Clinton Hospital Story May Actually Be True

ABC's Political Punch:

The New York Times had a real attention-grabbing story over the weekend indicating that Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, had been irritating an Ohio hospital by telling a false story about a poor, pregnant woman denied health care.

"The hospital said, 'Well, you don't have insurance,'" Clinton said. "She said, 'No, I don't.' They said, 'Well, we can't see you until you give $100.' She said, 'Where am I going to get $100?' The next time she came back to the hospital, she came in an ambulance," Mrs. Clinton continued. "She was in distress. The doctors and the nurses worked on her and couldn't save the baby."

Read the whole story: ABC's Political Punch

Comments

[JadedAggie]

I think the main point is that the media was always aware that Hillary was in fact told this story. Whether or not the story itself is true or not they unfairly attacked her as if she were the person to fabricate the story. Had they wish to be fair handed they would have started from the perspective that her campaign used poor judgment in not fully vetting the story before using it on the campaign trail.

Now as far as this "correction" goes it fails to meet any level of logic. The anecdotal tale involves only two hospitals, however this third hand correction with no evidence involves two known hospitals and a third that is unknown. More importantly it fails to address the fact that the woman was indeed insured, which runs completely counter to the story being told.

[apogee2perogee]

The story, as told, seems to conflict with Federal Law. Do you not find it problematic that Hillary doesn't know Federal Law regarding one of her focus issues, healthcare? How about considering that she is a lawyer? How about considering that this law was amended in 2003 while she was in the Senate? Her telling doesn't evidence competence regarding the current and law and situation. I think she should know all the details of Federal Law and policy on this particular subject, since it has been such a huge part of her "35 years of experience".

[JadedAggie]

Clearly it conflicts with law, however it is hard to refute that such laws are often broken. Her failure to notice that the actions violate laws and bring that to light however is a significant one.

[becky]

It's ok to discuss hospital issues as long as you don't name names. I know this because I've worked in a hospital and have had to sign the confidentiality statement.
So many of you Obama supporters don't know what you talking about.
Since I've worked in hospitals, I've seen less the stellar care given to patients, along
with disrespect for the uninsured.

[atila]

it's not,yahoo is informing that she just drop the story,so one more in the pocket.....

[Pharos]

She dropped the story but maybe should should include the rest of the Yahoo story

"But recent accounts of the episode have omitted key details that suggest there was more truth in the essence of Clinton's tale than her critics, and even her presidential campaign, have acknowledged."

[justwaitandsee]

WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED THAT ABC REPORTED ON THIS...

CREDIBITLITY LOSS

[becky]

It's no too late to support Hillary Clinton. Believe me, if Barack Obama gets the nomination,
I guarantee it, You are going to hear nothing but Negative in media about him. The media does this with every election. Haven't you noticed. They wanted John Kerry to win, then they turned the tables on him and gave him so much negative press it ruined him. All candidates make mistakes, it's how often the press reports on it that makes it seem huge or not. They've buried Reverend Wright,
it will come flying out after the convention again. Remember in 2004, at the end of the campaign,
Lynne Cheney said during a speech that John Kerry was a "bad,bad man." They played it over and over, until everyone believed it. John Kerry would have done much better in the election if the media didn't beat him into the ground. They will do the same thing with Barack Obama. Hillary is a much stronger candidate. She doesn't have Reverend Wright or Rezko just
waiting to be used to destroy. Please vote Hillary Clinton.

[IslandGyal]

becky,
You sound just like Hil-liar-y Clinton, desperate.

[maggieb]

Hey gyal, go bout you business and lef Hillary alone.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Oooooooh, we're so frightened of the big bad Republicans. Get a grip on reality. He's as clean as a whistle compared to McLobby, and HRC.

