PUERTO RICO AND MEXICO COMING UP.
>>> IN WASHINGTON TODAY, REPUBLICANS CONTINUED TO TRY TO
PUSH THE GRAHAM/CASSIDY BILL TO REPEAL OBAMACARE.
LAST NIGHT, ON HIS SHOW, JIMMY KIMMEL TOLD HIS AUDIENCE A
CO-SPONSOR OF THE BILL, REPUBLICAN SENATOR BILL CASSIDY,
LIED TO JIMMY KIMMEL'S FACE SAYING THAT SENATOR CASSIDY SAID
SHE WOULD NOT SUPPORT A BILL TO CAUSE ANYONE TO LOSE HEALTH CARE
COVERAGE. >> NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED TO BILL CASSIDY BUT WHEN HE WAS ON THIS PUBLICITY
TOUR HE LISTED DEMANDS FOR A HEALTH CARE BILL VERY CLEARLY.
THESE WERE HIS WORDS. HE SAID HE WANTS COVERAGE FOR
ALL. NO DISCRIMINATION BASED ON
PREEXISTING CONDITIONS. LOWER PREMIUMS FOR MIDDLE CLASS
FAMILIES AND NO LIFETIME CAPS. GUESS WHAT.
NEW BILL DOES NONE OF THOSE THINGS.
SO, NOT ONLY DID BILL CASSIDY FAIL THE JIMMY KIMMEL TEST, HE
FAILED HIS OWN TEST. AND THIS GUY, BILL CASSIDY, JUST
LIED RIGHT TO MY FACE. >> TONIGHT, PRESIDENT TRUMP
TWEETED IN SENATOR CASSIDY'S DEFENSE SAYING, SENATOR, DR.
BILL CASSIDY IS A CLASS ACT THAT CARES ABOUT PEOPLE AND HEALTH
CARE. HE DOESN'T LIE, JUST WANTS TO
HELP PEOPLE. SO, A PROVEN LIAR SAYS THAT BILL
CASSIDY DOESN'T LIE. JUST WANTS TO HELP PEOPLE.
JIMMY KIMMEL SAYS THAT HE LIED TO MY FACE.
SO, WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE?
THE GRAHAM/CASSIDY BILL FOLLOWED THE PRESIDENT TO THE UNITED TED
NATIONS TODAY. >> IS GRAHAM/CASSIDY GOING TO
PASS? >> I THINK IT'S GOING TO PASS.
IT HAS TREMENDOUS SUPPORT OF REPUBLICANS.
47 OR 48 ALREADY. SENATORS.
AND A LOT OF OTHERS LOOKING AT IT POSITIVELY.
I THINK THERE'S TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FOR IT.
I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY MUCH BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS SHOT
WHICH WAS VERY SADLY LET DOWN. >> REPUBLICAN SENATOR CHUCK
GRASSLEY, A MEMBER OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH ONE
HEARING ON THE BILL NEXT WEEK, DID NOT TRY TO JUSTIFY THE BILL
TODAY ON ITS SUBSTANCE. HE SAID, Y YOU KNOW, I COULD MAE
GIVE YOU TEN REASONS WHY THIS BILL SHOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED BUT
REPUBLICANS CAMPAIGNED ON THIS SO OFTEN THAT YOU HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY OUT WHAT YOU SAID IN THE CAMPAIGN.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH AS MUCH OF A REASON AS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
BILL. SENATOR GRASSLEY WAS ASKED IF
THERE ARE ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS THE BILL IN THE SENATE AND HE
SAID, NO. I THINK WE'RE ONE OR TWO VOTES
SHORT AND I DON'T SEE THOSE OTHER ONE OR TWO VOTES COMING.
I HOPE I'M WRONG. MAJORITY LEADER MITCH
McCONNELL'S SPOKESPERSON RELEASED A STATEMENT TODAY
SAYING IT'S SENATOR McCONNELL'S INTENTION TO BRING THE BILL TO
THE FLOOR NEXT WEEK. TODAY, ANOTHER REPUBLICAN
GOVERNOR OF A STATE THAT WOULD TAKE A BIG LOSS FROM THE BILL
CAME OUT AGAINST IT. NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS
CHRISTIE SAID I OPPOSE GRAHAM/CASSIDY BECAUSE IT'S
INYOUR YOU TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY.
