Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

White House: GOP fanning 'stupidity' flames for political advantage
The Hill ^ | November 18, 2014 | Elise Viebeck

Posted on 11/18/2014 11:24:08 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Republicans are hyping past comments from ObamaCare consultant Jonathan Gruber as a way to distract from what’s going well for the healthcare law.

After saying that Gruber’s view that the healthcare law was passed partly because of the “stupidity” of the American voter is not shared by “anybody at the White House,” Earnest challenged claims that ObamaCare was not passed in a transparent way.

He also suggested that few Americans are paying attention to the controversy.

“People are understandably pretty tired of relitigating all the fights from 2009 and 2010,” Earnest said Tuesday at his daily press briefing.

“Some Republicans are fanning the flames of those old political arguments because it's politically advantageous. It's easier for them to talk about six-to-eight-year-old videos than to talk about how the open enrollment period has gone smoothly so far, or the millions who have gotten health insurance.

“I don't believe there's a particularly large audience among the American people [for the Gruber dispute],” he added.

Gruber, a professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been in hot water since last week when several old gaffes related to ObamaCare went viral.

In the videos, Gruber said the “stupidity of the American voter” contributed to the passage of the law and that a “lack of transparency is a huge political advantage.” He later apologized in an interview with MSNBC.

The issue has lit up conservative media as outlets hunt for additional clips that could bolster their criticism of ObamaCare’s passage.

Gruber's remarks have also put pressure on Democrats to explain how close he was to the legislative process.

Leaders have taken different approaches to answering the question. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said last week that she didn't know who Gruber was, though she had previously touted his work.

President Obama dismissed Gruber over the weekend as “some adviser who never worked on our staff.”

Earnest sought to thread the needle Tuesday by calling Gruber an “adviser” who was focused on the economics of healthcare, not communications or legislative strategy.

“It wasn't his responsibility to try to figure out how to get this bill through,” Earnest said.

“It also, I think, is why it's pretty clear that the views that he's articulated do not reflect what happened.”

At least one Republican — Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) — has called for a probe of Gruber's federal consulting payments.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: aca; california; fraud; gruber; jonathangruber; nancypelosi; obamacare; stupidity
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last

1 posted on 11/18/2014 11:24:08 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

No, no... Obama...

We’re fanning the “see, we told you he was deceitful” flames,

and the “your agenda can’t be implemented without lying” flames.


2 posted on 11/18/2014 11:25:58 AM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Stupid is as stupid does, Obamadork.

Concealed any grades lately, dumbsh*t?


3 posted on 11/18/2014 11:26:17 AM PST by Da Coyote
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Fanning the flames of truth. That’s a good thing.


4 posted on 11/18/2014 11:27:07 AM PST by all the best
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

“They are taking advantage of the fact that Democrat voters are pathetic morons. This is unkind. How dare they spend their time pointing this out? It is rude. It is like telling someone with a physical disability that they are disabled over and over again. Come on, they know it. Our voters know they are absolutely stupid, stop rubbing their faces in it. It is just cruel”


5 posted on 11/18/2014 11:27:16 AM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
White House: GOP fanning 'stupidity' flames for political advantage

This from a party who fanned the spark of a teenage girl playing around with witchcraft into a firestorm of Christine O'Donnell holding a black mass in the rotunda of the Capitol if she had been elected?

6 posted on 11/18/2014 11:28:08 AM PST by KarlInOhio (The IRS: either criminally irresponsible in backup procedures or criminally responsible of coverup.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

I’ll bet Josh Earnest even lies to his own mother.


7 posted on 11/18/2014 11:28:19 AM PST by Bullish (A 5 year old could run the country better than Obama.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
not shared by “anybody at the White House,”

BS ALERT! Of course it's shared by every single person at the White Hut. Democrat voters = Stupid People - they know it, and they rely on it.

8 posted on 11/18/2014 11:29:13 AM PST by dware (3 prohibited topics in mixed company: politics, religion and operating systems...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
White House: GOP fanning 'stupidity' flames for political advantage

This from the "most transparent Administration in U.S. History???"

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !

***SNORT!!**

9 posted on 11/18/2014 11:29:14 AM PST by publius911 (Formerly Publius6961)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife; All
"White House:
GOP fanning 'stupidity' flames
for political advantage"


 photo 2d9a2h4.jpg

Help FR Continue the Conservative Fight!
Your Monthly and Quarterly Donations
Help To Keep FR In The Battle !!


Sponsoring FReepers are contributing
$10 Each time a New Monthly Donor signs up!
Get more bang for your FR buck!
Click Here To Sign Up Now!


10 posted on 11/18/2014 11:29:28 AM PST by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
White House: GOP fanning 'stupidity' flames for political advantage

This is a true statement. Not sure what the point is, though.

11 posted on 11/18/2014 11:30:01 AM PST by Genoa (Starve the beast.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

liberals are so into projection...its like clock work!


12 posted on 11/18/2014 11:30:19 AM PST by 556x45
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Actually, what I’m tried of is the Dems recycling their old and tired excuses and defense mechanisms. “Move on” is Clinton-era B.S. At least get some new lies.


13 posted on 11/18/2014 11:32:10 AM PST by caligatrux (Rage, rage against the dying of the light.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
would this be the same administration that's trying so hard to stoke the flames in Ferguson? The same president of "if I had a son...." fame?

Methinks they've overestimated the stupidity of the US voter, when our survival is at stake.

14 posted on 11/18/2014 11:32:16 AM PST by grania
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
“Some Republicans are fanning the flames of those old political arguments because it's politically advantageous. It's easier for them to talk about six-to-eight-year-old videos than to talk about how the open enrollment period has gone smoothly so far, or the millions who have gotten health insurance.

Behold the new talking points! See, see you mean-old Republicans, this is old news now!

15 posted on 11/18/2014 11:33:12 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (NO COMPROMISE! NO BIPARTISANSHIP! STOP OBAMA NOW!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Genoa
"White House: GOP fanning 'stupidity' flames for political advantage"

This is a true statement. Not sure what the point is, though.

The Democrats hate being beaten at their own game?

16 posted on 11/18/2014 11:36:16 AM PST by CatOwner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Unfortunately Gruber is correct...

America is generally much stupid’er than they used to be...
Federal schools have have made them that way..

A very planned and executed progressive gambit... oh and successful..
To say Gruber is WRONG is STUPID... he is correct..

Republicans allowed this to happen.. it was not done in the dark.. “mysteriously”..
Mostly democrat controlled BUT republic ALLOWED transition..

AND it’s till happening DAILY.. every single day..
at schools from grade 1 to post graduate school..

Supported by federal grants of every size and grade.. and Sedition..
Passed by REPUBLICANS.. with their democrat Masters..

Whats needed is NOT a Third party...
Whats needed is a Second Party..


17 posted on 11/18/2014 11:36:43 AM PST by hosepipe (" This propaganda has been edited (specifically) to include some fully orbed hyperbole.. ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CatOwner; a fool in paradise

It is like a person keeps pointing out someones handicap to them. They already know about it and stop being rude.

Democrats already know they are morons, it is rude to keep pointing it out, I guess was Obama’s point.


18 posted on 11/18/2014 11:37:28 AM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: MrB

fanning the flames of brushfires of freedom


19 posted on 11/18/2014 11:40:09 AM PST by QualityMan (Don't Tread on Me)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Private sector executives would be in federal prison if they lied and mislead shareholders like this White Hut.

Even the low-information crowd is on to the Kenyan’s grubering.


20 posted on 11/18/2014 11:45:05 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson