THE SKINNY REPEAL -- WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN, NO ONE KNEW.
IT
CAME DOWN TO THE WIRE, IT SEEMED LIKE SUSAN COLLINS AND RISA
MURKOWSKI WERE NO'S, THEN CAME MCCAIN.
HE STEPPED FORWARD,
THERE WAS A MOMENT OF HESITATION --
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FLOOR.
MR.
PETERS --
NO?
NO.
IT'S SO GOOD!
I WATCHED THAT LIKE 10 TIMES.
THOUGHTS,
REACTIONS, TO THIS MOMENT?
THAT AUDIBLE LITTLE GASP.
VOTING IT DOWN WHICH KILLED IT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 50/50
WITH HIM, PENCE WOULD HAVE CAST THE TIEBREAKER, IT WOULD HAVE
MOVED ON TO THIS TINY ROOM TO RECONCILE THE HOUSE AND SENATE
BILLS, BUT THAT'S IT, THE SKINNY BUNDLE WAS REJECTED.
LET'S BREAK DOWN THE DRAMA THAT HAPPENED BEFORE HE VOTED.
MCCONNELL THINKS -- HE'S THE REPUBLICAN LEADER OF THE SENATE
-- HE THINKS HE'S GOT ALL THE VOTES LINED UP, HE KNOWS HE
DOESN'T HAVE SUSAN COLLINS OR LISA MURKOWSKI SO THEY NEED TO
HOLD EVERY OTHER REPUBLICAN SENATOR.
SOMEHOW HE CONVINCED
THAT IDIOT DEAN HELLER, WHO WILL NOW LOSE HIS SEAT IN NEVADA, TO
VOTE FOR THIS DISASTROUS BILL.
AND THE SUBSTANCE OF THE BILL IS
IMPORTANT, IT'S ARGUABLY THE WORST OF THEIR PROPOSALS -- 32
MILLION PEOPLE COULD HAVE LOST THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE BECAUSE
OF THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REPLACEMENT, THEY JUST GUTTED
OBAMACARE AND LET US BLEED OUT.
NEXT YEAR ALONE 17 MILLION
PEOPLE WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE, LET ALONE
OVERALL 32 MILLION.
IT'S A TERRIBLE IDEA.
THE EARLIER PLAN
THAT WAS NOT AS BAD WAS POLLING AT 17%, AND THIS WAS WORSE.
BUT
MCCONNELL SOMEHOW TWISTED ARMS, AND DEAN HELLER AND ROB PORTMAN
AND THESE GUYS IN SWING STATES JUST WALKED OFF THE PLANK, I
VOTE YES -- AND THEN MCCAIN, WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO VOTE YES, WAS
LIKE, SORRY, I PREFER PRESIDENTS WITH BETTER HEALTHCARE PLANS.
WE HAVE A REVERSE ANGLE ON THAT, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
CINEMATOGRAPHY, HERE IS A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT VISUALLY OF
WHAT WENT ON.
JAYAR, FOR THE WIN.
THAT IS WHY OUR PRODUCER, JAYAR JACKSON, IS THE BEST
IN THE BUSINESS.
RUN THE VIDEO WHILE I SAY IT, THE FIRST VIDEO WITHOUT ALL THE
CHANGES -- HE WALKS IN FROM THE SIDE, AND THIS IS WHEN -- YOU
COULD TELL HE WAS LOOKING, MCCAIN, WAS LOOKING TO STICK IT
TO THEM.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF REPUBLICANS BEHIND HIM, AND
MITCH MCCONNELL IN FRONT OF HIM, HE DOES THE THUMBS DOWN THING TO
WHOEVER IS IN THE FRONT.
MCCONNELL'S ARMS ARE CROSSED,
AFTER HE TURNS HIM DOWN HE WILL STOP AND PAUSE LIKE, EFF YOU.
DOWN, DURING HIS TURN, FUCK YOU.
YOU ARE RIGHT, YOU LOOK AT MCCONNELL FOR A SECOND LIKE,
WHAT NOW?
THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF HIS MOTIVATION BEING, YOU
GUYS KEEP PICKING AT ME.
TRUMP KEEPS TALKING ABOUT ME.
NOW IS
MY CHANCE TO COME GET YOU.
MAYBE HE REALLY BELIEVED IN SCREWING EVERYONE OVER BUT
HIS PRIDE WAS A DIFFERENT THING.
