Thursday Reads: Rick Scott Folds on Medicaid, the Sanctity of Marriage, GOP Meltdown, and Media News
Posted: February 21, 2013 Filed under: Barack Obama, morning reads, Sequester, the GOP, The Media SUCKS, U.S. Economy, U.S. Politics | Tags: CNN, DOMA, Erin Burnett, Gay Marriage, hypocrisy, Medicaid, Michelle Laxalt, Obamacare, Paul Laxalt, Pete Domenici, Rick Scott, sanctity of marriage, Soedad O'Brien 43 Comments
Good Morning!!
There’s another winter storm moving across the country, and we could get another big snowstorm here in New England this weekend. My local NPR station predicted a foot of snow for the Boston area on Sunday, but the Weather Channel says it could turn out to be mixed with rain. We’ll just have to wait and see. The good news is that February is almost over and spring is on the horizon.
For now, pull up a chair (or curl up in bed with your laptop, grab your coffee or tea, and let’s see what’s in the news this morning.
Yesterday JJ wrote about all the Republican governors who are refusing to cooperate with the ACA by setting up health care exchanges in their states. Many GOP governors have also said they will not agree to an expansion of Medicaid. But late yesterday, one of the most recalcitrant of these governors, Rick Scott of Florida, reversed course and accepted a Medicaid expansion that would provide health coverage for an additional 1 million Floridians. The Orlando Sentinel reports:
Gov. Rick Scott announced Wednesday a proposed three-year expansion of Florida’s Medicaid program — enrolling an additional one million poor and disabled Floridians beginning next year — after the Obama administration gave the state tentative approval to privatize Medicaid services. If the Legislature approves, Scott’s announcement means the state will extend eligibility in the federal-state program to single people and families earning up to 138 percent of poverty….”While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost of new people in Medicaid, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the uninsured access to care,” Scott said at a press conference. He added that the expansion would have to be renewed in three years.
Florida has approximately 3.8 million uninsured citizens, so this isn’t going to solve the problem for most of them. So what’s going on with the privatization deal?
Scott’s announcement came a few hours after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced its tentative approval of a managed-care plan that Scott had previously said might well determine his decision on expansion – though the governor said he had not committed to the expansion in return for the approval….
But, the approval is conditional. According to CMS, the state still needs to show how it plans to monitor the quality of care that the Medicaid recipients will receive, plus create a “rigorous and independent evaluation” of the managed-care plans.
Republicans in the Florida legislature are unhappy and may still challenge Scott’s decision.
Erik Erikson is unhappy too, writing at Red State: I Am Very Disappointed in Governor Rick Scott. Erikson says “[i]t is a sad day for conservatives.”
Pete Domenici and Michelle Laxalt
In sanctity of marriage news,
Just a week after Democratic Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee revealed that a young girl he was tweeting with was his daughter–a child he had not know about until recently–we learned yesterday that former New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici had a secret, out-of-wedlock child, a son who is now in his thirties. From the Albuquerque Journal:
Statements given to the Journal by Domenici and the son’s mother, Michelle Laxalt of Alexandria, Va., identified the son as Adam Paul Laxalt, a Nevada lawyer. Michelle Laxalt formerly was a prominent government relations consultant and television political commentator in Washington, D.C. She is a daughter of former U.S. senator and Nevada Gov. Paul Laxalt. “More than 30 years ago, I fathered a child outside of my marriage,” Domenici said in his statement. “The mother of that child made me pledge that we would never reveal that parenthood, and I have tried to honor that pledge and so has she,” Domenici said.
Michelle Laxalt said that she and Domenici decided to go public now because she had reason to believe that someone else was going to (someone in the media?) was going to reveal their secret.
“Recently information has come to me that this sacred situation might be twisted … and shopped to press outlets large and small in a vicious attempt to smear, hurt and diminish Pete Domenici, an honorable man, his extraordinary wife, Nancy, and other innocents.” Michelle Laxalt said in her prepared statement.
“Why, after more than 30 years, would anyone insinuate pain and ugliness where joy and beauty have presided?” she asked.
Michelle Laxalt said “one night’s mistake led to pregnancy” and she chose to raise the son as a single parent.
“Given the fact that both my father and the father of my child were United States senators, I felt strongly that I would make this choice according to my values and would not seek advice, input or permission,” Michelle Laxalt said.
