Obama Claim of AARP Endorsement 'Inaccurate'

Fox News. ^ | Wednesday, August 12, 2009 | AP

[Pistolshot]

A group usually seen as one of Barack Obama's allies in the health care debate -- AARP -- says the president went too far Tuesday when he said the seniors lobby had endorsed the legislation pending in Congress.

AARP is sensitive to the issue because polls show that Medicare beneficiaries are worried their health care program will be cut to subsidize coverage for the uninsured.

At the town hall in Portsmouth, N.H., Obama said, "We have the AARP onboard because they know this is a good deal for our seniors." He added, "AARP would not be endorsing a bill if it was undermining Medicare."

But Tom Nelson, AARP's chief operating officer, said, "Indications that we have endorsed any of the major health care reform bills currently under consideration in Congress are inaccurate."

Like Obama, AARP wants action this year to cover the uninsured and restrain health care costs, but the organization has refrained from endorsing legislation. Nelson said AARP would not endorse a bill that reduces Medicare benefits.

A spokesman said the Medicare cuts that have been proposed so far would not affect benefits.

Obama assailed "wild misrepresentations" of his health care plan Tuesday during the town hall, taking on the role of fact-checker-in-chief for his top domestic priority. It's a strategy he will employ at two more town halls this week in Montana and Colorado, and on the White House Web site.

To that end, the Obama-aligned Democratic National Committee is running health care overhaul ads nationally on cable channels and in spots the president will visit, joining a chorus of ads that has become a cacophony over a problem that has vexed Washington for decades.

[WayneS]

In this case, I do not think Obama lied.

I think AARP are the ones who are lying.

I am pretty sure they heartily supported “The Final Health Solution” when it was first proposed; but that they then began taking A LOT of heat from their members as its draconian details became more widely known.

Their recent statement saying he “went to far” appears to me to be a flip-flopping, face-saving, gesture on their part to try to quell their members’ anger.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Yesterday, i saw one of AARP’s yuppie lawyers on Fox doing a fast tap dance trying to cover for them, but from what I’ve seen, they’ve been paying full lip service for 0bamascare.

[WayneS]

Obummer, the Fascist, I suspect has been told by his flunkies that the AARP supports but forgot to tell him they don't want it advertised.

I am not at all sure that HE is not the flunky in all this. So, may I offer one minor correction?

Obummer, the Fascist, I suspect has been told by his flunkies those who control him that the AARP supports but forgot to tell him they don't want it advertised.

[behzinlea]

Obama lied, elders died.