Ben Nelson Personally Calls Nebraskan Who Ripped Him In Health Care Ad

Hours after he appeared in a television ad attacking Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) for slow-walking health care reform, local Nebraska businessman Michael Snider received a phone call.

It was Nelson.

The senator wasn't pleased about the ad being released in his home state -- his office would later suggest that the ads would compel the senator to blow up the reform process altogether.

But with Snider on the line, Nelson was less bombastic, trying instead to persuade a local constituent with substantive concerns that there was middle ground.

"To be real honest with you, I don't know if he was just being aggressive or nervous but he just wanted to put out his position on the issue," Snider recalled in an interview with the Huffington Post. "He said he supported the public option but one that wouldn't affect the current plans of 200 million Americans."

"I told him I didn't understand. And he tried to explain it. He put his position out. He said if we went with a full public option -- which he called a government plan -- it would drive the price down and hurt private companies. I said, 'you mean competition.' And he replied that it would force people off the private plan and onto the government plan."

"That happened twice," Snider concluded. "He was telling me how bad a public option would be and when he was done I said, 'So you don't support a public option.' He would reply, 'That's not what I say.'"

The call lasted roughly ten minutes. In the end, Snider thanked Nelson but made no plans for future discussion. That it took place at all was a shocker for the Nebraska restaurant owner. He almost didn't take the call after his wife answered the phone and didn't recognize the voice on the other line.

Snider also never expected to be in the heat of a political war of words. He had agreed to cut an ad for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) and Democracy for America (DFA) detailing how his insurance rates were being raised 42 percent and expressing frustration with Nelson's skittishness on reform. The spot became viral on Friday, and within minutes he had received a call from an anonymous angry male who was furious with his position. The next person to ring was his home state senator.

But such is the state of play in the hot-oven health care debate. Nelson's office says it is normal protocol to respond to concerned constituents. "During weekdays in Washington, Senator Nelson often calls Nebraskans who email, call or write him on various issues," said Jake Thompson, the senator's press secretary. "He wanted to share with Mr. Snider his views on health care and to talk with him because it seemed Mr. Snider was having problems with the health care system that Senator Nelson is working hard to reform this year."

But for all the outreach, the pressure on Nelson has only mounted as he remains on the fence when it comes to President Obama's health care agenda. The senator's office says it is currently getting calls at a nine-to-one rate from individuals who don't want him to support a public option for insurance coverage. PCCC and DFA, meanwhile, have pledged to triple the amount of money behind the ad it launched starring Snider.

Despite the personal outreach, Nelson did little to calm Snider's concerns.

"I told the senator that it's crazy that my health care premiums are almost equal to my housing payment. And I don't have a Cadillac plan. My coverage only covers catastrophic procedures," said Snider. "My insurance hasn't spent a dime on me. And now my rates are going up 42 percent."

Nelson offered to try and do something to find out why his rates had risen so dramatically. But he didn't offer to do the one thing Snider wanted to hear: support the public option. And that, in the end, might end up affecting how Snider votes the next time Nelson is up for reelection.

"I volunteered to put signs up for him," he says of Nelson's earlier runs for office. "But if he is not going to support this it is going to be real tough to support him next time around."

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Comments

[VS007]

09:56 PM on 08/05/2009

Rachel Maddow interviewed the Hotel owner and I liked his last statement:
We elected Obama to get healthcare passed or something to that effect.

[dantanna]

01:58 PM on 08/05/2009

only the government can compete against those gigantic monopolistic health care companies - unfortunately that's what our leader through generations have allowed to happen. i personally do not see anyone as powerfull as the government to be a serious competitor in the industry and force health care compaies to lower their prices and better their services. I understand there should be parameters on how to do this but not having a public option takes away the meaning of "reform" sen nelson as any other memeber in the senate or the house should lose their seat if they oppose this option and much more if becuase of them this country will go on for mny more decades without addressing this issue that affects so many million of americans.

[Righterthenthou76]

12:34 PM on 08/05/2009

You know, it could be typical senator double talk form Nelson, but on the other hand he might actually be on to something. Us blue dogs, while indeed wanting "competition " are a bit skittish about a public plan because the more liberal members of Congress are likely to make it into a plan that transfers the current insurance monopoly into a government one. The answer may not be in putting the government into the health care game because even if not right now at some point the government system could become an uncontrollable monster. So Nelson might just be hedging himself until he see's what kind of "public option" comes up for a vote. I'll remind everyone that the American people need equal protection form business and government assaults on liberty on personal freedom. I feel that the right and left often attack one or the other and think the other is fine, when in fact both are equally dangerous.

[LCLA]

11:58 PM on 08/08/2009

You are right that our government requires constant monitoring to prevent abuses.
But so do the corporations who run the present health care system. We see how well that has worked! Very poorly.
We are ill served by Blue Cross, United Health, Cigna, Aetna, and the other big insurance companies who have abused the privilege of public trust for our health care needs.
At least when government agencies lose track of their mission we can vote for change. As imperfect as that is, it is far, far better than the helplessness we have with insurance and pharmaceutical corporate extortion and abuse of the sick and disabled.

[BlackDemfromNH]

10:54 AM on 08/05/2009

The problem with our current healthcare come down to two words: FOR PROFIT. Healthcare should never have been turned into a for-profit business. It should be a service, like the police and fire departments. The medical industry is grotesquely corrupt and that's the problem. And to make matters worse, you have an American public that is so afraid of change and gullible enough to buy into the right-wingers completely fallacious claims that the public option would be bad for us. GIVE ME MY PUBLIC OPTION; IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T GET IT!! Keep paying though the nose to private insurance companies; I need something I can afford.

