In Defying the Odds, we discuss the health care issue in the 2016 campaign. the update -- recently published --includes a chapter on the 2018 midterms.
Carla Marinucci and colleagues at Politico:
New Hampshire’s primary could be a first-class embarrassment to Harris, if the latest Quinnipiac University poll is any indication. It shows the senator’s formerly top-tier run has disintegrated, putting her at the back of the pack with just 1 percent support in New Hampshire. It adds some context to her announcement last week that she was closing all her campaign offices there.
“She’s been going downhill since the very first debate — and at an accelerated pace,’’ Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy tells Playbook. “The question is why.” His take: “She did reverse her stance on Medicare for All,’’ appearing in the start to support ending private insurance and then walking that back. “Health care is big with Americans, and it hit a hot button,’’ underscoring the perception she was trying to straddle big issues.
“And coming out of the blocks in that first debate, she made a huge impression going after the frontrunner, Joe Biden... maybe she wasn’t forgiven,’’ Malloy says. “A lot of people thought she went over the line.” Finally, her lane was crowded by Sen. Elizaberh Warren’s progressive moves on the left, and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s moderate surge on the right.Jon Greenberg at PolitiFact:
Elizabeth Warren faced increasing heat for not saying how she’d fund the health care overhaul that Medicare for All would bring. Then, she unveiled a funding plan, and the flames got even hotter.
Set aside the dismissals from Republicans. Her Democratic presidential primary foes offered plenty of their own.
Bernie Sanders, the original author of the legislation, said her plan would "have a very negative impact on creating jobs."
Joe Biden said "she’s making it up." Pete Buttigieg talked about Warren’s "aggressive math," and that "we don't need to spend tens of trillions of dollars in order to address this problem."
