|
|
 |
|||
 |
|||
      |
|||
 |
How do you propose to control these costs and how are you going to provide access to health care for every American? Let's see, whose turn is it to go now? QUAYLE: I think it's Admiral Stockdale's. BRUNO: I think it's Admiral Stockdale's turn to go first. Go ahead, sir. STOCKDALE: Well, we have excellent technical health care, but we don't administer it very well, and the escalating costs top any other budget danger in the -- on the horizon, I think. And what Mr Perot has suggested is that we try to re- -to look at the incentives, the incentives that are in our current way of doing business, are what are killing us. There's -- there's no incentive for a hypochondriac not to go to the -- to Medicare every day. There is no incentive for a doctor to curtail the expensive tests because he's under threat of malpractice lawyers. And so we -- we just have a web of wrong-way incentives that has to be changed by some people who are in the medical profession and some other crafty people who know how to write contracts to change incentives or get -- get the -- the incentives situation under control. BRUNO: Senator Gore. GORE: Bill Clinton and I believe that if a criminal has the right to a lawyer, every American family ought to have the right to see a doctor of their own choosing when they need to see a doctor. There are almost 40 million Americans who work full time today and yet have no health insurance whatsoever. We are proposing to change that, not with a government-run plan, not with new taxes, but with a new approach called managed competition. We are going to provide a standard health insurance package provided by private insurance companies and eliminate the duplication and red tape, and overlap, and we're going to have cost controls to eliminate the unnecessary procedures that are costing so much money today. There was a bipartisan commission evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats who looked at our plan and the Bush-Quayle proposal. They said ours will save tens of billions of dollars and cover every American. The Bush proposal, by contrast, will cost us tens of billions and still leave Americans uninsured. But what I want to know is, why has George Bush waited for 3 and a half years during this health insurance crisis before finally coming out with a proposal, just before the election, and he still hasn't introduced it in Congress. Why the long wait, Dan? BRUNO: Mr Vice President. QUAYLE: Hal, President Bush has had his health care reform agenda on Capitol Hill for 8 months. He's had parts of it up there for years. You talk about increasing costs that the president has had on Capitol Hill- - medical malpractice reform legislation -- for several years. Defensive medicine and health care today cost $20.7 billion. Defense medicine defined as testing and treatment that is only necessary in case of a law suit. Wouldn't that be nice to take $20.7 billion that we're putting into our legal system and put it to preventive health care or women's health care or something else besides trial lawyers? But no -- you don't want to reform the health care system to drive down costs through medical malpractice. What you're doing -- you are talking about a government program. Your program is to ration health care. You said in your statement to see a doctor when you want to see a doctor. When you start rationing health care there's going to be a waiting line to see a doctor unless it's an emergency. Remember when we rationed energy in this country? Waiting lines at the gasoline stations. The same thing would happen when you ration health care. The president's proposal deals with tax credits, deductions and purchasing health care in the private sector and making health care affordable and available to every single American. BRUNO: Admiral Stockdale, would you like to start the discussion period? STOCKDALE: Well, I'm out of ammunition on this -- GORE: Well, let me talk then because I've got a couple of things that I want to say. BRUNO: Go ahead, Senator. GORE: We still didn't get an answer to the question of why George Bush waited for 3 and a half years -- QUAYLE: He didn't wait 3 and a half years. GORE: -- during the national -- QUAYLE: I did answer the question.