A few more reactions to the Domenici-Laxalt story:
Elspeth Reeve at The Atlantic Wire: Senator Had a Secret Son With Pundit Who Praised Him as a Great Dad.
Digby at Hullabaloo notes that Domenici was extremely judgmental of Bill Clinton over his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
I really liked this one at The League of Ordinary Gentlemen: “Secret Children For Me, No Gay Marriage For Thee!”
More evidence that the GOP is melting down:
Yesterday, conservative pundit Byron York was mystified by John Boehner’s op-ed in the Wall Street Journal about the sequester. York writes:
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed Wednesday, House Speaker John Boehner describes the upcoming sequester as a policy “that threatens U.S. national security, thousands of jobs and more.”
Which leads to the question: Why would Republicans support a measure that threatens national security and thousands of jobs? Boehner and the GOP are determined to allow the $1.2 trillion sequester go into effect unless President Obama and Democrats agree to replacement cuts, of an equal amount, that target entitlement spending. If that doesn’t happen — and it seems entirely unlikely — the sequester goes into effect, with the GOP’s blessing.
In addition, Boehner calls the cuts “deep,” when most conservatives emphasize that for the next year they amount to about $85 billion out of a $3,600 billion budget. Which leads to another question: Why would Boehner adopt the Democratic description of the cuts as “deep” when they would touch such a relatively small part of federal spending?
The effect of Boehner’s argument is to make Obama seem reasonable in comparison. After all, the president certainly agrees with Boehner that the sequester cuts threaten national security and jobs. The difference is that Obama wants to avoid them….Could the GOP message on the sequester be any more self-defeating?
Bwwwwwaaaaaaahahahahahaha!!!!
In other bizarre wingnut news,
I had to double check to make sure this story at HuffPo wasn’t satire.
Fox News personality Bill O’Reilly has announced that Killing Jesus: A History will be his follow-up book to the NYT Bestsellers Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy. A press release from his publisher Henry Holt stated that the book will
…tell the story of Jesus of Nazareth as a beloved and controversial young revolutionary brutally killed by Roman soldiers. O’Reilly will recount the seismic political and historical events that made his death inevitable, and the changes his life brought upon the world for the centuries to follow. “Jesus Christ has not walked among us physically for more than two thousand years, yet his presence today is felt the world over and his spirit is worshipped by more than 2.2 billion people,” said O’Reilly. “His teachings, his legacy, his life as a flesh-and-blood man, and his death created the world in which we live.”
Too much! More from The Hollywood Reporter:
In Killing Jesus, O’Reilly “will recount the seismic political and historical events” that made the death of the “beloved and controversial young revolutionary” known as Jesus of Nazareth inevitable.
“Jesus Christ has not walked among us physically for more than 2,000 years, yet his presence today is felt the world over and his spirit is worshipped by more than 2.2 billion people, O’Reilly said in a statement released by Holt. “His teachings, his legacy, his life as a flesh-and-blood man and his death created the world in which we live.”
This is a riot:
Candy Crowley moderating presidential debate
Dylan Byers reported at Politico last night that former RNC chairman and current co-chair of the presidential debate commission Frank Farenkopf regrets allowing CNN’s Candy Crowley to moderate the second presidential debate between Obama and Romney.
Why, you ask?
Crowley, who moderated the second, town-hall-style debate, drew heavy fire from conservatives for challenging Mitt Romney after he suggested that President Obama had not called the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, “acts of terror.”
According to an agreement between the Obama and Romney campaigns, the moderator of the town hall debate was to refrain from asking questions or participating in the debate. Crowley had promised to defy that agreement even before the debate started.
Give me a break! Farenkopf was upset because Candy told the truth. Does anyone really believe he would have objected if she had been backing up something Romney said?
Soledad O’Brien
In other CNN news, The New York Post reported yesterday that Soledad O’Brien is leaving the network and {ugh!} Erin Burnett will be moved into the morning spot.
We’re told award-winning journalist O’Brien has indicated she is ready to leave after she was initially promised a plum prime-time slot, but that role has so far failed to materialize. A source tells us: “The deal to move Erin to the morning alongside Chris Cuomo is basically done. Soledad had been told she’d get a prime-time slot, but that hasn’t yet happened, and now she is telling friends she is likely to leave.”
