ABC's Jake Tapper Hits Obama for Specifics on Health Care Plan

[Credit where due]

During the June 23 White House press conference, ABC News reporter Jake Tapper sparred with Barack Obama over the details of the President's universal health care plan, bluntly observing,

"...If the government is offering a cheaper health care plan, then lots of employers will want to have their employees covered by that cheaper plan, which will not have to be for-profit, unlike private plans."

Tapper's question, about whether the so-called "public choice" option would actually allow employees to keep the current insurance plans they have now, was a follow-up to a similar one offered by USA Today's David Jackson. After the President failed to answer that query, Tapper began by challenging,

"I wonder if you could actually answer David's? Is the public plan non- negotiable?"

A testy Obama retorted,

"All right, if that's your question ... You think you're going to- are you the ombudsman for the White House press corps? What's your question- is that your question?"

After pointing out how the public option could lead to employers choosing a cheaper, government plan, Tapper continued,

"And then their employees would be signed up for this public plan, which would violate what you're promising the American people, that they will not have to change health care plans if they like the plan they have."

Obama interrupted and attempted to clarify,

"Well, all right- when I say if you have your plan and you like it, and your doctor has a plan- or you have a doctor and you like your doctor, that you don't have to change plans, what I'm saying is the government is not going to make you change plans under health reform."

[Translation: Yes, we'll be forced into the government plan when our employeers cancel their private-insurance coverage to have the tax payers foot the bill.

This is what Obama said on the campaign trail he expects to happen, leaving only the government system in '15 to 20 years'.]

A transcript of the June 23 exchange, which occurred at 1:02pm, follows:

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