Top Republican Has Awkward Exchange With CNBC’s Joe Kernan Over GOP’s Health Care Plan
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R) had an awkward exchange with CNBC’s Joe Kernen Friday over the existence of a Republican plan to overhaul the American health care system.
“So, the Speaker is working on something — are you part of what’s going to happen there or involved with what’s going to happen over the weekend?” Kernen asked. “[Mike Johnson] says by the end of maybe next week, there could be a Republican plan that somehow does more than than just deal with these expiring [ACA] subsidies. It’s going to be additional to that. What’s it look like? Is it one bill? Is it a series of bills?”
“That would definitely be a question to the Speaker,” Smith deferred. “There’s a multitude of things we’re looking at that we’re trying to respond to.”
Kernan claimed Democrats could use the uncertainty over health care to win the 2026 midterms.
“They could win. They could have 40 seats picked up in the House from this,” Kernen said. “So, it may be this. I can’t believe they’re playing an effective chess game, but that may have been the the motivation all along.”
“Without a doubt, this exposes how broken Obamacare has been,” Smith said.
“But now it looks like Republicans are scrambling after, you know, complaining about Obamacare and almost trying to get rid of it, and for years, for 7 or 8 or whatever it is. And now scrambling. ‘Oh, we do have a plan.’ That’s what you’re going to hear.”
Smith clapped back saying, “You didn’t hear me say that we have a plan. What I told you is, there’s tax provisions that can be changed. There’s things that —”
“Mike Johnson, is he saying that they have a plan? The speaker?” Kernen asked.
“Yesterday, he said that we’re working on a plan,” Smith answered.
Kernen asked Andrew Ross Sorkin to jump in.
“What do you think, Andrew? Really, I’m trying to be down the middle. I see blame on both sides,” Kernen said.
“It is blame on both sides,” Sorkin said.
Watch the clip above via CNBC.
