As Hillary finally unveils her health care plan in Iowa today (here's a good AP overview) and experts begin comparing it with the plans previously outlined by Obama and Edwards, it's worth noting how much flexibility she suddenly has to deal with her role in the failed Clinton administration health plan of 1993-94.
On the one hand, she wears the scars of that fiasco like a badge of honor, proving she's tough and experienced enough to fight the insurance industry, as in this account of comments in Iowa yesterday: "I know how hard it is. I’ve been up against these people. I understand that the special interests don’t want change. They’re willing to just keep dragging us further and further into the ditch. We’re going to take them on this time, and whem I’m president, we’re going to get it done – we’re going to have universal healthcare."
And on the other hand, here's a new article in the American Prospect from a former advisor on the 1990s effort, claiming that despite years of criticism, the problems with the first plan were Bill's fault, not Hillary's, and she really wasn't responsible for the tactical mistakes either. It's called, "The Hillarycare Mythology."
Add them together, and you've got a perfect antidote to critics: She had nothing to do with the failed plan, but watching herself get unfairly blamed gave her the experience to succeed this time!
John Riley
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