I WON'T SUPPORT A BILL TAKING $4 BILLION FROM PEOPLE IN THE
STATE. JIMMY KIMMEL HAS ASKED SENATOR
CASSIDY TO STOP USING HIS NAME TO JUSTIFY HIS LEGISLATION.
USING JIMMY KIMMEL'S NAME TO JUSTIFY THE LEGISLATION.
WHEN KASIE HUNT ASKED SENATOR CASSIDY ABOUT THAT TODAY HERE'S
WHAT HAPPENED. >> SENATOR CASSIDY, CAN I ASK
YOU A QUICK QUESTION? >> YES.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT THE LEGISLATION PASSES THE JIMMY
KIMMEL TEST? >> ABSOLUTELY.
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE IN STATES LIKE --
>> HE CALLED YOU A LIAR LAST NIGHT.
>> A PERSONAL ATTACK. I CAN'T HELP THAT BUT IF YOU'RE
IN TEXAS OR IF YOU'RE IN MAINE, VIRGINIA, MISSOURI, THERE WILL
BE RESOURCES IN THE STATE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE YOU COVERAGE
AND PROTECTIONS FOR PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
>> STATES WOULD BE ABLE TO NOT COVER PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS. >> THAT'S NOT TRUE.
>> WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THIS GARBAGE?
COMPLETE GARBAGE. >> THE LEGISLATION -- SIGH THAT
NOT -- >> NO, NO.
>> SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT THE STATE APPLYING FOR A WAVER TO
ENSURE THAT THOSE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITION ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE COVERAGE. >> WHAT DOES AFFORDABLE MEAN?
>> THE GARBAGE THAT SENATOR GRAHAM WAS ANGRILY ACCUSING
KASIE HUNT OF TALKING ABOUT IS IN THE GRAHAM/CASSIDY BILL.
UNDER THE CURRENT LAW, THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PROVIDES A
NATIONAL GUARANTEE TO EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT THEY
CANNOT BE DENIED INSURANCE BECAUSE OF PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS. THE GRAHAM/CASSIDY BILL LEAVES
THAT ISSUES TO THE STATES. SOME STATES SURELY CONTINUE TO
REQUIRE COVERAGE FOR PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS AND SOME
STATES WOULD NOT. AND ANY STATE COULD DROP THAT
COVERAGE AT ANY TIME. THERE WOULD BE NO FEDERAL
GUARANTEE LEFT. TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT TWEETED,
I WOULD NOT SIGN GRAHAM/CASSIDY IF IT DID NOT INCLUDE COVERAGE
OF PRE-EXISE-EXISTING CONDITION. IT DOES.
A GREAT BILL. REPEAL AND REPLACE.
ONE THING ALL REPUBLICANS HAVE AGREED ON IN THEIR LEAKS TO THE
PRESS ABOUT THEIR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT ON HEALTH
CARE IS THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IS IN ANY OF THE
HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE CONGRESS
THIS YEAR. TODAY, PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID
THIS. >> WHEN I SEE PEOPLE TRYING TO
UNDO THAT HARD WON PROGRESS FOR THE 50th OR 60th TIME, WITH
BILLS THAT WOULD RAISE COSTS OR REDUCE COVERAGE, OR ROLL BACK
PROTECTIONS FOR OLDER AMERICANS OR PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS, THE CANCER SURVIVOR, THE EXPECTING MOM OR THE CHILD
WITH AUTISM, OR ASTHMA, FOR WHOM COVERAGE ONCE AGAIN WOULD BE
ALMOST UNATTAINABLE, IT IS AGGRAVATING.
AND ALL OF THIS BEING DONE WITHOUT ANY ECONOMIC OR
ACTUARIAL, PLAIN COMMON SENSE RATIONALE, IT FRUSTRATES.
>> WE ARE AWAITING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TWEETED RESPONSE TO
THAT. JOINING US NOW IS HOWARD DEAN,
MEDICAL DOCTOR, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
COMMITTEE AND A MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST.
