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The White House today defended the performance of its solicitor general during the three-day Supreme Court hearings on the health care law, saying it has “complete confidence” in his abilities.
“Mr. Verrilli is a very talented advocate and a skilled lawyer,” White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said, referring to Solicitor General Donald Verrilli. “He's one of the brightest legal minds in Washington, D.C. And we've had complete confidence in his performance before the Supreme Court.”
Verrilli’s job defending the law’s individual mandate on Tuesday was panned by many critics on the left after he faced a tough line of questioning from many of the justices.
Earlier on Wednesday, the White House released a statement from White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler in support of Verrilli, leading reporters to ask Earnest why the White House would release such a statement if not to defend Verrilli’s performance.
“Because somebody asked,” Earnest responded.
He also said the White House remains confident that the Supreme Court will ultimately uphold the health care law’s constitutionality, noting that several lower courts, known for their conservative positions, found the individual mandate –- the focus of conservative legal opposition to law –- to be within the federal government’s constitutional powers.
“In fact, there have been lower court cases on this very issue, on the Affordable Care Act, where conservative judges have posed difficult, tough questions to Department of Justice lawyers. And at least in a couple of those cases, these conservative judges, despite their tough questions, ended up ruling, ended up upholding the Affordable Care Act,” Earnest said.
But when asked what the administration would do if the Supreme Court does, in fact, overturn the law when it makes its ruling in June, Earnest said the White House has no contingency plans and is “focused on implementing the law, and we are confident that the law is constitutional.”
Other notes from the White House:
- The Department of Interior today took an incremental step in its plans to expand offshore drilling, announcing that it will begin exploring the environmental impact of doing seismic research in mid- and south-Atlantic waters. But drilling is still a long way off: the plan under which new research is permissible does not include the sale of any new leases to drill off the East Coast. Such leases would not be available for sale until 2017 at the earliest.
- The White House also declined to comment on accounts from the French government that it is in talks with the U.S. and Britain related to tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Earnest said that while the strategic reserve remains “on the table,” “anybody who tries to convince you in this government or any other government, frankly, that specific decisions have been made or actions have been proposed is -- is not speaking accurately.”
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Who cares?
The RWNJ's have located their 'shiny object' for this week & nothing the White House says or does is going to change anyone's mind...
On a side note - I must say, the hate mongers, bigots & racists sure put on quite the display on the Trayvon Martin thread from earlier.
The KKK would be proud! ;o(
I had to leave & go take a shower...
There is no reasoning with the
unreasonableignorant...Glad I missed it .. but not surprised. I do like when the ethnocentric proudly don their robes and pointy hats and post their views for all to see on an international board. Nothing like standing up in a crowded room shouting derogatory remarks, expose one's inner ugly nature. Maybe we will get lucky and they will become Newt's moon colonizers. Surely that tripe do not belong to the human race.
Verrilli obviously knows his stuff or he wouldn't have been there in the first place. The Silly Boys in the back row of the GOP/A.L.E.C. brigade are always fretting and worriting about things like teleprompters, instead of the content and the serious work being accomplished on behalf of the American people. They have no interest in lifting up the ordinary man, or recovering from a devastating economy. That is the kind of thing they slap each other on the back about. You can always count on the sneering insolence of the Faux elected officials to come up with something like.
The Individual Mandate is a GOP idea going back to 1993, supported by the Heritage Foundation and the usual GOP crew. SO WAS IT CONSTITUTIONAL BACK THEN, WHEN G.O.P. WANTED THE BILL PASSED?
Grassley was still pushing the Individual Mandate (every person for themselves) even after President Obama was inaugurated. It is only when a compromise was struck and Democrats said OK that GOP changed their minds, claiming it was some sort of attack on 'freedoms'.
Poppycock. The only freedom GOP/Koch is peddling is freedom to die without any healthcare at all, while the wealthy do very well thankyou.
"The KKK would be proud!"
Or the Black Panthers for what Congressman Bobby Rush did. Didn't he belong to the Black Panthers? Now why didn't MSNBC mention that he belonged to the Black Panthers and been arrested for carrying an illegal gun. I'm thinking MSNBC must had missed that part or thinking it didn't matter. Kind of like the GOP and their past, MSNBC would never mention anything bad from their past.
"The Individual Mandate is a GOP idea going back to 1993, supported by the Heritage Foundation and the usual GOP crew. SO WAS IT CONSTITUTIONAL BACK THEN, WHEN G.O.P. WANTED THE BILL PASSED? "
Why go way back to 1993? Who cares if the GOP 20 years ago espoused this?