But you know, that's not the reason for this health insurance crisis. The reason is, we've had absolutely no leadership. Let me tell you about a friend of mine named Mitch Philpot from Marietta, Georgia -- not far from here -- who Tipper and I met with his family in Johns Hopkins Hospital. Their son, Brett, was in the bed next to our son and they couldn't pay their medical bills. They used to live in Atlanta, but they lost their house. And while they were there, both Mitch and his wife lost their jobs because they could not get unpaid leave. We pass legislation to give family leave under circumstances like that, exempting small business. How can you talk about family values, Dan, and twice veto the Family Medical Leave Act? (Applause) BRUNO: Mr Vice President. QUAYLE: Pass our Family Leave Act, because it goes to small businesses where the major problem is. Your proposal excluded small business. That's the problem. Now, let me talk about health care and -- GORE: Did you require it? Did you require it? QUAYLE: My turn -- (holding hand up at Gore) GORE: Did you require (inaudible) -- (Simultaneous conversation) QUAYLE: My turn. GORE: It's a free discussion. QUAYLE: Take a breath, Al. Inhale. GORE: It's a free discussion. (Applause) Did you require family leave in that legislation? Yes or no? QUAYLE: We offered incentives to small businesses. Yes or no -- GORE: That's a no, isn't it? QUAYLE: Was small business exempted under your proposal? GORE: Yes. QUAYLE: Yes. And that's where the biggest problem is -- GORE: Did you require it of anyone? QUAYLE: I'm going to get back to the topic again -- GORE: Did you require it of anyone?
I'd like to know where Bill Clinton stands on health insurance. When he was campaigning in New Hampshire, he said I am for the pay-or-play health insurance. Pay or play, that's a 7 to 9 % payroll tax on every worker in America that participates in this program. GORE: Can I respond? QUAYLE: And then, all of a sudden, this summer he says, oh, I'm not for a pay or play. Here we go again. Bill Clinton, one day he's for pay or play, the next day he's against pay or play. He does it in education. He writes Polly Williams, a Democrat state legislator in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, saying I'm for choice in education; then he goes to the NEA teachers union and says, sorry, I'm not for choice in education because you won't let me be for choice in education. One time Bill Clinton says term limits -- we ought to limit terms, it's ridiculous that a member of Congress can serve for 30, 40, 50 years, and you limit the terms of the president -- but that's another subject. GORE: We're fixing to limit one. (Laughter) QUAYLE: It's not going to be mine; it's going to be people like you and Kennedy and Metzenbaum and George Mitchell and the rest of that Democratic Congress on Capitol Hill -- that's who we're talking about. (Applause) And that's who the American people -- as you well know, you've got term limits for a president, you don't have term limits for Congress, and I think it's absolutely ridiculous that we don't. GORE: I want to respond to some of this. QUAYLE: Here goes Bill Clinton again: he says, well, term limits, that's an interesting idea, I think I might be in favor of that. Then his Democratic friends in Congress say, no, Bill, you can't be for that. Bill Clinton has trouble telling the truth. GORE: I want to respond, if I might. BRUNO: Go ahead, Senator, quickly. GORE: You know, in response to my question before that long laundry list, he said that they had their own family leave proposal. It was just like the proposal of your party back when Social Security was first proposed. You said: we're for it as long as it's voluntary. Same with Medicare. You said: we're for it so long as it's voluntary. Civil rights -- we're for it so long as it's voluntary. BRUNO: Senator, I'm going to have to ask you to wrap this one up. GORE: Family leave is important enough to be required. (Applause) BRUNO: Okay, thanks. Coming out of health care, again trying to avoid controversy, let's talk about the abortion debate. (Laughter) Abortion rights has been a bitter controversy in this country for almost 20 years. It's been heightened by the recent Supreme Court decisions. So I'll make it very simple in this question: Where do each of you stand on the issue? What actions will your president's administration take on the abortion question? Will it be a factor in the appointment of federal judges, especially to the Supreme Court? And I believe that Senator Gore goes first. GORE: Bill Clinton and I support the right of a woman to choose. (Applause) That doesn't mean we're pro-abortion; in fact, we believe there are way too many abortions in this country. And the way to reduce them is by reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies, not vetoing family planning legislation the way George Bush has consistently done. The reason we are pro-choice and in favor of a woman's right to privacy is because we believe that during the early stages of a pregnancy the government has no business coming in and ordering a woman to do what the government thinks is best. What Dan Quayle and George Bush and Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson think is the right decision in a given set of circumstances is their privilege -- but don't have the government order a woman to do what they think is the right thing to do. We ought to be able to build more common ground among those who describe themselves as pro-choice and pro-life in efforts to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. But, Dan, you can clear this up very simply by repeating after me: I support the right of a woman to choose. Can you say that? BRUNO: Vice President Quayle, your turn. QUAYLE: This issue is an issue that divides Americans deeply. I happen to be pro-life. I have been pro-life for my 16 years -- (Applause.) -- in public life. My objective and the president's objective is to try to reduce abortions in this country. We have 1.6 million abortions. We have more abortions in Washington, D.C., than we do live births. Why shouldn't we have more reflection upon the issue before abor -- the decision of abortion is made. I would hope that we would agree upon that. Something like a 24-hour waiting period, parental notification. I was in Los Angeles recently and I talked to a woman who told me that she had an abortion when she was 17 years of age. And looking back on that she said it was a mistake. She said -- she said I wished at that time, that I was going through this difficult time, that I had counseling to talk about the post-abortion trauma, and talk about adoption rather than abortion. Because if I had had that discussion, I would have had the child. Let's not forget that every abortion stops a beating heart. I think we have far too many abortions in this country, in this country of ours. BRUNO: Admiral Stockdale. STOCKDALE: I believe that a woman owns her body and what she does with it is her own business, period. (Applause.) Period. BRUNO: That's it? (Applause.)