[the Lensman]

10:01 AM on 08/05/2009

Ultimately I don't believe our threats to vote these men out of office has any affect on them. When they get millions of dollars from companies to shill for them they expect to get a job with them as a lobbyist when they are out of office so they really there is no incentive to do what we want. Best to do what their masters want.

[greymom]

10:37 AM on 08/05/2009

You are right. When 60 minutes delved into the Medicare Prescription Drug Act and the one very interesting clause that doesn't allow bargaining for drug prices, they found that many of the congresspeople who were insistant on that being in the bill were later hired by Pharmaceutical companies as lobbyists and other positions.

Big medicine takes care of its own, sadly.

[joannenj]

10:57 AM on 08/06/2009

The Medicare Prescription Drug Act was government intervention to the highest bidder and it passed with no fanfare. Where were the angry mobs then? They are saying it's ok for us to do it but you can't.

[CRA1]

09:57 AM on 08/05/2009

FOLLOW THE MONEY!

[BushBites]

09:51 AM on 08/05/2009

So Nelson admits he's working for the insurance companies and not his constituents.

Nice.

[the Lensman]

09:48 AM on 08/05/2009

And Nelson thought that by bribing him with an offer to help fix his personal insurance problem he could get him to change his mind...well it worked on Nelson after all.

[LBCityGirl]

09:38 AM on 08/05/2009

Yep, damn straight the first thing I'm going to do when National Healthcare happens--I am going to stop spending so much for so little!

I can't believe how many fools think the present system is working--these people obviously have someone else paying for their medical insurance. In the real world where people buy their own insurance we are getting seriously screwed by the Heath Insurance companies. My family can't even afford simple surgeries because of the health insurance I can afford. Is that right?

The way the system is now you can't pick your doctors. The way the system is now, you get turned down for medical treatment. The way the system is now you have to wait weeks to see a doctor. It seriously can't be worse under National Heathcare. It's not possible.

[kitkatborn]

10:46 AM on 08/05/2009

All we can do is just keep answering the crap the insurance companies sprew out. Fanned and faved.

[BillJacobs]

01:56 PM on 08/05/2009

"It seriously can't be worse under National Heathcare. It's not possible."

Famous last words. It can and would be worse if there is not enough money to support the system. What should everyone be paying in taxes? 50-75% of their income? The government may be able to lower health care costs, but they will take most of your income to do it.

[cminca]

02:22 PM on 08/05/2009

Please cite your source for the "50-75% of their income remark."

Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA are all successfully run government health programs. The VA system has lower costs and more customer satisfaction than for-profit insurance plans.

[FloraFauna]

09:22 AM on 08/05/2009

Thank you Mr. Snider. How brave you are.

[hawkseye]

09:20 AM on 08/05/2009

It's hard to tell if Nelson is stupid or if he thinks everyone else is so he can get away with his stupidity.

[EvasDaddy]

09:52 AM on 08/05/2009

Obviously, both.

[Horus45]

09:13 AM on 08/05/2009

Seems like Nelson still doesn't know whom he serves.

[oldngrumpy]

10:21 AM on 08/05/2009

Nelson knows exactly who he serves. Just look at the money he has gotten from the insurance / pharma industries. I don't believe that he has gotten letters of support in a 9 /1 ratio unless the GOP is letter bombing these Blue Dogs. I live in Nebraska and know it is an extremely red state, but it isn't anywhere near that red. He has heard from me often.

[booksnmoreforyou]

08:25 AM on 08/05/2009

Best health care ad so far.

[annieooo]

07:46 AM on 08/05/2009

God bless you Mr Snider! Thank you for having the courage to stand up for health care for all of us. I encourage everyone to thank Mr Snider for being a great American by supporting his business. I live in Kansas and a group of us plan to travel to Nebraska just to eat at his restaraunt to thank him. Honor him further by calling your state representatives and the White House to support public option. Take the time to go to town hall meetings and ask for universal/single payor/ public option health care. Click on the links which support public option that so many people have put in their comments and sign the petitions and volunteer some time. Anyone who has their own business knows how hard Mr Snider works. If he can take the time to support public health then we can too. No excuses. If all the people who fought to get Obama and all the democrats elected will come out and fight for public health care we can get it done.

[GardenerNorCal]

08:16 AM on 08/05/2009

I wish I could join you in travelling to Nebraska to support this businessman, but I can't afford to, but I am with you in spirit. Here's to you Mr. Snider!

[meryta]

06:14 AM on 08/05/2009

Fyi an 89 yo relation in Auckland, New Zealand, had a faall in his garage a week or so ago. The PUBLIC GOVERNMENTALLY-OWNED system has brought him to hosital, operated for four hours to replace the jhip joint and provided brilliant care. The cost to my relation: nil. He is a citizen of New Zealand, a small set of islands in the South Pacific peopled by those much like ourselves.
Let's grow up.

[JIzin]

07:59 AM on 08/05/2009

Not like ourselves, they make sure everyone is taken care of, they are more civil.
Which is what the majority of Americans want our country to be like :D
And im calling my representatives to let them know i support Obama's public option!

[GardenerNorCal]

08:18 AM on 08/05/2009

Butttt, I thought of you foreigners had to wait in long lines or travel to the US for good healthcare?

[longfeltwant]

09:09 AM on 08/05/2009

Not for good care, only for the very best care. Let's get together and make sure everyone has good care, and if someone wants the very best care, they can buy it on their own.

[greymom]

10:43 AM on 08/05/2009

I lived in Scotland and many of my ex pat friends had babies while there. Their treatment though pre-natal, delivery and aftercare was far superior to that even available in the US under the best insurance programs. In addition, a home health care nurse will visit afterward to make sure there are no concerns with depression, breastfeeding issues, etc.

I don't know the statistics but aren't we 29th in health care of 30 industrialized countries?