Besides when the book about Hillary's secret right wing sect "The Fellowship" is released on May 20th, she will be heading back to Westchester with Bill's coat tails between her legs:

http://www.amazon.com/Family-Secret-Fundamentalism-Heart-American/dp/0060559799/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207525968&sr=8-1
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/20/opinion/main3955108.shtml
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2003/03/0079525
http://thecurrent.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/clinton-fellowship.php
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200611/green-hillary
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/09/hillarys-prayer.html
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/224908.aspx
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/12/hillary_clinton_4.html
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/03/hillary-clintons-criticism-of.html

The Reverend Wright thing is over. Everyone has already moved on. You need to move on too.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

a) dont you mean Chappaqua, New York
b) Were did you get this stuff from about Hillary... right wing web links?
c) the Rev Wright thing is over, tell me that after April 23

[kunzarina]

The REverend Wright thing may be over in your university student lounge but it is most definitely NOT over in middle America. To not see that is to be supremely blinded by hero worship.

Barack Obama would made a decent president and I will support him if he's our candidate. But he has shown an incredible lack of good political judgment by staying with Wright and just expecting all of America to be okay with it because he makes a truly beautiful college commencement type speech about it. He should have known if he truly wanted to be president that this could bite him in the ass and take down the party with him. I resent him for that.

I'm not saying that the intelligencia can't grasp the bigger picture of Wright's words and understand their context in African American history. They can. But they are the fringe of the Democratic party and an even bigger fringe element in the United States which is still basically a jingoistic nation looking for simple answers and patriotic stances. Barack should have known better. Tip O'Neill once mentioned that any politician should always GET UP AND WALK OUT if he hears something that he disagrees with. He was right. Obama was wrong. And we're going to pay for his mistake.

[foreffectivegovernment]

Beyone good and evil: You said, "Oooooooh, we're so frightened of the big bad Republicans. Get a grip on reality. He's as clean as a whistle compared to McLobby, and HRC."
So were John Kerry, Max Cleland, and John McCain until the Republican Machine got attacked them. Why is Obama so immune to these attacks, because you "Love " him?

[rosal]

Sorry, I would rather vote for Nader, than for her. She doesn't have Wright or Reszko. She only has Yucaipa, Pacific Rubiales Energy, NAFTA, The Fellowship Prayer Group, Marc Rich, Frank Giustra. Videos of her little adventure in Bosnia. Videos of her, supporting and praising McCain. Her vote for the war. This is just a small sample. So don't give me the spill she is pure as the driven snow.
I will never, never vote for her.

[c1ee]

Impressive list!

[bailey2006]

"It's no too late to support Hillary Clinton."

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

I had to go change my undies, I laughed at that one so hard.

You poor delusional fool!

[olderdem]

I believe a celebration is in order. Hillary may have told a partially true story, maybe. With 35 years of lying, even she tells the truth sometimes, sort of.

[PennP]

As far as you know.

[c1ee]

Haha, that was funny, in a very sad way...

[missjabez]

I think the story has some truth to it, and with Hillary, some truth is better than none at all.

[PennP]

Yeah, but isn't it sad that it comes as a surprise that something Hillary said might actually be true?

[homesteader]

I don't know about emergency rooms, but if a dead broke insurance-less person goes to a nearby orthopedic clinic she will be turned away if she doesn't come up with 60 bucks. Every time.

[apogee2perogee]

In the ER, if the patient's symptoms present as an emergency, then Federal Law requires that the ER admit the patient regardless of ability to pay.

Had this woman known her rights, perhaps she would have returned to the first hospital, evidently a hospital that could better provide the level of care she needed when her situation became an emergency. I'll also agree that the poor should have some outlet other than the ER. In some parts of the country there is a local hospital, often the county hospital, that will take indigent people for care of all sorts, not just emergencies. Perhaps that isn't the case in Pennsylvania.

Hillary's statements are designed to make this scenario sound like a more pervasive problem than it is while ignoring real problems that are huge. Is that who we want to be enfluencing future policy? In other words, she isn't focused on good policy, she is focused on what she thinks will be powerful poltics.

[Pharos]

Depends on your definition of pervasive. What problems is she ignoring?

[shotgunjohnny]

oh yes, leave it to jake trapper to use third hand sources to prove some sort of 'point'. Note to journalists: citing a retelling of a story by someone other than the main participant is NOT journalism, it is tabloid GARBAGE!

do your effing job and do us all a favor, interview the actual participant. Instead of speculating about the hospital in question, actually find out which one it is from the person who went there!

ohmigod?! is that too much to ask? In the interim, let's randomly speculate that Clinton communicates with Reagan's ghost via aliens.