WE HAVE A STATEMENT FROM MCCAIN COMING OUT OF THIS, HE
SAID --
I HAVE A QUESTION.
I MEAN, YAY MCCAIN -- HE'S STILL FULL OF
CRAP AND YOU SHOULD NEVER DEPEND ON HIM BUT THIS WAS AWESOME -- I
JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE SKINNY REPEAL ITSELF, I WAS
UNDER THAT IMPRESSION THAT IT WOULD SAVE THE MEDICAID
EXPANSION BUT THE REST OF OBAMACARE WOULD GO AWAY.
THAT'S
INTERESTING, BECAUSE EVEN THEN THEY VOTED IT DOWN.
THAT IS WHY SHELLY MOORE CAPUTO FROM WEST VIRGINIA VOTED
YES, SHE WAS A HARD NO ON ANYTHING THAT CUT MEDICAID
BECAUSE ONE THIRD OF WEST VIRGINIA IS ON MEDICAID, SO AS
CONSERVATIVE AS SHE IS, SHE WAS LIKE, I'M NOT STUPID, I'M NOT
GOING TO THROW A THIRD OF MY CONSTITUENTS OUT ON THEIR ASS
WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE.
THE PROBLEM IS ONCE YOU TAKE THE
MANDATE AWAY, IT DEFINITELY CAUSES A DEATH SPIRAL.
THEN ALL
THE YOUNG, HEALTHY PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO GET INSURANCE.
SO FOR
EVERYONE ELSE WHO REMAINS, INSURANCE BECOMES INCREDIBLY
EXPENSIVE.
SO THEN EVERYBODY HAS TROUBLE AFFORDING INSURANCE, THE
HEALTHY ARE GONE, AND EVERYBODY ELSE CAN'T AFFORD IT SO THEY ARE
GONE.
THAT'S WHY YOU LOSE EVEN MORE PEOPLE.
SO NOT REPLACING IT
IS DISASTROUS.
THAT IS WHY THE SKINNY REPEAL -- EVEN THOUGH IT
DIDN'T CUT MEDICAID -- WAS IN SOME WAYS WORSE.
IT WOULD MAKE MEDICAID EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE AND BURDENSOME.
THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS THINKING IF YOU SAVE
MEDICAID THEN YOU GET MORE UP VOTES.
MCCAIN GOING INTO THIS SAYING LISTEN, I'M VOTING FOR -- HE WAS
THE PERSON WHO EMERGED ESSENTIALLY FROM THE DEAD AFTER
BRAIN SURGERY, SAYING I WILL BE THAT VOTE THAT ALLOWS THIS TO GO
TO THE VOTE-A-RAMA -- AROUND THAT HE SAID I SAT DOWN WITH MY
GOVERNOR AND OBAMACARE ISN'T WORKING FOR MY STATE, I WANT TO
FIX IT.
HE SAYS THIS SKINNY BUNDLE WOULD MAKE IT MUCH WORSE
-- IF YOU VOTED YES IT WOULD HAVE GONE TO ANOTHER LITTLE
CABAL OF PEOPLE TO RECONCILE OR COME UP ESSENTIALLY WITH A
COMPLETELY NEW PLAN BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, HE'S SAYING
ALL THAT.
BUT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT HE DID A) A RESPONSE TO
PEOPLE WHO CALLED HIM A SELLOUT FOR COMING BACK TO TAKE MEDICARE
AWAY FROM PEOPLE, AND B)
THE QUOTE FROM TRUMP SAYING I LIKE
PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET CAPTURED.
THIS FEELS LIKE, YOU SCREWED ME
OVER ONCE AND I'M BACK.
THOSE WERE ALL GREAT QUESTIONS, AND LET ME EXPLAIN A
LITTLE MORE OF THE DRAMA.
HIS FELLOW REPUBLICAN FROM ARIZONA,
JEFF FLAKE, WHO WAS ALSO TRYING TO BE A MODERATE BUT FAILING
MISERABLY, PULLED HIM ASIDE AND SAID WE ARE ALL GOING TO WALK
THE PLANK, IF YOU DON'T WE ARE ALL SCREWED.
HE TRIED TO
CONVINCE MCCAIN, AND MCCAIN SAYS NO.
OF THE REPUBLICANS TRY TO
CONVINCE THEM, HE SAYS NO.
THEN THE PRESIDENT CALLS, PRESIDENT
TRUMP STOPPED PLAYING COWBOY OR FIREMAN FOR A SECOND AND
ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING, HE CALLS MCCAIN, AND MCCAIN IS LIKE, NO.
