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Video: Gibbs Can’t Name Countries That Love Single-Payer Health Care

During yesterday’s White House press conference, press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked: “The President actually told the AMA that ‘there are some countries where a single-payer system works pretty well.’ Do you know what countries he was referring to or what he was talking about?”

Gibbs responded: “I don’t know exactly the countries. I think you could — I think if you talk to people in the countries that have those systems, they’d think their health care is pretty good.”

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  • Author: Conn Carroll
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29 Comments

June 18, 2009 Sandy, Indiana writes:

Gibbs will be out as Presser before the 2010 election.

June 18, 2009 J.C. Hughes, Texas writes:

Forget about substance, Gibbs is Obama’s propaganda minister pushing a deceitful message of “HOPE”. Such empty rhetoric would be familiar to Europeans circa 1938.

June 18, 2009 Reghen, Missouri writes:

Where is the same outrage over this as there was toward Governor Palin for not naming specific newspapers in her Katie Couric interview?

June 18, 2009 Charles, Virginia writes:

Following Robert Gibbs requires the same morbid curiosty required by many onlookers at a burning home, or a particularly bad motor vehicle collision. I confess, I like to see what Robert botches. This time, perhaps the headline shouldn’t be his inability to name countries that like single payer healthcare. Perhaps, the headline should be taken from the last sentence of this clip, “Americans like the healthcare system that they have.” Speaking only for myself, I agree with Robert. I like the healthcare system that we have.

June 18, 2009 Richard, Spring TX writes:

Gibbs is perfect for Obama, neither of them say anything specific.

June 18, 2009 DANA (New Mexico) writes:

WHAT AN IDIOT! REMINDS ME OF OBAMA WITHOUT HIS TELEPROMPTER TO TELL HIM WHAT TO SAY!

June 18, 2009 Barb -mn writes:

I couldn’t get the audio. But this is what needs to be pushed. EVIDENCE! PROOF! DIRECT ANSWERS! UNDERSTOOD ANSWERS! Every time (which is all the time), this administration speaks in general, broad terms, direct and poignant questions need address.

Under what reasons, do you have, Mr. President, that suggests we have to do this immediately? Especially when it comes to our personal health, that you mr. president, see no value in? As you insist on immediate publication into our personal health being run by government.

June 19, 2009 Jay, Lake St. Louis, MO writes:

Just like his boss, he couldn’t answer because it was above his pay grade.

June 19, 2009 David E Aldridge, Dayton, OH writes:

The radio talk show hosts all told you it was a rattlesnake. You( the people who voted for “the annointed one” should have looked to see if it was a rattlesnake. Now, when they pick it up, ” OH MY G__ its’s a rattlesnake”. One radio talk show host even said, ” He make a FINEEE used car salesman.” Nobody believed them then, now everybody wants to complain. You got what you deserve for sitting on your b____ and not voting.

June 19, 2009 Rick W., Minneapolis, MN writes:

Gibbs is perfect for BIDEN!

June 19, 2009 Lynn B. DeSpain writes:

There are no Countries that like single payer Health Systems! That’s why he couldn’t make one up.
Hozro

June 19, 2009 jim smith writes:

Mr. Gibbs never met a tough question he couldn’t sidestep. He believes George W. Bush invented the tough question portion of White House news conferences. The Brady Room is the exact location of where “pathetic” goes to die, no matter who is talking.

June 19, 2009 Cyndi, California writes:

I can’t help but feel sorry Mr. Gibbs. Obama sticks him out there like a pig to the slaughter! And doesn’t give him any answers to the questions that the press are bound to ask. It’s just more White House cover up of the real issues behind the curtain.

June 19, 2009 Normca writes:

Gibby has a great job currently. The MSM; the WH press corp would not ask a follow up when the front man answered with a negative. Wait till the popularity rating, for BO slips below, oh, 45 or 50 and the “hard knocking” press get the nerve to ask a follow up after months of soft ball. Then I want to watch the glittering jewel squirm. I wonder, if like the congress and the unions, Gibby is exempt from the health care take over.

June 19, 2009 John, Fort Worth Texas writes:

Robert is the gift that just keeps on giving. Between Gibbs, Biden and Obama does is kinda remind you of the Three Stooges?

