The Swift-Boating of Graeme Frost

Time:

If you listen closely to the two-minute radio address that 12-year-old Graeme Frost delivered last week for the Democrats, you can hear the lingering effects of the 2004 car crash that put him into a coma for a week and left one of his vocal cords paralyzed. "Most kids my age probably haven't heard of CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program," he says in a voice that sounds weak and stressed. "But I know all about it, because if it weren't for CHIP, I might not be here today."

Graeme, whose sister suffered worse brain injuries when their family SUV hit a patch of black ice, was making an appeal for President Bush to reconsider his veto of legislation that would have expanded the program designed to provide health coverage to children of the working poor -- those who are too rich to qualify for Medicaid, but unable to afford private insurance.

Read the whole story: Time

Comments

[JackG]

This Frost kid should pull himself up by his bootstraps and become a self-made man---Just like our President.

[Witchitalineman]

Thank you young man for speaking up. We need more examples of you in the world.

[kujobu]

This posting board really needs to focus. Address the issue of a little boy being attacked by vile fascist war mongers. Those that would rather spend billions on entitlement programs such as the green zone security guards rather than our health insurance for our children. Entitlement like subsidies for oil companies instead of a massive tax on all passenger vehicles that get less than 20 miles to the gallon. We throw money at contractors to buy the bullets that kill those we are protecting in Iraq but we can't find enough money to offer college students grants. Instead we force them to borrow and be indebted to another entitlement program - the college loan industry which is guaranteed, impervious to bankruptcy and/or death of the borrow and still charges students nine percent or more. Stay focused - this is about how we spend the nations treasure and who suffers or is saved because of our generosity or stupidity.

[Ammobob]

Since his family qualified for SCHIP under the 200% rule, what was the point of his ad to expand the program to a possible 400%???

And this also raises the question of 'means' testing for government handouts? His family owned property worth over 500K.

So did his fraudulent case deserve 'outing' - YES.

[Veleria29]

This child spoke for the democrats because there are thousands of other children who do not have medical insurance. Just like this child's parents there are others who work and they cannot afford medical insurance, those who do not work can get Medicaid. Every child should have medical insurance but the right wing and Bush had rather spend money on this un-godly war in Iraq than to take care of this country's own people.

[blindjester]

Maybe you don't owe that family anything. Maybe none of us owe each other a single thing.

It's possible. But a lot of us feel differently.

I work hard for my money. And if a bit of it goes to help an injured kid get some physical therapy, I feel pretty good about that.

[Libsrule]

First of all the lying by Veleria is really pathetic.

Their house is valued at just over 260 thousand dollars. The parents bought the house back in 1990 for 55 thousand.

God but it must suck so bad to have live what you believe by doing nothing BUT LIE ALL THE TIME.

Why do Thug members do nothing but lie lie lie lie?

The kid got a SCHOLARSHIP to a private school and earned it. By the way for the more brain dead among the Thug party members and those who support them, SCHOLARSHIP means he doesn't have to pay because the school felt he was what they wanted in their education program because of his smarts.

Why do Thug party members and those who support them LIE LIE LIE LIE LIE all the time?

[raker]

Health care for children is half-baked, half-assed, all wrong. We need health care for everyone. Not "affordable" health insurance for poor people, but health care for all. Even Hillary-hating Kansans get sick, so why is it so hard to get support?

[Veleria29]

You are right everyone deserves affordable health care, not just the poor. There are also working poor who do not qualify for insurance. Hillary has a plan to insure everyone. Why do the Kansans hate Hillary?

[PeteBogs]

"You shouldn'ta done that to the boy. Poor little feller."

will THIS be the thing that finally wakes people up to just how low and evil Republicants are?

[Waitaminute]

The republiklans have already shown they don't care about children. These pedophiles. They don't have a problem abusing children.

[Waitaminute]

like o'reilly when he made those statements about that kidnapped kid, who had been held for 4 years. Had no compassion for the child whatsoever. O'reilly is a punk!

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Understand that people like O'Reilly will act tough under such circumstances because it isn't his kid. Its never your problem until it happens to someone you love or yourself. Until then everyone wants to talk about self responsibility. These are the idiots who don't realize that it only takes one personal tragedy to reduce your financial independence into nothingness.

[Waitaminute]

oooooh they are swiftboating a baaaby..... Are the neo-cons devils?

[IronMikeHouston]

The problem I have with the story is why a 12yo is the spokesman for a health care bill! Why does the average American voter want to know what uneducated (with no life experiences) kid thinks is best for the very complicated health care system of America? I'm not sure someone that isn't familiar with the system should be an expert and on TV telling us what is right.

Also, if he is the expert on the system, then he and his family should be able to take criticism because that is part of the political system. Don't march an expert 12yo to the TV and expect no criticism. Blame your politicians for not having the guts to go on TV and be the expert!

What is a next? A dog barking and a 3 yo interpreting what the dog thinks is best for the health care system!

[JaneC]

Or a Chimp barking about what he thinks is best for the country? Absurd.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

The topic is heathcare for kids. Unless the defenition of a kid has changed a 12 year old is a valid individual to represent it since the bill affects them. Also giving an example of who the bill represents is a valid way of making your case against something since that is what the Dems are trying to do. They are trying to give an example of the kind of people that will be represented by this bill.

[nomobull]

for those who are attacking a child and those who are trying in vain to justify what they are doing, where do we draw the line in the sand. To borrow from a man that spoke out during the Mccarthy era "have you no sense of decency left".

[Trittydi]

Hang in there kid - we've got your back.
*

[mamacat]

All that the Republicans have to do to sink their own boat is to keep on doing the things that Republicans have been doing for a long time - lies, dirty tricks, etc., etc., etc.