HE SAYS I'M DONE WITH THIS, HE SAYS LET'S GET THIS OVER WITH,
THEN HE COMES OUT WITH THE FAMOUS THUMBS DOWN.
HE ALSO SAID WATCH THE SHOW.
HE SAID WATCH THE SHOW NOW.
THAT GOES TO YOUR POINT ABOUT
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF DRAMA.
HIS OFFICIAL REASONS ARE
LEGITIMATE -- BREAKING THOSE DOWN, HE'S BEEN SAYING FROM DAY
ONE THAT THIS IS NOT REGULAR PROCESS, WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND
WHAT WE CRITICIZED OBAMA AND THE DEMOCRATS FOR NOT DOING -- WHICH
ISN'T TRUE BECAUSE THEY DEBATED IT FOR A YEAR -- WE ARE SUPPOSED
TO DEBATE THIS THING.
MCCONNELL WROTE IT BY HIMSELF, DIDN'T ASK
FOR ANY INPUT, FOISTED IT ON US AND SAID VOTE ON IT.
WE HAD NO
HEARINGS, NO DISCUSSION OR DEBATE, I TOLD YOU THAT WAS MY
PROBLEM, SO THAT IS WHY I THINK HE LOOKS AT MCCONNELL FOR A
SECOND, LIKE, I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO IT THIS WAY, AND I TOLD YOU
NOT TO MESS WITH ME.
I FORGOT HE DID THAT.
BEAUTIFUL.
THAT IS POINT ONE.
SECOND, HE'S RIGHT ABOUT THE SPECIFIC
THING YOU SAID, BRETT -- THE WAY A BILL NORMALLY GOES IS THE
HOUSE OR SENATE PASSES IT, THEY USUALLY PASS DIFFERENT VERSIONS,
THE LANGUAGE WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, THEN THEY GO TO A
CONFERENCE AND COME UP WITH A JOINT BILL THAT GOES BACK TO
BOTH HOUSES.
OR THEY COULD JUST TAKE ONE OF THE TWO VERSIONS AND
SAY THAT'S THE ONE AND WE ARE DONE WITH IT.
SO MCCAIN IS
SAYING IF I SAY YES TO THIS IN THE HOPES THAT WE GET A NEW BILL
COMING OUT OF CONFERENCE AFTER WE NEGOTIATE WITH HOUSE
REPUBLICANS AND THEN WE GET TO REVOTE, THEY TELL ME DON'T WORRY
ABOUT IT -- BUT NO, THE HOUSE COULD JUST ACCEPT THIS BECAUSE
WE AREN'T GOING TO GET A YES VOTE ON ANYTHING ELSE, IN WHICH
CASE I JUST VOTED TO TAKE AWAY INSURANCE FROM 32 PEOPLE, AND
I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
AND MCCONNELL, YOU WANT ME TO TRUST
YOU ON THAT?
NO.
AND THEN THE LOOK.
TO BE ACCURATE, IT WAS
THIS, AND THEN, WHAT NOW?
THAT'S WHY HE LOOKED AT MCCONNELL THAT
WAY, BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO POINTS.
BUT IS THERE MORE TO IT?
OF COURSE!
ON TV PEOPLE WERE LIKE BRAVO, WHAT A GREAT SPEECH
ABOUT PROCESS, THIS HERO COMES BACK FROM BRAIN CANCER AND VOTES
-- BUT ONLINE THEY ARE LIKE, HEY, HE VOTED THE WRONG WAY.
I
DON'T MEAN THAT JUST IDEOLOGICALLY BECAUSE WE
DISAGREE WITH HIM, HE VOTED AGAINST HIS SPEECH.
HE WAS LIKE,
WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR REGULAR ORDER, THAN HE VOTED
AGAINST REGULAR ORDER.
WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY SO WE WILL CALL IT THE VOTE-A-RAMA.
WHEN IT CAME TO CRUNCH TIME AND HE GOT ALL THAT HEAT -- WHAT
HAPPENED, MAVERICK?
MAN OF PRINCIPLE?
YOU VOTED THE WRONG
WAY.
THANK GOD FOR THE INTERNET, NOT FROM TV, BUT THE INTERNET --
IT'S REAL, IT'S LIKE WHEN THE INTERNET CAUGHT COREY BOOKER --
MCCAIN GOT HIS HAND CAUGHT IN THE COOKIE JAR.
AND FINALLY, IS
IT REVENGE?
