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Huckabee: Kennedy Would Have Been Urged To Die Earlier Under ObamaCare

First Posted: 09/28/09 06:12 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 02:55 PM ET

Huck

Conservative media figures are blasting Democrats for trying to draw political gain from the death of Senator Ted Kennedy. But on Thursday, it was one of their own -- former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee -- who went there.

The 2008 Republican presidential candidate suggested during his radio show, "The Huckabee Report," on Thursday that, under President Obama's health care plan, Kennedy would have been told to "go home to take pain pills and die" during his last year of life.

"[I]t was President Obama himself who suggested that seniors who don't have as long to live might want to consider just taking a pain pill instead of getting an expensive operation to cure them," said Huckabee. "Yet when Sen. Kennedy was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at 77, did he give up on life and go home to take pain pills and die? Of course not. He freely did what most of us would do. He choose an expensive operation and painful follow up treatments. He saw his work as vitally important and so he fought for every minute he could stay on this earth doing it. He would be a very fortunate man if his heroic last few months were what future generations remember him most for."

As it happens, Huckabee made his remarks shortly after he derided Democrats for using Kennedy's death to make the pitch that "Congress must hurry and pass the health care reform bill and do it in his memory,"

"That not only defies good taste," said Huckabee, "it defies logic."

(H/T: The Tolbert Report)

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Conservative media figures are blasting Democrats for trying to draw political gain from the death of Senator Ted Kennedy. But on Thursday, it was one of their own -- former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabe...
Conservative media figures are blasting Democrats for trying to draw political gain from the death of Senator Ted Kennedy. But on Thursday, it was one of their own -- former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabe...
 
 
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09:36 AM on 09/13/2009
This man is a good man who is blinded by his own ambition to run for President.
His views and religion are extreme to some but this is an outright lie.

Even good men with an Agenda can become blind.
05:14 PM on 09/01/2009
I don't understand: When the rich got tax breaks under Bush & Reagan, it was called "trickle down economics", in order words, give money to the rich and wealthy trusting them to some how let the money trickle down to the poor and middle class.

Now that the government says we are going to give tax breaks to the poor and middle class, all of a sudden that same tax break by means of Health Care is now called: Socialism and distribution of the wealth.

A person has to be dumb and ignorant to not see the Republican stupidity here!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
TwinX
Avast Ye, Birthers!
04:23 PM on 09/01/2009
"[I]t was President Obama himself who suggested that seniors who don't have as long to live might want to consider just taking a pain pill instead of getting an expensive operation to cure them," said Huckabee.


I can't begin to imagine the circumstances in which Obama would say such a thing if someone had a 'curable' condition, but does anyone here know what (if any) statement Obama has made that Huckabee is referring to?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
TwinX
Avast Ye, Birthers!
04:26 PM on 09/01/2009
Just found this by Foundersrock....


"The official transcript from ABC news :

what we can do is make sure that at least some of the waste that

exists in the system that's not making anybody's mom better, that is

loading up on additional tests or additional drugs that the evidence

shows is not necessarily going to improve care, that at least we can let

doctors know and your mom know that, you know what? Maybe this isn't

going to help. Maybe you're better off not having the surgery, but

taking the painkiller.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/HealthCare/Story?id=7920012&page=2"


Is that it?
04:35 PM on 09/01/2009
you people that keep posting the transcript need to quit pulling a Hannity and start showing the whole thing - here's the question he was asked - typical bs political answer

She's 105 now. Over 105. But at 100 the doctor had said to her, I can't do anything more unless you have a pacemaker. I said, go for it. She said, go for it. But the arrhythmia specialist said, no, it's too old.

Her doctor said, I'm going to make an appointment, because a picture

is worth a thousand words. And when the other arrhythmia specialist saw

her, saw her joy of life and so on, he said, I'm going for it.

So that was over five years ago. My question to you is, outside the

medical criteria for prolonging life for somebody elderly, is there any

consideration that can be given for a certain spirit, a certain joy of

living, quality of life? Or is it just a medical cutoff at a certain age
03:23 PM on 09/01/2009
How outrageous of Huckabee to use the President's own words against him. Poltico can spin it all they want but I heard it live - his response to the woman's question about taking a persons "spirit" into consderation was she might be given a pain pill instead of a pacemaker. Now maybe he misspoke and maybe he's backpeddaling now but that says to me and any other thinking person that somene other than the woman will be making the decision.
02:50 PM on 09/01/2009
The more the better....keep going republicans, you are digging your own grave
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Laura Hussein
Psychologist, Mother, Political Activist
02:36 PM on 09/01/2009
Huckabee is utterly ridiculous in fanning these false "death panel" claims. This logic should backfire nicely.
01:50 PM on 09/01/2009
And what is wrong with that? Why is it always the religious whack-jobs promoting clinging to the last second? Huckabee should be encouraged to go... Soon...

