Gephardt Rips Dean on Medicare Policy
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 3:40 p.m. ET
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Dick Gephardt on Tuesday likened Howard Dean to another Republican, arguing that his rival's position on Medicare matches those held by President Bush.
``The fact is we need a Democratic nominee who is clearly different from George Bush,'' Gephardt said at a Des Moines, Iowa, senior center. ``But, on all these Medicare issues, there is very little difference between George Bush and Howard Dean.''
Last month, Gephardt likened Dean to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the personification of right-wing Republicans who pushed to slow the growth of Medicare during the 1990s. Resurrecting Dean's comments on overhauling the Medicare program, Gephardt said the former Vermont governor agreed with the ``Gingrich Republicans.''
The two Democrats are battling for the lead in Iowa, which holds its caucuses Jan. 19. On Tuesday, the Missouri congressman sought to link Dean to Bush.
``They both support cutting Medicare, they both support turning it into managed care, they both think recipients should pay more for services and they both have no plan to address the Medicare reimbursement crisis,'' Gephardt said. ``We can beat George Bush, but not if our nominee's idea of being farsighted is to shortchange Medicare every chance he gets.''
Dean spokeswoman Sara Leonard denied that Dean favored cuts in Medicare and said Gephardt's record is sadly lacking.
``Dick Gephardt has talked about health care for more than a quarter-century and not a single piece of legislation he sponsored has become law,'' Leonard said. ``Congressman Gephardt's record of rhetoric and failed leadership is not what the people of Iowa and American need.''
Medicare is a critical issue in Iowa, which ranks fourth in the nation in the percentage of its population 65 and older. |