ALSO, JENNIFER ROBNER AT KAISER HEALTH NEWS AND SHE WAS AN
ADVISER ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WHEN THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION WAS WORKING ON IT.
GOVERNOR DEAN, FIRST OF ALL, AS A POLITICIAN.
YOU'RE IN THIS SITUATION. YOU HAVE BEEN ON ALL THOSE KINDS
OF SHOWS LIKE JIMMY KIMMEL'S. A POLITICIAN ON A SHOW LIKE THAT
MAKES A CERTAIN PROMISE. DOES THAT POLITICIAN THINK HE IS
ABLE TO BREAK THAT PROMISE PUBLICLY AND HEAR NOTHING FROM
JIMMY KIMMEL? >> LAWRENCE, THESE GUYS THINK
THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING. THE HEAD GUY LIES EVERY DAY AND
EVERYBODY IN AMERICA BELIEVES THAT HE LIES EVERY DAY AND NOW
VOUCHING FOR SOMEBODY. I DON'T KNOW BILL CASSIDY.
I NEVER MET HIM. HE IS LYING ABOUT THIS BILL.
YOU EXPLAINED PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WHAT THEY CAN DO, HOWEVER, IS CHARGE YOU AS MUCH AS THEY WANT.
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS ARE GONE.
HEALTH CARE IS GONE. THIS IS NONSENSE.
THIS IS A RIDICULOUS BILL. IT'S A HARD RIGHT BILL.
I DON'T THINK GRAHAM HAS ANY IDEA WHAT'S IN THIS BILL AND
OUGHT TO STICK TO FOREIGN POLICY AND STOP THIS CRAP.
>> JULIE, YOU WILL BE OUR NON PARTISAN REFEREE HERE.
THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE. YOU'RE THE CLOSEST THING WE HAVE
TO THE CBO IN THIS DISCUSSION. ON THE JIMMY KIMMEL VERSUS
CASSIDY FIGHT, HOW DO YOU SEE IT?
>> WELL, IT IS MOSTLY SEMANTIC FIGHT.
I THINK THAT THE SENATORS ARE RIGHT WITH LANGUAGE IN THE BILL
THAT SEEKS TO PROTECT PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS BUT
THERE'S OTHER LANGUAGE THAT UNDERMINES THEM SO YOU CAN WAVE
THE ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS, REQUIRED BENEFITS AND YOU CAN
CHARGE PEOPLE MORE AND THAT WAY TO OFFER PEOPLE WITH
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION COVERAGE WITHOUT WHAT THEY NEED AND
CHARGE THEM THINGS THEY CAN'T AFFORD AND THERE IS TECHNICALLY
LANGUAGE IN THE BILL TO SEEK TO SAY YOU'LL PROTECT PEOPLE WITH
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. >> NERA, A THING WE HAVE SEEN
AROUND THE COUNTRY IS DIFFERENT STATES HAVE WHAT WE COULD CALL
DIFFERENT SENSES OF RESPONSIBILITY.
ABOUT HOW MUCH COVERAGE SHOULD THEY BE GUARANTEEING TO PEOPLE
AND SO, ONCE YOU REMOVE THIS NATIONAL GUARANTEE, THAT THE
AFFORDABLE GUARANTEE HAS, NEW YORK AND STATES OF VERMONT, SOME
STATES WILL CONTINUE TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING
UNDER THAT BUT A LOT OF STATES WON'T AND THEY WILL HAVE MUCH
LESS MONEY TO TRY TO DO IT. >> THERE WILL BE SEVERAL STATES
THAT DROP PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS AND, YOU KNOW, I
CAN'T BELIEVE WE NEAR A WORLD WHERE WE CAN SAY THIS BUT WE
HAVE SENATORS WHO EITHER DON'T KNOW WHEN'S IN THEIR BILL OR
THEY ARE LYING THROUGH THEIR TEETH ABOUT WHAT'S IN THEIR
BILL. I HAVE TO SAY IT'S AKAFKA-ESQUE
SITUATION. EITHER GRAHAM STAKED THE
REPUTATION ON A BILL HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND OR HE'S JUST
BLATANTLY LYING. NO ONE IN AMERICA THINKS THAT IF
YOU'RE CHARGED $1 MILLION FOR PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
PROTECTIONS OR FOR ACCESS TO CANCER THAT'S A PROTECTION.
