON UNIV. IN ST. LOUIS, OCTOBER 4, 2013]: They proposed it and that passed because the American voters are too stupid to understand the difference.
[LAUGHTER]
CRAWFORD: Gruber was a key player in developing the law. The New York Times, in a glowing 2012 profile, said he not only "put together the basic principles of the proposal," but helped Congress "draft the specifics of the legislation." As a consultant, the government paid Gruber, an MIT economics professor, nearly $400,000 for that work. His comments in lectures more than a year ago have added to critics' continuing distrust of the law and the administration.
RUSH LIMBAUGH: The architect flat out saying they had to lie and he's joking about it with his fellow economics buddies.
CRAWFORD: Gruber now is backing off those remarks, going on MSNBC to apologize.
GRUBER: I was speaking off the cuff and I basically spoke inappropriately and I regret having made those comments.
CRAWFORD: But on the defensive once again, the administration and its allies say Gruber's remarks weren't just inappropriate, but wrong.
DAVID CUTLER [FMR. AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ADVISER]: Every single time this issue came up, it was, "How do we explain things so that people can understand them?" Not, "How do we hide them?" Not anything about hoodwinking.
CRAWFORD: But skeptics say this is a defining moment that confirms their suspicions.
AVIK ROY [FMR. MITT ROMNEY HEALTH CARE ADVISER]: What you hear Jonathan Gruber saying in that video is exactly that, "Yeah, we made false promises and we took advantage of the stupidity of the American people in order to get this law passed, and we're happy that we did."
CRAWFORD: Now, Gruber's comments surfaced only after a Philadelphia man who was dubious about the law just started digging around on the internet and he found these videos online and this whole controversy took off from there. Gayle.
GAYLE KING: Alright, thank you, Jan.
