Comedy | July 28, 2009 | 62 comments

Jon Stewart gets Bill Kristol to admit that govt-run health care can be better than private

source: http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/28/stewart-gets-kristol-to-admit-government-health-care-...

WakeUpPeople
Weekly Standard editor and Fox News pundit Bill Kristol got booed heavily on The Daily Show Monday night when he said that ordinary Americans don’t “deserve” the same standard of health care that soldiers receive.

But the show’s truly revealing moment came when host Jon Stewart caught Kristol — long an opponent of public health care — admitting that government-run health care for soldiers is superior to private health plans.

On Monday night’s show, Kristol worked to explain why he didn’t support a public health option, arguing in essence that the existence of Medicare and Medicaid provided health coverage to those most in need.

“So no public option, even though that’s good enough for the military — not good enough for the people of America?” Stewart asked.

“They do not deserve the same quality of health care the soldiers fighting deserve, and they [the soldiers] need all kinds of things we don’t need,” Kristol said.

“Are you saying that the American public shouldn’t have access to the same quality of health care that we give to our better citizens?” Stewart asked.

“To our soldiers? Yes, absolutely,” Kristol responded, to a chorus of boos from the audience.

An incredulous Stewart asked: “Really?”

Moments later, Kristol added that “one of the ways we make it up” to soldiers that they receive relatively low pay is by “giving them first class health care. The rest of us can go out and buy insurance.”

That’s when Stewart struck.

“Bill Kristol just said … that the government can run a first-class health care system and a government-run health care system is better than the private health care system.”

“You trapped me somehow,” a visibly uncomfortable Kristol responded.
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62 comments // Jon Stewart gets Bill Kristol to admit that govt-run health care can be better than private // Video

  • RudyRudell
    • 0
      RudyRudell  

    • I just watched this episode and there was a very blatant edit in the middle of the interview, can't help but wonder what didn't make it to TV.

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
  • macfan
  • BKsaysAction
    • 0
      BKsaysAction  

    • It's sad the the republicans won't even throw their ideas into the plan in congress. If we actually worked together on this maybe we can make something. But as usual no matter if you're a democrat or a republican in the minority, you throw a tantrum and refuse to work with anybody. Self righteousness destroys this country peice by peice.

    • 3 years ago
  • WhiteNoise
    • 0
      WhiteNoise  

    • MAY I SUGGEST :)

      You say yer life's a bum deal
      'N yer up against the wall...
      Well, people, you ain't even got no
      Deal at all
      'Cause what they do
      In Washington
      They just takes care
      of NUMBER ONE
      An' NUMBER ONE ain't YOU
      You ain't even NUMBER TWO

      - Frank Zappa ‘The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing’

    • 3 years ago
  • kennymotown
    • 0
      kennymotown  

    • Fuck Bill kristol he has never been elected to anything this asshole needs a bullet up his ass, thats how you deal with assholes. Way to go John can you republican bastards finally see how you can be taken down so easy.

    • 3 years ago
  • shanklinmike
  • ellax21193
  • MirrorLake
    • 0
      MirrorLake  

    • Universal health care in the US could be good... if we make it good. It will be a waste of tax money if we let it.

      But if we make the public option the best option (and the money flow as transparent as possible), there won't be anything to complain about.

    • 3 years ago
  • artist_al_fine
    • 0
      artist_al_fine  

    • Best thing to come out of that clip is the Republican philosphy that a lot of American lives somehow less precious than the select. Sad way to look at life.

    • 3 years ago
  • chipsinabox
  • macfan
  • Weepowopo
  • TheJerryMadden
    • 0
      TheJerryMadden  

    • just goes to show that
      the elephants
      want nothing do to with
      anything that doesnt have
      $$$$$$$
      written all over it.

      the american dream involves
      a nightmare healthcare system...

      cocksuckers.

    • 3 years ago
  • MissAmanda
    • 0
      MissAmanda  

    • i also think that jon stewart kinda twisted what he said into something you can boo him for...

      and from what i've heard, what stewart said about the govn't being 'able' to run a top-notch healthcare system is false, some of the comments above state that the healthcare that soliders get isn't very good...

