by David Nitkin
Children make good photo ops.
At least that's what Democrats in Congress, interest groups and health care advocates are hoping this week as they try to put pressure on President Bush to accept a major expansion of a popular children's health care plan.
Congressional Democrats last week tapped Graeme Frost, 12, of Baltimore, to record a radio address urging the president to accept a more expensive version of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
"Three years ago, my family was in a really bad car accident," Graeme said in the address, recorded hours before he appeared at a Capitol Hill news conference to tout a $35 billion SCHIP expansion passed by Congress. "I was in a coma for a week and couldn’t eat or stand up or even talk at first," he said, and his family's medical were covered by the joint-federal state program which expired yesterday but has been temporarily extended for seven weeks.
Many more kids are coming to Washington today. The Service Employees International Union, one of many powerful groups which supports Congress's version of SCHIP, has scheduled a rally in front of the White House this morning featuring lots and lots of children.
Even Republicans have said that the White House appears to be on the losing side of the public relations argument as it seeks a $5 billion increase in the program -- an amount that analysts say would fail to cover all the children currently enrolled.
Asked today if the use of children as lobbying agents was manipulative, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino called the campaign "unfortunate."
"That's just something that the Democrats are going to have to square with with themselves," Perino said.
Perino reiterated that Bush would veto Congress's SCHIP legislation soon after he receives it. She said that Bush wants a program that is focused on "the neediest children.''
The program was designed for children in families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but who can't afford private insurance.
Administration officials say that the efforts of some states to raise income limits and make more children eligible have gone too far. Democrats argue that the program is an effective way to try to make sure as many children as possible have health coverage.
David Nitkin is White House correspondent for the Baltimore Sun, a Tribune Co. newspaper.
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Comments
Would the people who oppose this, oppose UNICEF for putting a hungry childs face on advertisement?
Posted by: bill r. | October 1, 2007 10:40 AM
Asked today if the use of children as lobbying agents was manipulative, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino called the campaign "unfortunate."
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*Unfortunate for America*
A good title for Bush's legacy.
Posted by: lauren | October 1, 2007 10:53 AM
Children are what it is all about. Who could be a better advocate? Dana Perino knows how effective the children and how far in the soup the admin. is on this issue.
Posted by: c. perry | October 1, 2007 11:00 AM
"Unfortunate"?
Wasn't that their reaction to what Limbaugh said, and what Giuliani said about his supporters did by wanting $9.11 as a donation for a party?
Democrat's statements are "unpatriotic, hateful, etc.". The same type of Republican statements are "unfortunate".
Lauren has it right.
Posted by: BobinATL | October 1, 2007 11:11 AM
Also, remember when Bush made his big speech about vetoing the stem-cell research bill? He had all kinds of kids around him then for a photo op. Does that mean that his use of kids was "unfortunate".
Posted by: BobinATL | October 1, 2007 11:13 AM
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) sharply criticized Graeme's appearance:
"To use an innocent young child as a human shield and misrepresent the position of the president of the United States is, frankly, beyond the pale."
To see how Boehner is a hypocrite, here are some photos of him using children to his political benefit:
source: http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/29/boehners-kids/
Posted by: BC | October 1, 2007 11:16 AM
Using childrent to emphasize the need for a health-care program for children? Outrageous.
Next thing you know politicians will be using soldiers in uniform to lobby for Iraq.
Posted by: Jeff Elijah | October 1, 2007 11:31 AM
It would have been "unfotunate" if Graeme had died due to lack of care or his parents had gone bankrupt getting him the care he needed. It is "unfortunate" that the Bush administration is so out of touch with middle class America. It is "unfortunate" for Perino that she has to be the mouthpiece for that outfit. And she's telling others to look in a mirror?
Posted by: kb | October 1, 2007 11:45 AM
"Millions for defense but not one penny for tribute"
- Thomas Jefferson
"Billions for invading oil-producing countries but not one penny for children's healthcare"
- George Bush
Posted by: Tom O | October 1, 2007 11:45 AM
Wow, the Left is all in a tither this morning. Class warfare, what a wonderful concept. Also one, that does no one any good.
