Axelrod: O’Care Ruling ‘Big Win’ for GOP; Opposite Ruling Would Be ‘Political Disaster’

‘I think they’re relieved today that they’re not faced with that burden’

Axelrod: Obamacare Ruling "Big Win For Republican Party," Opposite Ruling Would Have Been "Political Disaster" (RealClearPolitics)

Former campaign strategist and advisor to President Obama, David Axelrod, appeared on MSNBC this afternoon to react to the Supreme Court decision on Obamacare subsidies.

Axelrod called this decision a "big win for the Republican party," adding it would have been a "political disaster" for the right if the Supreme Court struck down subsidies for states that do not have healthcare exchanges.

DAVID AXELROD: You know, we in our community, the political community, the media community, we tend to look at these things through a political prism. I think it's important to stop and take stock at what this means for millions of Americans who were uncertain about whether they would have health care moving forward.

I ran into a young man the other day that had Hodgkin's disease and he discovered it because he got health care under the Affordable Care Act and was able to go and get treated for symptoms and get treatment for that Hodgkin's disease. And he had tears in his eyes and he said, it saved my life. And there are stories like that I run into all over the country.

So we should take a moment and just acknowledge that this was a big victory for young people like that and people across this country who have insurance because of this law. As for the politics, this was a signature effort on part of the president. And as Pete [Williams] said, this was the last big hurdle, legal hurdle to it. So it's a huge thing there.

I also think it was a big win for the Republican party to be honest with you because I think it would have been a political disaster for them if the Court had pulled the rug out from under this law and tossed this back to them. I don't think it's something that they wanted. So they'll grouse about it but I think they're relieved today that they're not faced with that burden.

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