(Applause.) BRUNO: You caught me by surprise. Let's go ahead with the discussion of this issue. Senator Gore. GORE: Well, you notice in his response, that Dan did not say I support the right of a woman to choose. That is because he and George Bush have turned over their party to Pat Buchanan and Phyllis Schlafly, who have ordered them to endorse a platform which makes all abortions illegal under any circumstances, regardless of what has led to that decision by a woman. Even in cases of rape and incest, their platform requires that a woman be penalized, that she not be allowed to make a choice, if she believes, in consultation with her family, her doctor, and others, whoever she chooses, that she wants to have an abortion after rape, or incest. They make it completely -- QUAYLE: Senator, do you support a 24-hour waiting period? GORE: -- illegal under any of those circumstances. Now they want to waffle around -- QUAYLE: Do you support a 24-hour waiting period? GORE: Let me finish this, briefly. Now -- now you want to waffle around on it and give the impression that maybe you don't really mean what you say. But again, you can clear it up by simply repeating I support the right of a woman to choose. Say it. BRUNO: Let him say it himself. Let him say his own words. Go ahead, Mr Vice President. QUAYLE: Thank you. Talk about waffling around. This issue is a very important issue. It has been debated throughout your public life and throughout my public life, and one thing that I don't think that it is wise to do, and that is to change your position. At one time, and most of the time in the House of Representatives, you had a pro-life position. GORE: That's simply not true. QUAYLE: In 1987, you wrote a letter, and we'll pass this out to the media -- GORE: That is simply not true. QUAYLE: You wrote a letter saying that you oppose taxpayer funding of abortion. Bill Clinton has the same type of a record. GORE: In some circumstances. QUAYLE: You're going to qualify it now. GORE: And I still do. QUAYLE: And Bill Clinton, when he was governor of Arkansas, also worked with the Right to Life people and supported Right to Life positions and now he has changed. Talk about waffling around. This is the typical type of Clinton response. Even on the issue like abortion. He's on both sides of the issue. Take the NAFTA agreement -- GORE: Well, wait -- BRUNO: Let's stick with the question, Mr Vice President. QUAYLE: How long did he have -- GORE: I know you want to change the subject, Dan, but let's stay on this one for a while. QUAYLE: How long did he have to wait -- or how quickly did he change his position on education? He changes his position all the time. GORE: Let's stay with this issue for a while. QUAYLE: Bill Clinton -- Bill Clinton has trouble telling the truth. 3 words he fears most in the English language. BRUNO: Does anybody have any view about the appointment of judges on this? QUAYLE: Tell the truth. GORE: Yeah, I want to talk about this, because the question was not about free trade or education. The question -- QUAYLE: Talk about waffling. You're the one who brought up the -- GORE: Now, I let you talk. QUAYLE: -- issue of waffling. He's waffled on the abortion issue. GORE: I let you talk. Let me talk now. It's going to be a long evening if you're like this, now.
