Obama Says Lack of Transparency on Health Reform Was a 'Mistake'

2 years ago

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Washington Reporter

In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer on Monday, President Obama said he regretted not making Congress' drafting of the health care reform bills more accessible to the public. Calling the murkiness of the health reform proceedings a "mistake," Obama partially admitted to the charge many supporters of the bill have leveled against him since the Republicans won a decisive Senate victory last week: that he has failed to solidify Americans' confidence in health reform.

"We had to make so many decisions quickly in a very difficult set of circumstances that after a while, we started worrying more about getting the policy right than getting the process right," Obama said. "But I had campaigned on process -- part of what I had campaigned on was changing how Washington works, opening up, transparency. . . . The health care debate as it unfolded legitimately raised concerns not just among my opponents, but also amongst supporters that we just don't know what's going on."

Obama said that since some of the key negotiations over the health reform bill have happened behind closed doors, the electorate has focused on the fact that they involved "backroom deals." But even while accepting responsibility for the fact that Americans do not understand the health care bill, he defended his administration's transparency.

"I think it is important to know that the promises we made about increased transparency, we've executed here in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," Obama said. "I mean, this is the first White House in history where you know anybody who has walked into my office, anybody who has walked into the White House, you actually have a record of who comes in. We have put more stuff on the Internet than ever."

Filed Under: Health Care, Obama Administration

Tagged: abc news, AbcNews, barack obama, BarackObama, daily guidance, DailyGuidance, diane sawyer, DianeSawyer, health care debate, health care reform, health care reform bill, HealthCareDebate, HealthCareReform, HealthCareReformBill

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