[funkalicious]

Hillary Clinton proves every day that she is a big fat liar. Do we really need four more years with a big fat liar in the white house?

[argent1]

no, you are the liar here

[boombox]

and that is why i will never vote for either Hillary or funkalicious.

[apogee2perogee]

....I guess that means that you are then the name caller here....

Your approach is not persuasive. You lack logic. You evidence little more than bitterness.

[Pharos]

I have plenty of evidence to "prove" Obama is a liar too (by the standards as I understand them at this site). Should I start listing them? Would that contribute to an informed rational discourse? Actually I wouldn't list them but if you want to see what could happen in November at the hands of a Karl Rove just try looking for Obama's lies in google. Sociological Data (GSS survey) shows the US is becoming more liberal and less religious (counter to the conventional wisdom of the MSM) and yet we continue to elect Nixon, Reagan, Bush (I and II). Every year we keep saying it can happen again. Read George Lakoff's book, "Don't Think of an Elephant" and then read the comments on this site. If you don't have time for the whole book look at pages 14 and 15, but I highly recommend the whole book.

[IslandGyal]

Pharos,
ALL candidates on the trail exaggerate now and then, it's par for the course, but Hil-liar-y lies ALL the time. No one knows IF and when what she's saying is the truth, there's a BIG difference there. I wonder how all you hypocritical folks would feel to have to deal with someone like Hil-liar-y Clinton in your private lives, yet you want her running the freakin' country.

[becky]

Yes, Pharos, Please start listing them. We need to remind these people of the truth,
that Barack Obama is FAR from perfect. There is a lot our there, the media just isn't
reporting it, Thank you for the time you have taken to do the research. I guess it's the grass roots that are going to have to set the record straight.

[Danielle2]

Yes, I would like to know why the "Kennedy' flew my father to the states" did not get a week of coverage and Obama being called a liar. My parents met in selma, forget that I was born four years earlier. There is more, but that is a good start.

[marthavalley]

Remind them of how the Pentagon said his Afghanistan story about soldiers not having enough bullets was totally phony-- a total lie. A Federal lie. Or how his own autobiography is filled with lies, or how the Kennedys are not responsible for his father coming to America, it's a total lie. How his life being due to his parents meeting at a Civil Rights march is a total lie.

Remind them of how Obama campaigned in Florida at a South Florida mansion and on t.v. so he broke the rules and later said he didn't a total lie.

Tell the world Obama is not going to get us out of Iraq----his foreign policy advisor wants to stay in until 2010 with 60-80,000 troops.

Obama getting us out of Iraq is now a total life.

[bailey2006]

You have proof? You read in on the internet?

Unless you have the actual paper/individual he spoke to/ whatever it is in your hot little hand, you DO NOT HAVE PROOF. You have the word of someone who wrote an article.

~sigh~

[ldjnews]

If she got the story wrong, voicing it is important. Clinton needs to use error about this specific story to ask voters--ask every America--who has a similar story to step forward and tell the horror story about medical insurance. In fact, there are a lot of stories just like this woman's and even worse stories that are very real and very tragic. I say, send them to Clinton's campaign and let the campaign compile them and read them. Loop them on the air or over the Internet. Let the stories run twenty-four hours a day. Let's see just how tragic the American health care system is. Glad she got the story partially wrong. It opens up the conversation.

[sandtats]

Bottom line, yet again, she didn't bother to vet the story, get the facts straight. And if you listen to the deputy's rendition, then Hillary's version, she embellished it beyond recognition. Liars do that; they feel the need to add more detail, presuming detail lends credibility. She showed poor judgment at best, but we all know for Hillary, it was all about the votes.

I've worked as a nurse, in a hospital, often in the ER, my entire career. It is against the law to refuse care to anyone in distress; at least, the person must be stablized before discharge. And if in fact she was not under any professional care, social services would have been notified and/or referrals to outpatient clinic made, etc.

I have NEVER, ever heard of any ER demanding "cash" up front.