GORE: Don't change the subject -- BRUNO: Let's get on with it. Gentlemen, let's get on with it. GORE: Don't change the subject -- QUAYLE: Well, answer my questions, then. GORE: What you have done -- QUAYLE: Answer my questions. On the 24 hour waiting period -- do you support that? GORE: I have had the same position -- QUAYLE: Do you support that? GORE: I have had the same position on abortion in favor of a woman's right to choose. Do you support a woman's right to choose -- QUAYLE: Do you support a 24 hour waiting period to have -- GORE: You're still avoiding -- QUAYLE: How about avoiding the question? GORE: -- the question. Now, wait a minute. Let me tell you why this is so important. There are millions of women in this country who passionately believe in the right of a woman to privacy. And they want to stack the Supreme Court with justices who will take away the right to privacy. Make no mistake about it. That is their agenda -- (Applause) And if you support them, don't be surprised if that is exactly what they want to do and that is why Dan Quayle refuses to say this evening that he supports the right of a woman to choose. I agree with Admiral Stockdale and the vast majority of Democrats and Republicans in this country. You know, one of the reasons so many Republicans are supporting the Clinton- Gore ticket is because they've turned over the party to this right wing extremist group which takes positions on issues like abortion that don't even allow exceptions for rape and incest. BRUNO: Senator -- GORE: Again, can't you just say you support the right of a woman to choose? BRUNO: Could we give Admiral Stockdale a chance to jump in here if he wants to, if he dares to. STOCKDALE: I would like to get in -- I feel like I'm an observer at a pingpong game, where they're talking about well, you know, they're expert professional politicians that massage these intricate plots and know every nuance to 'em. And meantime, we're facing a desperate situation in our economy. I've seen the cost of living double in my lifetime. A new granddaughter was born in my family -- my granddaughter- -3 weeks ago. And according to the statistics that we have -- that is, the Perot group -- the chances of her seeing a doubling of the standard of living are nil. In fact, her children will be dead before another -- this standard of living is doubled. So what the heck! Let's get on with talking about something substantive. (Applause) BRUNO: All right. Mr Vice President, you'll have a chance to -- (Applause) You'll have a chance in the closing statements. QUAYLE: We need to get on -- BRUNO: No, let's move on to another topic. QUAYLE: Just 15 seconds to respond. GORE: Well, can I have 15 seconds also? BRUNO: No, let's move on, gentlemen. QUAYLE: I'll tell you what. If --
|
||
Debates & Campaigns
. Interviews .
Behind the Podium .
Teacher Guide . Site
Map . Home
Copyright 2000 MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
Let's
go on to health care. Health care protection has become a necessity of
life in our society, yet millions of Americans are not ensured and the
cost of medical treatment is practically out of control.
GORE:
-- health insurance crisis before he even made a proposal. And it still
hasn't been submitted to Congress in the form of legislation. I also want
to respond to the question about malpractice. Do you know which state
has the lowest malpractice premiums in the entire country? Bill Clinton's
Arkansas does -- partly because he has passed reform measures limiting
the time during which malpractice suits can be filed. In fact, tort claims
generally have fallen 10 % under Bill Clinton there.
QUAYLE:
-- because he obviously doesn't want to talk about health insurance or
health care, which you address. I was absolutely -- I shouldn't say that
-- another Clinton. You pulled another Clinton on me because here you
go again. Medical malpractice legislation has been before the Congress
of the U.S. and you tried to convince the American people is for tort reform?
The biggest campaign contributors to your campaign are the trial lawyers
of America. We have a letter -- and we're going to release it again to
the media, if the media is interested -- where the head of the trial lawyers
of Arkansas said that Bill Clinton was basically in their back pocket,
that Bill Clinton has always opposed tort reform of any kind. It's in
the letter, we have it, we'll make it available -- because Bill Clinton
is not for tort reform.
STOCKDALE:
I don't -- I, too, abhor abortions, but I don't think they should be made
illegal, and I don't -- and I don't think it's a political issue. I think
it's a privacy issue.
QUAYLE:
Oh, no, it's not --