REMEMBER, MCCAIN RAN AGAINST OBAMA AND LOST TO HIM,
THEN OBAMA PASSED OBAMACARE.
SOME WERE SPECULATING THAT HE
VOTED AGAINST HIS PRINCIPLES COUPLE DAYS AGO AS REVENGE TO
OBAMACARE.
BUT AT THE END, TRUMP, SHIV HERE.
BASED ON THAT
VOTE THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT HE HATES TRUMP MORE.
HE'S JUST VOTED EVERYTHING DOWN.
IT WAS SUCH A DIRECT
ATTACK, SAYING I LIKE PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET CAPTURED.
MY QUESTION ABOUT MCCAIN -- IT'S LIKE WE ARE SCRAPING THE
BARREL IN TERMS OF SENATE REPUBLICANS THAT WE CAN SORT OF,
A LITTLE BIT, MINIMALLY ADMIRE -- OBVIOUSLY THE POOR GUY HAS
BRAIN CANCER, IT SEEMED LIKE A RIDICULOUS THING TO HAVE ONE OF
YOUR DYING ACTIONS BE TAKING AWAY HEALTHCARE FROM 32 MILLION
PEOPLE, BUT MY QUESTION IS LIKE, IS IT A LITTLE BIT OF,
REPUBLICANS NEED TO GET BACK TO HAVING SOME KINDS OF PRINCIPLES?
REMEMBER WHEN REPUBLICANS WERE JUST WRONG INSTEAD OF CRAZY?
IT
WAS A WONDERFUL MOMENT, FOR THOSE OF YOU WATCHING AT HOME
YOU MIGHT NOT REMEMBER THIS -- REPUBLICANS USED TO BE JUST
WRONG.
AND THEN THEY BECAME CRAZY WHEN MCCAIN GOT SARAH
PALIN TO BE HIS RUNNING MATE.
IF YOU REMEMBER -- THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, EVERYONE
ASSESSING THAT TODAY -- WAS IT REALLY AN ACT OF PRINCIPLE?
SHOULD HE EARN THE TITLE OF MAVERICK AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?
IF YOU REMEMBER BACK WHEN THEY WERE JUST WRONG, THEY WEREN'T
EVEN ALWAYS WRONG.
MCCAIN IS THE MCCAIN OF MCCAIN-FEINGOLD, HE
WANTED TO GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS TWO DECADES AGO.
HE
FOUGHT FOR THAT, NOT IN A PERFECT WAY, BUT IN A
SIGNIFICANT WAY.
I'VE SAID THIS ON THE SHOW BEFORE, BACK WHEN I
WAS A REPUBLICAN I VOTED FOR MCCAIN IN THE PRIMARIES AGAINST
BUSH IN 2000.
AND BACK THEN THERE WAS A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT
HE HAD PRINCIPLES AND WAS A REAL MAVERICK, AND THAT'S WHY THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY DIDN'T PICK HIM IN 2000.
ALL THE BIG MONEY GUYS
WENT TO BUSH BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE PRINCIPLES AND WOULD DO
WHATEVER THE DONORS WANTED.
SO THERE IS A REAL MAVERICK BURIED
UNDER JOHN MCCAIN.
SO NOW WITH THIS AILMENT IS NOT GOING TO RUN
AGAIN, IT FREES HIM TO BE A MAVERICK ONE MORE TIME.
A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE NOW SAYING I DON'T CARE, HE'S STILL A BAD GUY AND
STILL VOTES WRONG 98% OF THE TIME -- LOOK, DON'T LOOK A GIFT
HORSE IN THE MOUTH.
DON'T LOOK A GIFT MAVERICK IN THE MOUTH.
ALL
CREDIT TO LISA MURKOWSKI AND SUSAN COLLINS AS WELL, AND TO
EVERY DEMOCRAT THAT HELD -- I CRITICIZE A LOT OF THOSE
ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS, BUT EVERY ONE OF THEM HELD -- GIVE
CREDIT TO THOSE GUYS, AND MCCAIN.
DOING THE RIGHT THING AT
THE END IS NOT A LITTLE IMPORTANT, IT'S MONUMENTALLY
IMPORTANT.
HE DID, ALONG WITH THOSE OTHER FOLKS, SAVED
HEALTHCARE FOR TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
IF AT THE VERY END,
AFTER DOING A LOT OF THINGS WRONG, HE BECAME MAVERICK AGAIN,
I WILL TAKE IT.