    • 3 years ago
  • LarzNero
    • 0
      LarzNero  
    • Image

    • I love the argument that government health care would be too bureaucratic. Have you ever been on the phone with an insurance company? I challenge you to find ANY entity more filled with red tape and obstacles to getting what you allegedy paid for.

      Bill Kristol - isn't that the clown who got fired from the NY Times because they had to issue corrections for so many of his columns? (See link.)

      Why does anyone listen to that douche bag?

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • LarzNero:

      I personally would much rather have a bureaucrat between me and my doctor since at least they follow the regulations that care would be given.

      That is MUCH better than the present insurance companies that have an accountant between you can your doctor trying to find any reason to deny any care.

      Accountants are only focused on bottom line profits and at least bureaucrats would also consider the people that need the care

      It just goes to show where the priority is with those that make that argument that government can't run health since they are focused on the profits instead of the people.

    • 3 years ago
  • MissAmanda
    • 0
      MissAmanda  

    • I think he said "yes" to american citizens having the same "quality" healthcare as soliders and did not mean to. i think he meant to say that american citizens don't "deserve" the same system that the soliders get.

      either way he is confused. i dont know enough about government/healthcare/budget/america's debt to have my own solution...

      but i suppose i can see why someone would think that public healthcare given to soliders shouldn't/couldn't work for the rest of america.

      as to the "quality" issue, i think everyone deserves to same quality. hopefully those who were wounded in war (mentally or physically) get the attention and care they deserve for fighting for their country. that doesn't mean susie Q from kentucky doesn't deserve the same quality help either, though.

    • 3 years ago
  • macfan
    • 0
      macfan  
    • Image

    • funny America dosen't look like it has the best health care in the world.

      1 France
      2 Italy
      3 San Marino
      4 Andorra
      5 Malta
      6 Singapore
      7 Spain
      8 Oman
      9 Austria
      10 Japan
      11 Norway
      12 Portugal
      13 Monaco
      14 Greece
      15 Iceland
      16 Luxembourg
      17 Netherlands
      18 United Kingdom
      19 Ireland
      20 Switzerland
      21 Belgium
      22 Colombia
      23 Sweden
      24 Cyprus
      25 Germany
      26 Saudi Arabia
      27 United Arab Emirates
      28 Israel
      29 Morocco
      30 Canada
      31 Finland
      32 Australia
      33 Chile
      34 Denmark
      35 Dominica
      36 Costa Rica
      37 United States of America
      38 Slovenia
      39 Cuba
      40 Brunei

    • 3 years ago
  • WakeUpPeople
    • 0
      WakeUpPeople  
    • macfan:

      But they told us we have the best? Why would our govt lie to us? *tears*

      Interesting that 21 or more of those countries above us on the list have socialized medicine. (That's only counting the industrialized nations on the list.)

    • 3 years ago
  • macfan
  • bailey78
  • Ares
    • 0
      Ares  
    • macfan:

      Nice try. I lived in Greece and the healthcare is absolute shit. Yeah, you can go to a doctor for free, after you wait for a week. Once you get there, he might not know a goddamn thing, but you'll see him alright.

    • 3 years ago
  • macfan
    • 0
      macfan  
    • macfan:

      A public option probably is not
      the best plan but their people
      that don't have Enough money
      to pay for private health care
      so cheap not as good health care
      is better than nothing and yes Greece is 14
      on the but America is still 37 on the list.

    • 3 years ago
  • trut
  • nkeg87
    • 0
      nkeg87  
    • macfan:

      France has a nice system..from what Ive studied. Paid to have babies, paid to takes months off after the babies...nothing even like that in the US

    • 3 years ago
  • Weepowopo
    • 0
      Weepowopo  
    • macfan:

      Have you seen the movie Sicko by Micheal Moore?
      France has the best system. Thats the way health care should be.

      @Ares
      Greece seems like it has a shity system because it does. Its 14.