NOBODY THINKS THAT. THEY'RE NOT PROTECTING
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. SO THE REALITY OF THIS IS MORE
AND MORE INFORMATION IS COMING OUT ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION.
FROM INSURERS TO THE AARP, HOSPITALS.
EVERY STAKEHOLDER GROUP OPPOSES THIS.
EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, EVERYONE INVOLVED
IN PROTECTING PEOPLE IS AGAINST THIS LEGISLATION.
WE NOW HAVE NEW DATA SHOWING THAT STATES ARE GOING TO LOSE
MONEY. ARIZONA, $11 BILLION.
OHIO, $9 BILLION. ALASKA $1 BILLION.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THROWN OFF THE COVERAGE.
32 MILLION IN ALL WHEN THE BILL IS SAID AND DONE.
AND THERE'S NO ARGUMENT -- THIS IS THE MOST CONSERVATIVE BILL.
THERE'S NO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF IT AND THAT IS WHY THEY'RE
MISLEADING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. BECAUSE REALLY, THERE IS NO
POLICY ARGUMENT BEHIND THIS LEGISLATION TO THE RIGHT OF
EVERY OTHER VERSION. >> ELLEN DEGENERES TWEETED
TODAY, WHEN JIMMY SAYS CALL, I CALL.
SO SHOULD YOU. I LOVE YOU, JIMMY KIMMEL AND
THEN SHE GAVE THE SENATE PHONE NUMBER THERE.
AND I JUST WITH A TONIGHT GO TO A REPORT HERE OF THE AP HAS OF
AN OVERHEARD PHONE CALL OF GRAHAM AT THE AIRPORT OR AN
AIRPLANE ABOUT TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE AND JUST INTERPRETED
TALKING TO JOHN McCAIN TALKING ABOUT ARIZONA.
BUT IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THAT PHONE CALL, JUST HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF IT THAT LINDSEY GRAHAM IS NOT TALKING TO SOMEONE YET
ANYWAY VOTING FOR THIS BILL AND HOWARD DEAN, IF YOU'RE ONE OF
THE REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO VOTED AGAINST THE LAST
REPUBLICAN ATTEMPT, WHAT IS IN HERE FOR YOU TO VOTE FOR THIS
ONE NOW? >> ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
YOU KNOW, CASSIDY HIMSELF IS GOING TO COST THE TAXPAYERS OF
LOUISIANA $2 BILLION. LOUISIANA'S GOING TO LOSE MONEY.
SHELLY,ELLY, THE SENATOR OF WES VIRGINIA, CAN'T VOTE FOR THIS
BILL. THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS COMING
OUT OF THE ONE OF THE POOREST STATES IN THE COUNTRY IF THIS
BILL GETS PASSED. I DON'T BELIEVE LISA MURKOWSKI
WILL VOTE FOR IT. SHE AND SUSAN COLLINS GIVEN
HERO'S WELCOMES BACK TO ALASKA AND MAINE KILLING THE LAST BILL.
THEY WON'T VOTE FOR THIS. THIS IS FAR WORSE.
THIS IS GOING TO REALLY SCREW THE GOVERNORS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE ROB PORTMAN WILL TAKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT OF
OHIO. THE GOVERNOR SAID NOT TO DO IT.
THIS IS A SHAM. YOU KNYOU KNOW WHY THEY PASS IT?
THE MONEY TO GIVE TAX CUTS TO PEOPLE LIKE DONALD TRUMP.
THAT IS WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO ALL ALONG.
THIS IS ABOUT TAXES. THIS IS NOT ABOUT HEALTH CARE.
THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. >> LET'S LISTEN TO MORE OF KASIE
HUNT'S GREAT REPORTING ON THE HILL TODAY.
THIS TIME TALKING TO SENATOR MURKOWSKI.