June 19, 2009 Mary Van Hatten, Brentwood, CA writes:

In my travels to many different countries in Europe, and after talking with medical doctors about the difference in their health care systems and the USA, they have all said, they envy us and wish they had what we have here. God bless the USA.

June 19, 2009 Tom Iowa writes:

Oh Yeah. Thats transparency in government. Transparent through his head. SEE, no brain.. Another blah blah blah session with the Obama
B S of gab Gibbs….. Hows that CHANGE working out for ya now Obama voters? LOL

June 19, 2009 Ken, Houston writes:

The three stooges made me laugh but these clowns are lying, cheating, and taxing away this and our childrens future away. Obama never even ran a lemonade stand; Commander and thief!

June 19, 2009 Jerry from Chicago writes:

Between Gibbs and Joe Biden, we can at least get a little comic relief out of this administration.

Like the earlier correspondents, I feel a little sorry for this guy. Out there every day, stumbling and bumbling in front of the cameras, trying to rationalize the irrational and explain the inexplicable.

June 19, 2009 Mikezu812, San Antonio, TX writes:

Gibbs is absolutely useless. He takes the non-answer to totally new heights. It’s a good thing for him that the MSM have their lips firmly planted on his behind or he would really be in trouble.

June 19, 2009 Brenda Giguere,CA writes:

The devil is in the details.

June 19, 2009 Friday night funny: Fleeing communism, velcro, single-payer health care « Wintery Knight Blog writes:

[...] I found that YouTube version of the video on the Heritage Foundation blog. [...]

June 19, 2009 Ken, Denver writes:

Japan, Singapore, Australia, most countries in the developed world.

June 19, 2009 Mike Childers writes:

It seems to me that Pres. Obama has his own “Baghdad Bob!”

June 20, 2009 Starley Shelton, Toledo, OH writes:

I have travelled to several countries with one payer/government medicine and have been surprised at the positive attitude towards the system. The waiting times described in emergency rooms etc were actually less than what I have experienced in the US. They found it horrifying that in the US that the uninsured could be pushed back on the streets once stabilized without followup treatment. The lower per capita cost, greater longevity and higher birth survival rates seem to indicate in objective statistics based on the purchase of healthcare insurance that one payer is performing better.

June 20, 2009 Andrew Beyon, Scottsdale writes:

The uninsured we will always have with us — even under the care of The Man of Destiny.

June 24, 2009 Debra, Texas writes:

He could not give an answer because as soon as he gave one, people would have been tripping over each other to humiliate him. There is no answer because all other countries envy our healthcare system for a good reason. We actually treat old, sick people - we don’t put them on a waiting list for their surgery, radiation, chemo, bypass, etc…and let them die. Under the marxist system (Obama studied and loves marxism) that the democrats are pushing for, the elderly have to be discarded because they drain the society and don’t provide for it. Never mind that they worked through all their productive years, they do not support the welfare system so they are discarded.
The minority productive people support the growing majority of non-productive people so healthcare has to be rationed, wages for the workers have to be capped and reduced which of course, lowers the standards accross the board because it destroys the individual incentive to be a better doctor, nurse, paramedic, etc….
The system simply does not work and you do not have to be two levels above moron to figure it out.
The few at the top of this out of control government will always have their quality healthcare. You don’t think our crappy healthcare system will effect Congress do you? They don’t pay taxes and they will most definitely get special incentives here also. It’s called “communism” and the liars in Congress will live like kings as they always do.

I sware they could say “let them eat cake” and the sleeping idiot, racist, Obama finatics still would not wake up and smell the coffee. I don’t know what it will take.

July 1, 2009 jake florida writes:

they are smarter than you think. gibbs only releases so much info,and tha MSN runs with the final draft. Tony Snow was a well informed guy also,however he gave honest,intelligent responses, a class act. what would you expect from this group of classless scumbags. it is a very well acted plot on their behalf. don’t be fooled by these fools.

July 1, 2009 fred, earth writes:

know who he reminds me of: ted baxter. please keep him. he’s emblematic of this administration. they have no idea how dumb they look when they open their mouth. he is a national treasure to cherish. thank god for the internet so he will lvie forever so i can show my kids. they wont beleive it if i told them.

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