What Repubs don't understand is that America is sick and tired of their swift boat campaigns. By now, the Repub policy experts are so locked into a mode that turns people's stomachs, that they don't know how to stop being repugnant.

If Lincoln and Ike were alive today, the right wing would be unable to stop themselves from talking about an out-of-wedlock-negro baby for Lincoln, and how Ike wasn't really a war hero. In other words, the Repub talking heads and strategists have become predictable, and not in a good way. They have lost touch with their humanity.

[Trittydi]

There is tremendous entertainment value in watching the Repiglicans self-destruct too. I feel for the guy's family but - my god . . . .
http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/10/09/falwell-colleague-dies-
getting-his-autoerotic-rubber-kink-on/

You'll need to copy and paste ~ but it's worth it.
*

[wsblake]

mamacat,
Don't forget T.R. I wonder what they'd be saying about his Progressive Programs ? They sure don't make Republicans like Teddy anymore- at least when he started a war, he was the first to put on a uniform and lead the attack.

[verisimilitudeness]

This political stunt has gone badly for both sides. Everyone knows that the right-wingers foam at the mouth over every entitlement program; that is until it guarantees big bucks for their contributers(read constituents or pharmacom). These bootstrap spouting trust-fund recipients can't get their minds around elevating the poor and underprivileged. These same jackasses talk about culture of life, while culling our disadvantaged for war profits.
Enter the democrats; throwing this kid into a public debate. Truly bad form. This act alone will cost them in the spin cycle.
The only certainty on this fiasco. At the end of this cycle, everyone loses.

[LIR]

A family of six living on 50K. I can't make ends meet on that for a family of one and a dog....BTW, sad to see Harold Ford's position on this...the Dems need to get it together! Some blogger wrote on www.opednews.com:

DLC Site Doesn't Agree

Harold Ford Jr. seems to have a difference of opinion with the official DLC web site which supports the bill, criticizes Bush's lame excuse for the veto and encourages an effort to override the veto. Though it doesn't have much hope for the House. Now is the time for all good citizens to bug the bejeebers out of our representatives as well as our senators not leaving anything to chance. They all need to be so inundated that there is no doubt the people want health insurance coverage for all our children.

[TheOtherMaven]

Ford's from a tobacco state. How is he going to speak or vote FOR anything that might cost Big Tobacco? (I have the same problem with Frank Wolf, in VA-10.)

Maven

[gallstones]

Listen, Huffington Post, TAKE THOSE GOD AWFUL CROSS HAIRS OFF THE PHOTO OF THE KID.
It is repugnant. I know you are trying to, not so subtly, make a point. But this is bad taste. What the heck are you thinking!?

[getoffmedz]

If you got your stones removed you wouldn't be so cranky?

Sorry but couldn't resist.

[Qbear]

MALKIN, has to flap BOTH sets of her lips just to shove out that sheer volume of BILE.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-8/1210139/Ann_Coulter_malkin.jpg

[gallstones]

The cross hairs on the photo have to go. WTF!?

[getoffmedz]

Malkin is Coulter in blackface.

[getoffmedz]

They should date?

[Trittydi]

Brownface.
*

[levibatgirl]

She looks like they could use her as poster girl for fetal alcohol syndrome.

[Trittydi]

Lovely thoughts come to mind -- oh - maybe Drawn and Quartered? Disemboweled? Maybe Tarred and Feathered? Just a fantasy - nothing more . . . .
*

[IMPRISONBUSH]

WHY is any one in Iraq, & Afghanistan fighting to keep a free nation from killing each other.
WE gave them the chance to vote ( three times )
WE helped them form a GOVERMENT.
we GAVE THEM BILLIONS IN AMERICAN TAXMONEY PLUS OUR GRANDCHILDRENS MONEY TO.
all WE HAVE RECIVED FROM THEM IS 3,888 PLUS U.S. AMERICAN DEAD.
28,000 U.S. AMERICAN WOUNDED
AND at HOME waht do we get, recive
LETTER FROM THE WAR DEPT.
A HUSBAN, WIFE, SON, DAUGHTER WITH NO :
LEGS
HALF A FACE
ONE ARM
BLIND
MENTALY ILL
MEN AND WOMAN WHO WILL BECOME :
HOMLESS
CONFUSSED
DEPRESSED
ALONE
ETC.
A WOMAN LIKE ANN COULTER WHO WILL PREACH HATRED OF JEWS OR ANY ONE THEY CAN TARGET FOR HATRED.
AND THEN TARGET A SMALL BOY:
GIVE OUT HIS SCHOOL
HIS ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER
CALL AND TELL HIM " HES DEAD "
SCARE A YOUNG BOY JUST BECAUSE HE SPOKE OUT ABOUT HEALTH CAR.
AND REPUBLICANS SMILED THOUGHT IT A JOKE
MAYBE SOME ONE SHOULD FIND, POST REPUBLICANS S
ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBERS
WHERE THER KIDS GO TO SCHOOL
ETC.
ETC.
REPUBLICANS REFUSS TO STOP THEWAR
GIVE OUR TROOPS A REST
AND MOST OF ALL THERE CHILDREN REFUSS TO ENLIST IN THE SERVICE ( ONLY THE FEW WHO WERE IN ALREADY ).
ITS THERE WAR BUT THE FEAR DEATH MORE THEN HELPING THERE FELLOW AMERICANS.
FREEDOM AS LONG AS SOMEONE ELES DIES FOR IT.
.........." THE REPUBLICAN MOTTO "...........