What is the deal with CNN and that airhead Erin Burnett? She’s been all over the network lately–even getting foreign assignments that she’s completely unqualified for. Frankly, she’s unqualified to report anything other than lightweight feature stories where she just reads off a teleprompter.
Other reactions:
The Atlantic Wire: Soledad O’Brien Is Not a Part of Jeff Zucker’s Vision for CNN
It looks like one of CNN’s most liked stars won’t fit at the burgeoning home of poop-cruise story torture and soft morning news — this is new president Jeff Zucker’s CNN, and Soledad O’Brien is not it….
If you’re a fan of Starting Point, you can take some solace in that Page Six’s run-up to Zucker’s changes hasn’t come to complete fruition… yet. a tiny bit solace in that some some of Page Six’s revelations haven’t happened … yet. They outlined the new morning shift late last month, although Cuomo hasn’t moved from his co-hosting gig during primetime breaking-news events like the Christopher Dorner manhunt … yet. That whole Ann-Curry-to-CNN-primetime rumor from December still hasn’t been worked out … yet. And — who knows? — this could light the fire to get CNN execs talking (probably to Page Six) about keeping O’Brien in primetime after all. Last time we checked, even shifting Curry to the 10 o’clock hour would leave one spot open — for O’Brien or another new splashy hire from Zucker … or, you know, more Anderson Cooper.
Erin Burnett
Jezebel: Oh Crap: Soledad O’Brien Is Rumored to Be Pushed Out at CNN.
As a wise person once said, “If you are a dumbass, it’s probably a bad idea to agree to be interviewed by Soledad O’Brien.” The anchor is a whip-smart bulldog who never backs down, who schools fools and fact checks John Sununu. Unfortunately, the buzz is that she’s getting the boot at CNN….
While some journalists are comfortable taking a break from the hard stuff and embracing the softer side of news (looking at you, Peabody Award-winning Hoda Kotb), O’Brien is not that kind of reporter. If you’re seen her deal with Michelle Bachman or argue with Rudy Giuliani, you know that a cushy gig like Today would not be right.
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
grayslady
mablue2
JJ Lopez aka Minkoff Minx
NW Luna
peggysue22
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
BB, you see this: Corpse found in L.A. hotel’s water tank – CNN.com
This hotel has had a dark past, but this latest news is gross…
I saw that last night. Very creepy.
Damn, never drink tap water in a hotel again. Poor young woman.
We’re looking at possibly 6 inches here in WM over the weekend. I can’t stand it!
The Candy Crowley piece was hilarious! Everybody plays “dirty pool” but the GOP. How dare anyone make their candidate look like a “boob” by speaking truth to power?
Too bad more of these moderators refuse to let these fools say anything without being challenged which is so often the case.
At least Soledad, who seems to be paying the price, tried to rein in some of these liars by offering facts instead of just sitting there like a potted plant, allowing them to spout one lie after another or pulling facts from their butts.
Oh well, at least it is spring training in Florida for the Red Sox which means Spring can’t be too far behind.
Maybe there will be a game on today, even if it’s only with Boston College or Northeastern.
I will have to check my Red Sox calendar that I received for Christmas. The irony is that half the players who appear on each month’s pages are gone!!!
To show you how “devoted” I am, our February Book Club met last night and our annual selection is an individual choice of an bio/autobio.
I chose Terry Francona and his book as my topic. Other members choices included a jailed South American poet, a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, a dead president, etc. Mine was a fired baseball manager!
What’s wrong with this picture??
The girls are buried in snow in Nebraska. I texted them both last night to stay off the roads and not to put their jobs above their safety. Fortunately, Dr. Daughter’s doing the baby delivery nearby at the med center and she gets dig out priority from the city. Not the case with the youngest daughter who takes after her father in doing dumb things like taking risks for worthless employers.
When I was doing clinicals in the lab at a hospital in Gary, Indiana, I had to drive prior to 7 AM in January along I-65 which was elevated in some places and icy so early in the morning. I could have been assigned to a closer hospital, but no, they had to make it harder on me. I always thought it would be awful if I died trying to complete my training just because of that.
You’re fortunate nothing happened. She’s been out doing the high risk deliveries at hospital that’s in the ‘suburbs’ but basically half way to Lincoln now. I was worried that’s where she was going to be headed today.
Well, if he comes back, he’s gonna be really pissed about that!
ROFLMAO!