>> ARE YOU READY TO SUPPORT IT? >> NOPE.
>> WHY NOT? >> BECAUSE I AM DOING THE DUE
DILIGENCE THAT I COMMITTED TO DOING YESTERDAY.
WHAT I HAVE HAD A AN OPPORTUNIT TO DO IS TO SIT DOWN WITH MY
TEAM WHO HAS SAT DOWN WITH HHS AND WE ARE FERRETING OUT LOTS OF
NUMBERS AND CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
>> JULIE, THERE'S BEEN SOME SPECULATION TODAY THAT THEY
MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHOE HORN SOMETHING INTO THIS BILL,
SPECIFICALLY FOR ALASKA TO TRY TO GET SENATOR MURKOWSKI'S VOTE.
DO YOU SEE AN OPENING FOR THAT? >> WELL, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE
MONEY FOR ALASKA WAS IN THE LAST VERSION THAT SHE DIDN'T VOTE
FOR. BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY DOING
EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO GET THE LAST COUPLE OF VOTES THAT
THEY NEED TO GET THEM TO THE 50 AND THEY HAVE UNTIL NEXT
SATURDAY. THAT'S WHEN THE BUDGET
INSTRUCTIONS EXPIRE. THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT WITH
50 VOTES AFTER THAT. THEY'RE ON A TIGHT TIME LINE AND
MAY BE SERVING THEM WELL AND CONVINCE SOME OF THE SENATORS
THAT THIS IS -- THEY'RE LITERALLY LAST CHANCE TO DO
THIS. AT LEAST FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THERE'S SOME OF THEM CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE
COMPLAINTS OF DONORS WHO ARE SAYING YOU GUYS CAN'T SEEM TO
GET ANYTHING DONE SO THIS IS A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING AND MANY
OF THEM DON'T ACTUALLY CARE WHAT IT IS THEY'RE DOING.
>> WHEN YOU DEFEAT A BILL BY ONE VOTE IN THE SENATE IT -- EVERY
VOTE IS A DECISIVE VOTE AND MOST CAST LAST TIME BY JOHN McCAIN
AND THIS IS WHAT HE TOLD POLITICO TODAY.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED. IF McCONNELL WANTS TO PUT IT ON
THE FLOOR, THAT'S UP TO McCONNELL.
I AM THE SAME AS BEFORE. I WANT THE REGULAR ORDER.
ASKED IF THAT MEANS HE IS A NO VOTE McCAIN SAID I WANT THE
REGULAR VOTE AND I WANT THE REGULAR ORDER.
AND NEAR -- WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >> WELL, IF T THIS IS NOT REGUL
ORDER. LET ME JUST SAY AGAIN, THERE IS
NOT GOING TO BE A CBO SCORE. THE'S NOT GOING TO BE AN
OFFICIAL REFEREE. WE HAVE DATA POINTS, LIKE
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WILL BE LOST BY ARIZONA AND ALASKA AND
OTHER STATES. BUT THERE'S NO REGULAR ORDER FOR
THIS. THERE'S NO MARK-UP.
THIS IS JUST JAMMED THROUGH AS JULIE SAID.
LET ME SAY THREE PEOPLE WHO HELD OUT BEFORE BUT THERE ARE A LOT
OF PEOPLE WHO MADE STATEMENTS WHO SAID THEY GOT SOMETHING IN
THE PAST LEGISLATION THAT WAS IMPORTANT.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS VERY REAL AND ROB PORT LAN, SHELLY MOORE
CAPUTO TALKED ABOUT THE OPIOID FUNDING.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING LITTLE PROVISIONS AND THEY'RE WILLING
TO DO THIS JUST FOR POLITICS. THEY SEE A POLITICAL PROBLEM.
NOT A HEALTH CARE PROBLEM. A POLITICAL PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY AMERICANS ARE OUTRAGED AND ARE CALLING AND
THERE'S JUST A FEW MORE DAYS LEFT TO MAKE YOUR CALLS SO
PLEASE CALL TOMORROW. >> WELL, WE'LL SEE WHAT JIMMY