Politics

Dem senator ‘couldn’t be happier’ defending Obamacare — but can’t remember what he likes about it [VIDEO]

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Brendan Bordelon Contributor
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Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse welcomed a fight with congressional Republicans over the merits of Obamacare — and then immediately forgot some of those merits himself.

Whitehouse appeared on “Fox News Sunday” alongside South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, with the two discussing their party’s plans for the upcoming nomination hearing for Sylvia Burwell, the White House’s pick to replace outgoing HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Scott suggested that Republicans will use the hearings as a chance to “discuss” the many parts of Obamacare with which they disagree, prompting host Chris Wallace to ask Whitehouse if the confirmation hearing on Burwell could become “a referendum on Obamacare?”

“Well, we couldn’t be happier to have that conversation,” the senator declared, starting off strong by highlighting people in his state who received timely preventive care thanks to their new insurance.

But that one point was about all the Democratic lawmaker could muster.

“Over and over again,” he went on, “people still on the uh… healthcare benefits from uh, the… um… um… of the seniors who are… uh… getting their, uh, pharmaceuticals paid for… I’m struggling for the, for the — donut hole! There we go!”

“It’s been very good for most Rhode Islanders,” an embarrassed Whitehouse continued. “And there are good stories for people to tell out there, and we think this is a great opportunity to tell the real human stories, and not just the political attack ad lines that the Republican Party is bring to this conversation.”

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