Wow:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/...
Rep. Tom Cotton (R-AR) received a healthcare policy grilling from MSNBC's Chuck Todd on Obamacare during an interview on Thursday morning.
In the exchange the congressman from Arkansas said Obamacare was passed just "with Democratic votes."
"No, actually it was a Chuck Grassley Republican amendment," Todd quickly shot back, referring to Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-IA) amendment that essentially requires members of Congress and their staffs to use the Obamacare exchanges to get health insurance.
"It was drafted by Harry Reid's staff," Cotton said in response. "It was designed to ensure Congress had to eat their own cookie and understand what it was like. They have to go in and they realize that the websites are not ready and there is no privacy protections and they have less access to doctors. Democrats are refusing to take back the exemption that the Obamacare gave them. They had a simple choice. They can keep the government open and keep the special deal. That's not right, Chuck."
Todd bristled at that too.
"You keep describing it as a special deal," Todd then said. Cotton has argued that the Obamacare provision that offers healthcare subsidies to members of Congress is against the law.
"It's a special deal if you did it your way," Todd continued. "You would be taking away something else that people have, but if you work for the federal government because you work for a politician, you can't have that deal." - TPM, 10/3/13
Why does this blow my mind? Because Todd recently said calling out Republicans on their bull shit isn't part of his job:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/...
MSNBC host Chuck Todd said Wednesday that when it comes to misinformation about the new federal health care law, don't expect members of the media to correct the record.
During a segment on "Morning Joe," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) speculated that most opponents of the Affordable Care Act have been fed erroneous information about the law. Todd said that Republicans "have successfully messaged against it" but he disagrees with those who argue that the media should educate the public on the law. According to Todd, that's President Barack Obama's job.
"But more importantly, it would be stuff that Republicans have successfully messaged against it," Todd told Rendell. "They don't repeat the other stuff because they haven't even heard the Democratic message. What I always love is people say, 'Well, it's you folks' fault in the media.' No, it's the President of the United States' fault for not selling it." - TPM, 9/18/13
I don't know why the change of heart but glad to see Todd actually do his job. More of this please. In the mean time, if you want to donate or help fuel Senator Mark Pryor's re-election campaign, you can do so here:
http://pryorforsenate.com/