Trump Does 180 on Individual Mandate, Now Tells Tapper He Opposes Requirement
TAPPER: "I want to get some clarification on comments you made this week at the CNN town hall about Obamacare. Take a listen."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: "Why would an insurance company not have a preexisting — insure somebody with a preexisting condition?"
TRUMP: Well, I like the mandate. OK, so here’s where I’m a little bit different. I don’t want people dying on the streets. And I say this all the time."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: "So, sir, what did you mean when you said, “I like the mandate”?"
TRUMP: "Well, what happened is, we were talking over each other, and it wasn’t Anderson’s fault, because I think Anderson’s terrific. I thought he did a fan — I thought it was a great evening, and we got tremendous reviews on it. They got tremendous ratings, which is always nice, too.
"But what I’m talking about is very simple. There’s no mandate, no mandatory anything. We’re going to end Obamacare. We’re going to terminate. It’s going to be repealed. It’s going to be replaced by something much better, whether it’s — whether — first of all, we have to get rid of the lines between the states so there’s competition. OK?
"We have to. And we will go health care savings accounts. We have — there’s many different ways. We’re going to get great health care. You’re going to have your own doctor, which people don’t have, even though Obama promised. You are going to have your own plan. And we’re going to have great health care.
"The one thing I say is this. Call it whatever you want. People are not going to die in the middle of a street because they have absolutely no money and they’re sick. They’re not dying on the sidewalks, and they’re not dying on the streets if I’m president. They’re just not.
"And, as a Republican — a lot of people say, oh, that’s a terrible thing to say as a Republican. Let me tell you this. Every time I mention it — you know I have the biggest crowds, far bigger than Bernie. Bernie is second, I will say, but I have far bigger than Bernie.
"I will make a speech in front of 20,000 people and I will say, we cannot allow people on my watch or on any watch to die in the middle of a street or on a sidewalk because they have absolutely no money. We will get them to a hospital. We will get them to a doctor. We have to take care of them. Do you know I get standing ovations when I say that from Republicans?"
TAPPER: "Mm-hmm."
TRUMP: "And then somebody will say, he’s not a conservative to say that. So, you can call it whatever you want. I don’t like the term mandate, personally, because that sort of means mandatory. I will just say this. People are not going to die on the streets of any city or of anyplace if I’m president. And every time I say it, I get standing ovations from Republicans."
TAPPER: "But — but, just to clarify, you’re saying now that you would not support requiring every individual in America to have health insurance? You wouldn’t support that?"
TRUMP: "Yes, that’s right. And, honestly, we were talking over each other. We were."
TAPPER: "OK."
TRUMP: "And it was my fault, not Anderson’s fault. But we were talking over each other. Obviously, the answer to that is exactly that. But — but, with that being said, we have to take care of people. We have to take care of people."
