Elizabeth Edwards questions Clinton's health care record
Elizabeth Edwards stepped up her attack on Clinton's health care record Monday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Elizabeth Edwards, the outspoken wife of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, stepped up her attacks over rival Hillary Clinton's record on health care Monday, alleging the New York Democrat abandoned her effort in the 1990’s to save "political capital."
In an interview with the New York Daily News, Mrs. Edwards said Clinton's first attempt at health care reform "failed when the Clinton administration….said, 'We're not going to use any more political capital on this, on the fight for universal health care.' And that's an important part that Sen. Clinton leaves out."
"The stick-to-it-iveness, the determination to get it done when there was opposition both from the Republicans and from the entrenched insurance interests, that part wasn't there," Mrs. Edwards added.
Edwards further alleged, as she did in an interview with CNN last week, that Clinton and her husband, then-President Bill Clinton, abandoned the health care fight in order to focus on passing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through Congress.
John Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, is heavily courting labor unions, many of which continue to adamantly oppose NAFTA.
While her husband often refuses to criticize his opponents directly, Mrs. Edwards has assumed an increasingly vocal role in the campaign. In the interview with CNN last week, she suggested Clinton had copied the Edwards health care proposal released months earlier.
"I don't call it Sen. Clinton's health care plan," she said last week. "I call it John Edwards' health care plan as delivered by Hillary Clinton. The truth is that anyone who tries to describe Hillary's health care plan will run through every material part of John's health care plan."
In the interview with CNN, Mrs. Edwards also said of Clinton's earlier attempt at health care, "I am glad she did that health care plan. I was impressed with her when she did it. But did she learn something from it? I can't see what she's learned."
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
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Does this woman have a college degree ? These are so pretty nonsensical things coming out of a senator's wife's mouth.
NO politician will invest political capital post-election, on these measures:
1. Social Security reform
2. Universal Health Care
3. Campaign Finance Reform
4. Constitutional Amendment on marriage definition
Those politicians who do try to make such changes are bogged down in Congress, or are abandoned by their own party. Greed and malaise are the order of the day for 99.8% of the United States' elected officials, and changes to the status quo are not welcome.
First off how can edwards wife say that its the john edwards plan? when clinton is the one who tried to pass it in the 90's? secondly elizabeth needs to shut her mouth and just stand there and smile. and let clinton win the campaign!!!
Breaking News!!!
John Edwards has picked a running mate...Her name is Elizabeth Edwards...
I love Elizabeth and I pray for her as she battles cancer but I need her to stop emasculating her husband. I am begining to wonder if she runs this campaign. Johnny Boy stop hiding behind Mama Elizabeth. Elizabeth, you want a cause to champion? You can champion health care but please stop taking direct shots at Hillary Clinton. It only makes your husband's campaign appear weak and desperate.
If anyone knows about health care, Hillary does. She's worked on this issue for almost two decades. At least she took a stab at it as first lady. I'd rather make an attempt than to not have tried. You won't know your weakness and strength if you don't try.
Edwards was in the senate, what did he do? I want him to run on his senate record if he dares....
She comes across as such a petty and bitter woman. Does not belong in the White House.
It is really hard to know where Elizabeth Edwards is coming from. It is almost like she doesn't want to be known for her courage under her Cancer diagnosis....she wants to be known for her divisive, provocative and hysterical unsubstantiated comments about Hillary Clinton. If this is the case, she is making the grade. Sad really.
I'd rather hear this from the Breck Boy himself, but either way, it's time to dispel the "inevitability" of Hillary once and for all by tearing her many new credibility gaps.
This is not the woman I would choose for first lady. I am quickly coming to dislike her more than I do Hillary and that's saying a lot.