LOL!!!! 🙂
The Morning Plum: On issues, GOP is badly out of step with America
Greg Sargetn dissects the latest Pew polling. Now, if the GOP only cared a little.
The Republicans are lost in wingerland. They just can’t get out of the confederacy and the dark ages. They may as well go join the Taliban.
Appreciating empiricism would be a good start
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/02/21/17043961-appreciating-empiricism-would-be-a-good-start?lite
That will only start after they are thoroughly beaten everywhere.
IMHO…..Soledad is the best, most accomplished and honest news person on CNN. Erin Burnett gets on my last damned nerve. Is CNN going for that Daffy Woman thingy that Fox News does so well? I would love to see Soledad at NBC or MSNBC. If CNN dumps her she won’t be out of work for long.
Yes, which makes it understandable that she would not fit into a Zucker world. Look what he’s done to the Today Show. You get more hard news from Highlights Magazine than you get from the Today Show. I don’t think Soledad will go away. Somebody will pick her up.
Soledad could do NPR or PBS.
I want her to have the largest audience possible though!
Hey there! I just wanted to say that I just moved to New England and found your blog…I LOVE IT! read it every day….check out my blog if you get a chance… http://www.demarined.com
I loved your description of Boston! I clearly my arrival at Logan and the subsequent drive. It was in May of 1967 in the middle of a nor’easter. I still loved it!
The only problem I have with Soledad O’Brien is that she’s done two specials on being Latino in America and two on being Black in America, and it’s never occurred to her to do one called being Female in America.
I’d think that being a woman is also part of her heritage/ identity, but bros before hos, amirite?
Still, O’Brien is two heads and four shoulders above Erin One Per Cent Burnett.
Soledad might not have total control over the shows she does. But you do have a very good point.
Decatur Daily: Sen. Shelby: budget cuts ‘draconian’
Translation: Some of these cuts are to my DoD pork barrel projects, waaahhh!
Did you see that Shelby has said he’ll vote for Hagel’s confirmation?
Yep, that’s a good thing.
The very best take down of John McCain I have ever seen. Jon Stewart demolishes!
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-february-20-2013/hagel-with-a-smear—country-first
Nobody does it better, IMHO. I love how Stewart’s team resurrects old clips that reflect the exact opposite of something a politician said recently. I just wish the networks would rub McCain & the other politicians’ faces in it, over & over & over again – continuous loops humiliating them & calling them out.
That would end a lot of our political issues. If they couldn’t constantly backtrack and lie, I think they would take what they do say more seriously.
Indiana GOP decides one transvaginal ultrasound isn’t enough; proposes TWO per abortion: http://www.huffingtonpost.com
WTF?!
Sue doesn’t seem to understand the concept that she got pregnant of her own free will (presumably).
Religious Nuts are Religious Nuts. Guess that’s why they don’t believe in rape. Things just come into vaginas. Saying no and yes makes no difference. Why would women have a say in what goes on in their bodies when men, the state, and every one else’s control is more important to these people?
But but but … sputter sputter sputter … that’s government intrusion. Why, that’s like regulating firearms. She can stick whatever she wants up her vagina. How does she get to say what goes up my vagina? What about my freedom from the dreaded government intrusion? And it’s not a medical test anyway; it’s not medically necessary, and insurers won’t pay precisely because it’s not medically necessary.
These people are so stupid – and yes, I mean stoopid, incredibly stoopid. They start from whatever the right wing view is and then justify backwards. So, guns, no regulation. Vaginas, yes regulation. There is no consistent rationale.
Can’t regulate guns because of the 2nd Amendment & the fact that guns don’t kill people. There is no constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to carry around a vagina & apparently, at least in some Republican reality, vaginas kill people.
and with that sentiment, I just posted a new post up top…
Before and after. That’s just more harassment.
Soledad O’Brien To Leave CNN Morning Show
Airhead Erin Burnett has a spot so the 1% can feel better now.
She and Mourning Joe can fight over the same 100 viewers.
NYT: Cry, the Misogynistic Country
This op-ed is about South Africa but it could just as easily be about the formerly apartheid USA. We seem more alike than I would have hoped.
The NYT editorial was depressing but this is magically delicious.
Charles Pierce: El Infierno On Wheels
Former police Sgt. Drew Peterson gets 38 years for ex-wife’s murder – CNN International http://dlvr.it/2zfRSC