Maybe they really do believe in this BS of a hell... Maybe they understand that THEY, the devout, are the evil ones who deserve a hell...

Maybe that's why they're afraid...

It would explain a lot about Palin.
01:49 PM on 09/01/2009
I don't think so; this Brilliant of a gentleman possessed even walking on water abilities; how dare you say that;about him; I do think of Teddy Kennedy as God himself, enjoy that thought; don't ruin it.
01:33 PM on 09/01/2009
You know it's the republicans when there's no fresh ideas - they're only left to twist the truth and scare people away from generally good ideas. Do any of you honestly believe (all you christians answer with a hand on the bible :) that the white house administration wants to treat seniors this way? Seriously...If your stubborn a** is still shaking their head, than you're either completely illusional and cannot comprehend exactly what's being proposed by Obama OR you're just simply brainwashed and refuse to admit that your party is saying no to any plan (regardless of the details) since your agenda to defeat the democratic president is more important than any healthcare plan. Pathetic - can't wait till you guys go decades without winning another election.
01:14 PM on 09/01/2009
1s I must say I am very sorry to see Sent Kennedy pass away, since he was mainly a very good guy and a positive force.

2nd , Just think, if Kennedy was on a private insurance plan, the type that lunatics (aka Republican party) wants for us and not on the Government health care plan that he was on, which means his health care was TOTALLY paid for by our Taxes, then Kennedy would have been dead and bankrupt or both long time ago since if he was on the (for profit) private insurance then LONG time ago he would have hit the limit of how much the health insurance company was going to pay or they would have dropped him due to "pre existing conditions" etc. lies to maximize their profits.

Which point, that is the 2nd point, proves what utter lying lunatics people like Hucakbee are.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
madcat007
12:48 PM on 09/01/2009
These people have no shame. It's disgusting that all these "christians" will lie without blinking an eye, yet condemn others who they refuse to try putting themselves in place of. What a sad commentary of caring for our friends and neighbors.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Saidas
01:08 PM on 09/01/2009
...and of Christianity.
12:44 PM on 09/01/2009
Huckebee Lies: Under President Obama Ted Kenney would have been sent home to die;
Bachman Lies: President Obama wants to set up Re-education Camps;
Palin Lies: President Obama included Death Panels in the Health Care bill;
Grassley Lies: President Obama wants to pull the Plug on Grandma;
Palin Lies: President Obama is sending billions of our taxpayer’s money to Brazil;

These so called “Christians” believe that if they lie on President Obama, they believe they can overlook him and ask God to forgive them secretly. Then they believe they are ok, until they see and hear another lie about President that they will eagerly latch onto.

These people are told 24/7 that God is trying to shake-up this nation by allowing President Obama to be President. They are told that he is some type of Anti-Christ, thus they all believe they are now called to destroy this so called wicked person at any expense. They are told this daily on the many Christians radio and TV stations.

So all the lies they tell against him, they feel is ok with God, because they believe God wants him destroyed anyway. I know what I'm talking about, because I've listen to Christian TV and radio for many years and, have attended their services. And, I happen to be a Christian as well. I still maintain my faith in God, but I have no confidence in people who can lie without blinking and eye.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cdouglas
ignorance is nothing to be proud of
02:00 PM on 09/01/2009
Many of these "Christians" conveniently overlook the "means" when the "end" is putting another white Christian guy in the White House.
12:02 PM on 09/01/2009
I truly thought "Christians" like Huckebee believed that lying and bearing false witness was a sin. They don't bother to check out the facts anymore, and they never apologize even when they find they were wrong. They just leave the lie out there.

These people aren't Christ-like at all, but are always ready to condemn others.
03:53 PM on 09/01/2009
love that "bearing false witness" line. Seems like everybody's using since Obama did last week talking to a bunch of preachers. Of all the condescention and pandoring Obama's done in the last 8 months that undoubtedly was the worst.
garystartswithg
el sueno de la razon produce republicans
11:41 AM on 09/01/2009
I would vote for any health care plan that would urge Huckabee to die earlier -- where is it? People will turn out in record numbers to vote for that one.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Blast
Resist GOP Flim-Flam!
11:35 AM on 09/01/2009
The lies, hypocrisy, and sheer stupidity perpetuated by Huckabee and others like them is not remarkable. What is remarkable is the lengths at which people will believe and follow.