2010 Holiday Message From President and Mrs. Carter - The Carter Center

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Jimmy Carter: Ted Kennedy Cost America National Health Insurance Decades Ago by Andrew Miga...The Huffington Post

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Former President Jimmy Carter says Americans could have had comprehensive health care coverage decades ago if Sen. Edward M. Kennedy hadn't blocked a plan Carter had proposed.

Carter revisited the old spat in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" to be aired Sunday. Portions of the interview, prompted by the publication of his White House diary, were posted on the program's website Thursday.

"The fact is that we would have had comprehensive health care now, had it not been for Ted Kennedy's deliberately blocking the legislation that I proposed," Carter said in the interview. "It was his fault. Ted Kennedy killed the bill."

Carter cast his Democratic rival as spiteful. "He did not want to see me have a major success in that realm of life," Carter said.

The Massachusetts senator unsuccessfully challenged Carter for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination. Carter then lost to Republican Ronald Reagan.

Kennedy, who made health care reform a prized cause, died in August 2009 from brain cancer.

The disagreement over health care is noted in Carter's latest book, "White House Diary." According to a "60 Minutes" statement, Carter wrote at the time: "Kennedy continuing his irresponsible and abusive attitude, immediately condemning our health plan. He couldnt get five votes for his plan."

Kennedy and Carter had competing health care reform plans while Carter was president. Kennedy favored a more comprehensive approach that would have insured all Americans against health care costs regardless of age or income. Carter backed a more moderate proposal that would have been phased in over several years.

In his 2009 memoir, "True Compass," Kennedy blamed Carter for dragging his feet on health care and wrote that Carter viewed his health care efforts as a platform to challenge his presidency.

"If that's why he slowed things down, then he made a poor political calculation," Kennedy wrote. "If we had passed comprehensive national health insurance together, it would have been a huge victory for Carter."

When asked in interviews about his biggest regret as a senator, Kennedy often recalled his failure to make a deal to pass President Richard Nixon's sweeping health care proposal in the early 1970s. Kennedy said that at the time he did not think it went far enough.

Presidential Reunion from SNL Veterans for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency - FunnyOrDie.com

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Barack Obama gets a surprise visit in the night from ex-Presidents Bush Sr., Bush Jr., Clinton, Ford, Reagan and Carter to get a few pointers about the Consumer Financial Protection Agency and why it's so important.

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

Credits:
Actor --	Chevy Chase
Director --	Ron Howard
Actor --	Jim Carrey
Actor --	Fred Armisen
Actor --	Darrell Hammond
Actor --	Dan Aykroyd
Actor --	Maya Rudolph
Actor --	Dana Carvey
Uploader --	FOD Team
Director --	Jake
Cinematographer --	Antonio Scarlata

Additional credits:

Starring: Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, Dana Carvey, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Darrell Hammond, Fred Armisen & Maya Rudolph
Directed by: Ron Howard
FoD Director: Jake Szymanski
Written by: Al Jean, Adam McKay, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Dan Greaney & Michael Price
Produced by: Mike Farah
Director of Photography: Antonio ... more >

Starring: Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, Dana Carvey, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Darrell Hammond, Fred Armisen & Maya Rudolph
Directed by: Ron Howard
FoD Director: Jake Szymanski
Written by: Al Jean, Adam McKay, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Dan Greaney & Michael Price
Produced by: Mike Farah
Director of Photography: Antonio Scarlata
Production Design: Alexi Gomez, Rachael Ferrara & Katie Byron
Edited by: Jake Szymanski & Neil Mahoney
Production Coordinators: Christin Trogan, Michelle Fox, & Sean Boyle
1st AD: Shadie Elnashai
2nd AD: Richard Robinson
2nd 2nd Asst. Director: Reza Lackey
Additional 2nd 2nd Asst Director: Chandra Alexander
A-Cam 1st AC: Scott Johnson
B-Cam Op: David Jones
B-Cam 1st AC: Dylan Johnson
C-Cam Op: Ben Berman
C-Cam 1st AC: Tony Oberstar
Set Production Assistants: Mara Beckman, Andrew Grissom & Rachel Hastings
Key Set Production Assistant: Elliot Ryan Dickerhoof
DIT: Chris Hoyle
Media Manager: Neil Mahoney
Dolly Grip: Geoff Knight
Gaffer: Kevin Stewart
Best Boy: Ricky Fosheim
Electrician: David Cronin
Grip: Jordan Downey
Swing: Brad Schulz
Sound Mixer: BoTown Sound
Lead Boom Operator: Brandon Conley
Sound Utility: Danny Carpenter
Script Supervisor: Kristin Owings
Construction: Paul Gorman
Lead Man: Michael Jasorka
Set Dresser: Yuki Miura
Make-Up Dept. Heads: Shauna O'Toole & Kat Bardot
Mr. Carrey's Make-Up FX Artist: Alexei O'Brien
Mr. Farrell & Mr. Carrey's Wigs: Jennifer Aspinall
Mr. Carvey's Make-Up & Hair: Kevin Yagher
Mr. Aykroyd's, Ms. Rudolph's, Mr. Armisen's, & Mr. Hammond's Wigs: Tena Parker
Assistant to Tena Parker: Becca Gardner
Make-Up Assistant: Ellen Vieria
Make-Up Assistant: Kira von Sutra
Costume Designer: Janicza Bravo
Tailor: Laurel Pochucha
Assistant Costumer: Diane Herlofsky
Additional Editing by: Justin Donaldson & Brad Schulz
Behind the Scenes Directors and Editors: Matt Villines & Osmany Rodriguez
Still Photographers: Pete Snell & Jason Mordah
Special Thanks to Elizabeth Warren, Hans Zimmer, James Brooks, Bonnie Abaunza, Mark Kvamme, Dick Glover, Andrew Steele, Jimmy Miller, Ken Aymong, Andrew Zack, Jessica Elbaum, Fred Specktor, Louisa Velis, Linda Hill, Martin Lesak, Lauryn Kahn, Tiffany Bordenave, Owen Burke, Seth Morris, Al Franken, Chad Carter, Samantha Cruz and Avenue Six Studios
Wardrobe thanks to H+M, Hugo Boss and French Connection
Camera cranes, dollies, remote and stabilized camera systems by Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment, Inc. <>

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