Did this woman not have an OB? The ER is compelled to call your physician upon presenting to the ER; notify him/her. And IF in fact she had no OB; if the hospital did refuse treatment without the 100.00 payment, you mean to tell me her family, (who are now "talking!") her friends, her co-workers and her employer, didn't come to her aid? 100.00?

Bottom line, HC didn't know what the truth was and didn't bother to confirm the facts; she's a pathetic opportunist and seized upon the tragedy of this woman and her child; sickening.

[argent1]

You are FOS, that's nurse talk for constipation. Of course you would know the crux of the matter is true. However your disgust is that because Clinton would approach a human story to extol her concern and approach to a presidency can only interfere with some Polyanic virtue you see in Obama, who has shown absolutely no cajones over the years of his life in bettering the situation for health for women. You can push out your experience and I'll tell you of valuable deeds done by the Senator from NY to get funding to shelters for battered, beaten even pregnant women. The Senator did so by visiting a shelter in need, without photo-ops, without fanfare, and she doesn't talk about it. She came there twice and asked questions and lent her office to prudent and immediate attention. You won't hear about it because your ears are FOW. That's nurse talk for full of wax.

[apogee2perogee]

More pretzel logic from another clinton enabler...

[foreffectivegovernment]

sandtats: You said, "I have NEVER, ever heard of any ER demanding "cash" up front."
You have never dealt with private hospitals then. Every time I have gone in for routine out-patient surgery, the co-pay of $150.00 must be paid up-front prior to the surgery.

What you say is true of so called "Charity Hospitals" but not "for-profit" hospitals like Michelle Obama worked for. They just have to stabilize the patient and transfer them to other hospitals if they do not have Insurance or are self-insured. Wake up to the real world.

[apogee2perogee]

Really, did you have surgery in the ER?

I think not.

[Danielle2]

I recently went to the ER after surgery complications, while I was laying in the bed they came in and asked me for my co-pay. Then they made me wait on the bed/gurney for two hours beofr ethey came in to see me.

[Texas4Obama]

I've had to wait longer than that in an ER and I had good insurance. If you are not in critical condition others will be seen before you.

[marthavalley]

OBAMA SAID HE'D LEAVE IRAQ-- DATE CERTAIN. NOW HIS OWN ADVISOR SAYS WE'LL BE THERE UNTIL the year 2010 with 60-80,000 TROOPS.

OBAMA WILL HAVE CLARITY ON IRAQ-- TOTAL LIE. 2 of his advisors now ADMIT he may never leave Iraq. Maybe not for 100 years. No way of knowing with Obama, he's never done anything he says he can do, and he doesn't even mean what he says..........not on campaign trail.

That's what Samantha Powers said. Obama has no intention of doing anything he says on campaign trail.

Now that is a liar. On Iraq. What a liar on Iraq.

[Texas4Obama]

YOU should stop LYING!

If you want people to listen to you then quote what OBAMA has said not what the news media says OTHER people say.

[Danielle2]

Sandtats, a few years ago I worked in the Dept of Otolaryngology at a medical school, I was eight months pregnant. On one of our busiest days I started hemorrhaging, there was a hospital ER closer to my building than the parking lot, but my HMO said I had to use the affiliate hospital of this same hospital, it was 12 miles away. They told me I needed to go there, needless to say I lost the baby in the car.

[c1ee]

Wow, if true, you should contact your lawyer and sue for damages.

[langstonhughesfan]

The problem is...We really didn't know WHAT to believe, and this is the LAST THING we need in a president. We need to be able to trust her/him, and because she's lied in the past, it's just easy to assume she's lying every time she opens her mouth. It's just the way it is now with her.

[BlueStateMan]

This was the the results of bad (or nonexistent journalism)..... & Huffy was only TOO happy to pick up on it.

[presto]

So...you find out she didn't lie and you still accuse her of it because she lied before and for all you know she did again and who cares if she told the truth and every time she opens her mouth she lies and who knows what's true anyhow because even if it was true it was a lie because...well, because it's Hillary.

Yeah...I get it now.

[AbbieXHoffman]

The problem is the media and certain irrational Obama supporters are waiting to pounce on every word this woman says. If you need a definition of Rovian--that's it.