    • 3 years ago
  • BullDogg
  • macfan
    • 0
      macfan  
    • macfan:

      a lot people can't afford to move
      we can't leave it same way
      it is now yes there is
      great things about America
      but health care isn't one of theme.

    • 3 years ago
  • Herbal_Minded
  • letushavepeace
  • yesindeed
  • macfan
  • RichLikesJuice
  • Spoon2013
    • 0
      Spoon2013  

    • Jon Stewart is a tard. Yet another unsuccessful comedian who is given a show to make obvious puns and talk smack against whomever shows that they are capable of intelligent thought. Of course the people protecting the WORLD deserve the best health care out there better than someone who's family hasn't had a J.O.B. in the past four generations.
      Do me a favor and ask those Canadians living in
      America Jr. to the North how they're loving their their Federal Health Care System.... :-D

      psssssssst Comedy Central has just as much Hard Nosed Journalism going on as a teenaged myspace account

    • 3 years ago
  • Betico
  • Stever_B
    • 0
      Stever_B  
    • Spoon2013:

      What a truly inane thing to post. It's like you just woke up from a year long nap and decided to weigh in on the issue with the last arguments you remember.

      Comedy Central is not SUPPOSED to have hard-nosed journalism, but it does.

    • 3 years ago
  • Uncle_B
    • 0
      Uncle_B  
    • Spoon2013:

      "Comedy Central has just as much Hard Nosed Journalism going on as a teenaged myspace account"
      The channel is called Comedy Central! Why would you expect it to have "hard nosed journalism"?

    • 3 years ago
  • bailey78
  • div
    • 0
      div  
    • Spoon2013:

      "Do me a favor and ask those Canadians living in
      America Jr. to the North how they're loving their their Federal Health Care System...."

      Thanks for asking, I fucking love it.

      And it's called Canada, but it's obvious why you'd need help with that one.

    • 3 years ago
  • nkeg87
    • 0
      nkeg87  
    • Spoon2013:

      Remember when he went on Crossfire or whatever and schooled them on how they should be reporting proper news? They then tried to say that He should be doing it too and he said "The show leading into me is puppets making crank phone calls!" Jon Stewart should not be a better journalist than CNNs Crossfire or Fox anything. Over the years, he's proved to be a more honest, reliable source.

    • 3 years ago
  • Weepowopo
  • JMPxx85
    • 0
      JMPxx85  
    • Spoon2013:

      ...America Jr. here! Just wanted to say as an upper-middle class Canadian that I and most everyone I've ever talked to prefers our healthcare system to that in the US. In fact, I spoke with a surgeon who worked in Mexico, the US and Canada and he agreed that Canada's system is the best of the three. Furthermore, our system is CHEAPER than yours and delivers BETTER outcomes because there's no middle man trying to screw you out of coverage, conducting unnecessary tests or prescribing unnecessary drugs in order to turn a profit. And despite what you've heard, there's no crisis of government rationing or wait times (although the latter could surely be reduced). maybe this will set you straight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi1acHg3mhw&feature=related

    • 3 years ago
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  

    • I find it Amazeing that Jon Stewart can get these people to say what they don't want to say. The truth will come out one way or another.

    • 3 years ago
  • thecoyote23
  • WhiteNoise
  • bethbetty
    • 0
      bethbetty  
    • WhiteNoise:

      I heard about the DU contamination...even those inside the DU-made tanks are at risk.

      Nice quote: Kissinger is a manipulative creep...why do people think he's a great man? I hope time and history will show him for real.

    • 3 years ago
  • good_stuff
    • 0
      good_stuff  

    • Vizance, I agree with you. Didn't we just have a story about how 1,000's were put at risk for blood-born pathogens (Hepititus), because the VA was reusing colonoscopy stuff?

      My doctor friend said the only people who go to work at the VA are the one's who can't afford malpractice insurance anymore (b/c they've been sued so many times).

    • 3 years ago
  • vizzzzzance
    • 0
      vizzzzzance  

    • Since when did the VA become first class health care. 2 years in Iraq, been to many VA hospitals and they are all terrible. Ask any veteran about VA health care and they'll tell you straight up that private health care blows it away.

