Former President Barack Obama complained Tuesday that Republicans spread “misinformation” about Obamacare, making it politically difficult to pass.
“The media was skeptical of past failures, there was a lot of misinformation, to say the least, flying around,” Obama said during an appearance at the White House to celebrate the 12th anniversary of his health care law with President Joe Biden
But Obama did not mention his own flood of misinformation he used to try and sell the plan to the American people.
“If you like your health care plan, you keep your health care plan,” Obama repeatedly said, a lie he told at least 37 times as he tried to promote the plan. His claim was branded the “lie of the year” by Politifact in 2012.
He also falsely claimed that if Americans liked their doctor, they would be able to keep their doctors if Obamacare passed.
Obama also claimed on the campaign trail that his health care plan would lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year and that the bill would be “paid for” and not add to the deficit.
The former president recalled how his plan was deeply unpopular with Americans and hurt the Democratic party politically.
“I intended to get health care passed, even if it cost me reelection. Which for a while looked like it might,” Obama recalled.
But Obama celebrated his victory on Obamacare and ridiculed Republicans for trying to stop it or repeal it.
“The night we passed the ACA, it was a high point of my time here,” he said.
“It was to quote a famous American, a pretty ‘big deal,’ he added, referring to then-Vice President Joe Biden’s viral moment of him calling the bill a “big f**king deal” on a hot mic after it passed.
Obama admitted he was angry when the Obamacare website was first launched, and it crashed immediately.
“It didn’t help that when we first rolled out the ACA the website didn’t work,” he recalled. “That was not one of my happiest moments.”
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