The media and certain irrational Obama supporters are becoming when they claim they detest. They are both so into the fray they can't even see they're in it.

Come on out of the fray--we'll take you back.

[boombox]

No, that is not the definition of "Rovian" at all. It is not a dirty trick to point out your opponents fabrications. Remember, it was the hospital that demanded this story be withdrawn from her speeches, because it was not consistent with their records of the woman's treatment. Senator Obama's campaign had nothing to do with it, and they have not commented on it.

So what you really mean to communicate is that certain irrational Hillary supporters will say anything to try to breath some life into this expiring candidacy.

[c1ee]

Oh gosh, that's your definition of Rovian eh. I shudder to think what other 'definitions' in your diction.

[Danielle2]

How can you trsut Obama, his biggest lie was to his constituents from Illinois, he promised them he would serve out his full six year term and two years later he broke that promise. He has told one lie after another and embellished stories, the difference is that the press is all over Hillary for every and anything, they mention it about Obama and then move on, they keep the Hillary stories going for days.

On the January 22nd 2006 edition of "Meet the Press," Tim Russert and Obama had the following exchange:

Russert: "When we talked back in November of '04 after your election, I said, 'There's been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your six-year term as United States senator from Illinois?'"

Obama: "I will serve out my full six-year term. You know, Tim, if you get asked enough, sooner or later you get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But my thinking has not changed."

Russert: "So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?"

Obama: "I will not."

[Pharos]

I think it's an unreasonable demand to make of people that they never be allowed to change their mind. At the time he probably did mean it. I'm an older white guy who prefers Clinton to Obama but but my most important desire is to make sure we don't elect McCain. Surely no one can seriously argue that either Obama or Clinton would select another Alito or Roberts. I honestly think that with a strong Democratic showing we might even be able to impeach those two (I'm not sure but I think there is enough evidence to warrant an investigation into whether or not they committed perjury at their confirmation hearings).

[marthavalley]

Like on Iraq.................turns out not knowing what to believe describes Obama's Iraq War position.

BARACK OBAMA-- HE PLANS TO BE STUCK IN IRAQ UNTIL 2010 WITH 60,000-80,000 TROOPS.

[BoulderSue]

While I'm not impressed with Sen. Clinton's lack of precision on this story, and I'm an Obama supporter, I've got to give this one to her, or at least a few points, because I know of so many similar stories about which I could give you specifics. Hillary's story is a generic story about the state of our health care system. I'd like a few more details, sure, and as the ex-wife of a lawyer, I know that hearsay is not the best of evidence, but the sentiment was totally correct. Just be glad Mark penn is gone....

[jrterrier]

i wrote yesteday that this is the gore-ization of hillary. the media is hell bent on making a liar out or her as they did to al gore. shame on you huff post. and all of you who called her a liar.

[boombox]

She's not a liar, just truth-challenged.

[rosal]

She only "misspeaks" every time she opens her mouth. Its not the media, she is bent on telling lies: Compulsive liar. The poor woman cannot help herself.

[presto]

So you're going to give her a few points because she didn't lie. Wow.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

The Hillary Media Enigma, this is why this story needs to keep going, Hillary needs to stay in the race all the way to Denver. As a Republican, I'm enjoying this all the way to Washington when the GOP stays in the White House.

[BlueStateMan]

The "Hillary Media Enigma" is because the right-wing, corporate media KEEPS it there.... to no avail. She's not going to get the nomination.

..... & if you're expecting the GOP to be anything more than a bad memory (& the object of MANY idictments) come November... I STRONGLY suggest you get used to disappointment.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

The Huffington Post is right wing?

[Pharos]

So why is McCain ahead in some polls? Study history (for example Humphrey - McCarthy) so you don't repeat it.

[kellygrrrl]

all right. let's her give this one, and even offer an apology -- as I'm sure somewhere in America the exact story she told probably did happen to someone.
moving on
Let's talk about Mark Penn, Blackwater, Countrywide, Columbia Free Trade...
BTW, are you against, yet paying the guy who is brokering it?
is that like voting for the war that you were first to criticize?