    • 3 years ago
  • bethbetty
  • WakeUpPeople
    • 0
      WakeUpPeople  
    • vizzzzzance:

      Veterans ought to be able to use their benefits in any hospital they choose, not just VA hospitals. Some of their stories are horrific, and it sickens me that they were not treated better by the govt they served.

    • 3 years ago
  • bethbetty
    • 0
      bethbetty  
    • vizzzzzance:

      Right on...how hard could it be to make their rights applicable anywhere? so much of the paperwork is computerized these days. Maybe that's the deal we should push for:

      Healthcare for All must include our Veterans! And upgrade those existing VA hospitals into real hospitals for everyone (or shut them down).

    • 3 years ago
  • vizzzzzance
    • 0
      vizzzzzance  
    • vizzzzzance:

      You guys are kind of missing my point here. What I'm trying to say is that we've already experimented with Government Health care (VA) and it was an abject failure. How could giving the government more money to waste on bureaucracy solve anything.

    • 3 years ago
  • vizzzzzance
  • WakeUpPeople
  • remanns
  • Eleganza
    • 0
      Eleganza  

    • I saw that interview and I loved the "oh shit!" look on Kristals face when he realized what he had blurted out.
      I think the fact is that the health care system as it now exists is such a cash cow for the wealthy who are heavily invested in it that they just can't let it go...and they have such wealth and power that they are calling in their markers with the senators who's campaigns they have financed and provided loans and gifts to.

    • 3 years ago
  • CapnDeeth
    • 0
      CapnDeeth  

    • somebody needs to start a Jon Stewart group... so we can up every story and kiss his ass at every turn... cuz he's the fuckin man

    • 3 years ago
  • billwatt
  • sonjasreality
  • WhiteNoise
    • 0
      WhiteNoise  
    • Image

    • STEWART & COLBERT RULES OVER MEDIA WASTELAND INDEED !

      Health Care Hypocrisy

      About the only lesson Barack Obama has learned from the Hillary and Bill health insurance debacle of 1993-1994 is to leave Michelle Obama out of his current drive to get something—anything—through the Congress labeled “reform”.

      Otherwise, he is making the same mistakes of blurring his proposal, catering to right-wing Democrats and corporatist Republicans, who want an even mushier “reform” scam, and cutting deals with the drug, hospital, and health insurance industries.

      His political opponents become bolder with each day as they see his party base in Congress weakening, his polls dropping, and a confused public being saturated with unrebutted propaganda by the insatiable profiteering, subsidized health care giants.

      Their campaign-money-greased minions on Capitol Hill and the corporatist Think Tanks and columnists are seizing on President Obama’s aversion to conflict and repeated willingness to water down what he will fight for.

      The loud and cruel baying pack comes in the form of William Kristol (“This is not time to pull punches. Go for the kill.”), Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) (“If we’re able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.”), and Charles Krauthammer yammering wildly about medical malpractice and tort law. Krauthammer does not substantiate his claims or mention the many victims of malpractice as he gleefully predicts “Obamacare sinking.”

      All these critics have gold-plated health insurance, of course.
      http://www.nader.org/index.php/archives/2130-Health-Care-Hypocrisy.html

      THE MORAL OF THIS STORY ?
      HIGHEST BIDDER WINS !
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmhL8bjL9vc&feature=channel_page

      LUCKILY ENOUGH ONE OF THE LAST AMERICAN STANDS TALL...

      KUCINICH RULES !
      House Lets States Do Single-Payer Healthcare
      http://www.democrats.com/node/19873

      WAKE UP AMERICA !
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVp9cWOcZ7g&feature=channel_page

      “They call it the 'American Dream' because you have to be asleep to believe it.” - George Carlin

    • 3 years ago
  • WakeUpPeople
    • 0
      WakeUpPeople  

    • It's a sad state of affairs when you have to come to Comedy Central for quality journalism, but Jon Stewart shows here that he's a force to be reckoned with.

    • 3 years ago
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