Barack Obama on Health Care Reform and the Insurance and Drug Industries--a Healthy Cynicism

Earlier this week I wondered why Hillary Clinton continues to try to isolate and demonize the insurance and pharmaceutical industry in her comments about health care reform: Hillary Clinton on Health Care--Trying the Divide and Conquer Strategy Once Again

I pointed out that you would think she would have learned from her failed divide and conquer tactics in 1994.

It is interesting to contrast Barack Obama's comments on health care reform, and the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, with Senator Clinton's: "It’s time to bring together business, the medical community and members of both parties around a comprehensive solution to this crisis, and it’s time to let the drug and insurance industries know that while they’ll get a seat at the table, they don’t get to buy every chair.”

I think Senator Obama has this one right. He appears to understand that we will not have health reform unless we bring the key stakeholders to the table. He also seems to know that if you invite them, and then they behave badly, he will have the political capital to kick them out and the voters will understand.

Both Obama and Clinton have a cynicism about these two giant health care special interests--but Senator Obama's cynicism is a healthy cynicism!