Posted by: John D | October 1, 2007 11:53 AM
President BUSH offered a $5 BILLION DOLLAR prigram increase in this program - NANCY'new-stinker-of-the-fookish-Hose'PELOSI said no thanks we'd rather 'play' politics then help the 'chilluns'!!! The mostly DEMBHOLE passed a bill to increase 'health-care' to supposed indigent children. Except the 'children' are now minors up until age 25 and are now 'indigent' even if their respective families earn up to $86,ooo dollars in income. Further people who can afford 'private insurance' will now receive mandatory 'government insurance' paid for by our TAX DOLLARS!!! Some 'SOCIALIST DEMBHOLE RIP-OFF eh??? 'Let's do it for the chilluns' - Ha!!!
Posted by: Zyskandar A Jaimot | October 1, 2007 12:34 PM
Of course this is below anything Republicans would do.
I mean they wouldn't run ads, with wounded Iraq veterans, while showing the planes going into the twin towers. They wouldn't run ads showing a fireman who died on 9/11 and connecting him to the Iraq War. And they certainly wouldn't have a fund raiser and charge participants $9.11 per person to get in.
No they wouldn't stoop to those types of tactics.
Posted by: dogjudge | October 1, 2007 12:40 PM
The needy already have health care. The Kids have health care. The U.S. is not a socialist state (see http://tinyurl.com/2znnvl ). No one is entitled to be given a house, car, food or health care, etc. If we want these things, we have to earn them. The government does not earn money. Perhaps some of us should take a civics class and learn about America. We all have to labor for what we want. For those who need help there are the charities and state programs. We need to fix the health care issue but we cannot fix it unless we know how it is broken. For the answer, please see http://www.InteliOrg.com/
Posted by: Dr Coles | October 1, 2007 2:13 PM
No one is entitled to be given a house, car, food or health care, etc. If we want these things, we have to earn them.
Posted by: Dr Coles | October 1, 2007 2:13 PM
Then tell me doc, why do we have to pay trillions to free the Iraqi people? Why must our men give their lives when according to you our own citizens don't deserve anything?
Posted by: bill r. | October 1, 2007 2:31 PM
Dr Coles. I don't know if your a real phd or not, but the doctors are a large part of this problem. Pharmaceuticals reps and companies have a good thing going also. Do you think they deserve perks out of my pocket?
Posted by: bill r. | October 1, 2007 3:00 PM
In the left's eyes, as proven by Bill R.'s posts, the insurance industry is bad, hospitals are bad, pharmacueticals are bad, doctors are bad. I guess the only good people are government people.
Another reason why the Left is out of their minds, whatever ones they have/had.
Posted by: John D | October 1, 2007 4:11 PM
Well John, now that you have identified that all companies and people associated with healthcare are all good...Please tell me why there is a problem? Me thinks it would be the same answer you give for many other issues......can't see it from my house.
Posted by: bill r. | October 1, 2007 4:36 PM
Johnny D:
Where did Bill R. blame hospitals?? And don't you ever see all those pharmaceutical reps going in and out of doctor's office to push their latest overpriced medicine to the doctors?
Bill is right - there is more than enough blame to go around. And it starts with W and his Medicare prescription program - you know, the one that won't let Medicare negotiate drug prices for seniors because the bill was written by the pharmaceutical companies.
Posted by: BobinATL | October 1, 2007 4:42 PM
The Democrats always do everything for the children that's why Blagoyevich denied seniors 90 million in health care to help the children. With Hil it's always about the children. Dems screw the old prople to help the children it's the euthanasia thing which secular progressives love. It's not womb to tomb it's die old people ! Jerry White, Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | October 1, 2007 8:43 PM
Just as the Roosevelt's Socialist Plans, War on Poverty, the Great Society, etc etc etc have failed because government should not, and can not solve social problems. Each one has been a failure and a waste of tax payers money.
To use children in ads like this is a form of child abuse. Even if the program is for children (at least that is what left wants us to believe). Children should not be used like this in debate. Why not use facts instead. Oh, that's right please forgive - Its not sexy enough to pull everyone's heart strings.
Posted by: Darkwater | October 2, 2007 4:51 AM