How about a mere 3 years ago, 2008, when candidate Barack Obama bashed the individual mandate espoused by Hillary as a bad idea?
Hey, Bob, how about we go back to 2009 when Mitt Romney said that the individual mandate was a key to success?
"Our experience also demonstrates that getting every citizen insured doesn't have to break the bank. First, we established incentives for those who were uninsured to buy insurance. Using tax penalties, as we did, or tax credits, as others have proposed, encourages 'free riders' to take responsibility for themselves rather than pass their medical costs on to others. This doesn't cost the government a single dollar."
Not wanting a policy is one thing. Compromising to get something important done for the American people (DEMOCRAT is the only party that does that any more) is another.
But that is not what GOP has done here.
S1770, the Individual Mandate Bill, back in 1993. GOP/Koch wanted it back then and they thought it way Constitutional. But now they don't?
Why not vote for the the bill you've wanted for the last 25 years? Maybe Mr. Grassley can tell you.
FACE THE FACT. GOP is free of morality and is absolutely useless for the middle class. They serve their OWN.
Da Noid,
Romney is another say-anything, do-anything GOP 1%-er.
You quote says it all:
Romney's own words from 2009 -just two years ago - endorsing his reasons FOR the Individual Mandate.
Romney supporting the Individual Mandate in 2009.
Heck, I'm more interested in what Greg Abbott TX, AG said. Was he in his wheelchair arguing against HCR?
As I mentioned this morning,The Corparate takeover of Americas version of a Kangaroo Court, "The Supremes", started shortly after Bush was Coranated(sp). Today, Conservative Judges were more concerned with what INSURANCE Companies were gonna do, instead of what American's without Insurance would do, if, the HCA is overturned.
Thats It ina Nutshell America, the Coup is almost Complete! Thanx 4 Playing!
Maybe Malibu Mitt is in hideing trying to figure out some WordPlay with Frank Lutz.
Mitt: How am I gonna Splain Car Elevators, Frank?
Frank: Mitt, you can call'em Fancy Car Jacks of the Rich & Famous!
Well, Kiss My Grits!
Occupy SoggyBottom!
Hey, Verrilli, we love you buddy. Checks in the mail.
(Aside): Who's this losers back-up, because "stink-a-rama".
Just saying is all.
Giving Verrilli praise for his performance is like giving Bill Buckner the MVP for his World Series play.
Rob gets points for a Game 6 1986 World Series reference...
Maybe, like the Red Sox, Obama will win another one 18 years later....
Of course the Administration is going to support their guy no matter how well he does. We support our team. I am sure the tea baggers support their guy the same way win or lose.
“Mr. Verrilli is a very talented advocate and a skilled lawyer,” White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said, referring to Solicitor General Donald Verrilli. “He's one of the brightest legal minds in Washington, D.C. And we've had complete confidence in his performance before the Supreme Court.”
Really? That's great, keep him up there. He got his a$$ kicked up between his shoulder blades and now he has to take his shirt off to crap, but the White House thinks he did a great job. That's precious.
Definitely a "good job Brownie" moment.
Health Care, from a Constitutionalist in 1798:
So much from you TeaBaggers about "Taking our Country Back!!!"
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2011/01/17/congress-passes-socialized-medicine-and-mandates-health-insurance-in-1798/
What??? You have nothing to refute this???
Checkerd, I haven't checked your link yet, but wasn't there a mandate for insuring sailors under private enterprise? If that is the case, why isn't that being used as a precedent for the healthcare mandate? It doesn't appear that they are even using the commerce clause for a precedent, either. If not, why not?
The President promised to go over the health care bill, "line by line", with my congressman and any other law maker in Washington who requested it. The President also said that all proceedings regarding the health care bill would be televised on CSPAN. I think that it would help the public to better understand the health care law by watching these broadcasts. I would like to know from the White House when these broadcasts will begin.
My understanding is that SCOTUS nixed the idea of broadcasting. Since it is their show they made the call, not Obama.
But I do agree with you, Bill, in that I think better coverage all around would have been helpful. Luckily I have a great congressman who keeps his constituents informed. His staff is wonderful at answering both general and detailed questions. I consider myself lucky, but I advise you to go your senators' and congressperson's web sites and ask away. If you don't get a quick response at least you will know who to vote out of office in your state or district next round.
White house defends anything bad.
Hey,
Whats up with this Verrilli Character?? Is he on cocaine?? Or just an alkie??
Was he awed by the actual brainpower before him?? Not used to being around actual scholars when all you hang around with is Obama. Obama, the affirmative action product of South Chicago.