ENOUGH...Elizabeth...pleaseeeeee...we would all like for you to just calm down and get used to the fact that John is not the front runner & at the rate he is going he probably won't be because of you & him spending all of your time going after another democrat for some silly reason every other day...it is really getting on our nerves...cnn please pass some of these e-mail messages onto the Edwards, please I beg of you...pleaseeeee
Liz, everybody feels terrible over your health ordeal, but you're making it tougher by the day to keep liking you. It has become quite irritating to hear you constantly bash Hillary. Can you just extoll your husband's qualifications without trashing her? Why do you keep attacking Hillary but hardly ever mention Obama? It's discouraging to see a woman repeatedly attacking the only woman candidate in the presidential race.
Go Hillary, Edwards doesn't know what she is talking about. Where does her experience come from?
mrs edwards feels she can be the pit bull for john, cuz who would pick on a woman with cancer. i think she is taking unfair advantage of the situation.
I wonder why John Edwards himself doesn't have the guts to speak up on issues, but rather seems to send his wife out to do so??? Why is he afraid to speak up on issues???
Who's running for president? Elizabeth Edwards? Or John Edwards?
If Edwards doesn't shut his idiot wife up, he'll never gain traction in the poles.
She sounds rather stupid. Hillary, no matter what Ms. Edwards thinks, has been trying to enact national health care since '92. Ms. Edwards sounds petty and shrill.
John, take charge, be courageous, and cut down Hillary yourself. Otherwise, you look like a wuss.
John Edwards is the ONLY candidate who has pointed the finger at our REAL problems in Heathcare. It is the LOBBIES, and these must stop and stop at once. Insurance and Healthcare run this country, just as the Unions used to do; their power and influence must be changed and changed at once. It will take a man, not a woman, with strong convictions to see this happen so that the ROOT of the cause of high priced insurance, and all medical related gouging can be stopped. If this problem isn't changed, no amount of effort will make Insurance and Healthcare work.
Elizabeth Edwards is using her public sympathy to attack Clinton and Obama while shielding her and her husband from any real rebuttle. That sympathy, in my opinion, has run out. Edwards is not even relevant at this point in the national debate. We should all ignore him unless he would like to come forward and start the discussion about his record and what he did in the Senate instead of leaving it to Betsy to fight his battles.
Again I ask, if this is such a wonderful package, why doesn't Senator Clinton introduce it as a bill and see how it flys. Perhaps she knows that it is doomed already. Makes good headlines, but the package won't fly.
This lady needs to shut it!
John Edwards doesn't learn, does he?
I don't really find Elizabeth in the position to be directing such comments to Hilary. After all, wasn't it Hilary who started the whole idea of universal health care in the U.S.? Seriously, I don't want to attack a sick person, but just stay in the hospital and watch some day-time soap opera.
Elizabeth Edwards is embarrassing herself, she's much better than this, she should stop the desperation tactics, attach republicans who have no viable healthcare plans!
I can't believe that John Edwards doesn't have the backbone to come out and speak out against his opponent, Hillary Clinton. The way he keeps his word that he's running a "clean campaign", yet uses his wife to provide the dirty attacks just goes to show what a true two-faced liar he is. How are those contributions from special-interest groups going for you -or should I say from the family members of the special interest groups. Go Hillary Go! I will caucus for you in Iowa!
Keep talking, Elizabeth. Keep talking.
You're only helping Hillary's cause. Your petty, bitter attacks on Hillary are doing wonders, softening Hillary's unjustified image as someone...well, like you.
Go Hillary!
John Edwards dirtbag slimeball ambulance chasing ways are directly contributory to our excessive health care bills. I despise his hipocrisy.
Yes, why doesn't Mrs. Clinton introduce her bill now if it is so great. She is a Senator. Is she afraid it won't fly?
I question Mrs. Edwards motives in her statements. I don't recall anyone seriously trying to put forth a universal, more or less, health care plan except Hillary and she got her head handed to her.
The U.S. cannot find the stomach to pass universal health care although they have no problem funding war costs.
It is amazing that the voters will provide an on call health team for our elected public servants but not for children.