The audience at a Fox News town hall erupted in cheers and applause when asked by moderator Bret Baier if they would support Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersSanders town hall audience cheers after Fox News host asks if they'd support 'Medicare for All' Sanders defends against criticism over income, taxes Sanders on whether he's too old to be president: 'Follow me around the campaign trail' MORE's (I-Vt.) "Medicare for All" proposal.
"I want to ask the audience a question here. ... How many are willing to transition to what the senator says, a government-run system?" Baier asked before the crowd burst into cheers.
Bret Baier just polled the Bernie Town Hall audience who would be willing to switch to #MedicareForAll. It backfired spectacularly. pic.twitter.com/dQJ9gfQ137 — jordan (@JordanUhl) April 15, 2019
The question comes a week after Sanders introduced updated Medicare for All legislation in the Senate.
His proposed bill would largely eliminate private insurance and institute a single-payer system managed by the government.
The updated version would also include coverage for long-term care, such as nursing homes, which is not covered by Medicare currently. Home- and community-based care would also be covered.
A number of other 2020 Democratic candidates, including Sens. Kamala Harris Kamala Devi HarrisSanders town hall audience cheers after Fox News host asks if they'd support 'Medicare for All' Dems, Trump harden 2020 battle lines on Tax Day O'Rourke releases 10 years of tax returns MORE (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann WarrenSanders town hall audience cheers after Fox News host asks if they'd support 'Medicare for All' Sanders defends against criticism over income, taxes Overnight Energy: Interior watchdog opens investigation into new secretary | Warren unveils 2020 plan to stop drilling on public lands | Justices reject case challenging state nuclear subsidies | Court orders EPA to re-evaluate Obama pollution rule MORE (D-Mass.), have endorsed Sanders's legislation.
The White House blasted Sanders's proposal, however, adding to its past criticism of single-payer plans.
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the plan a "total government takeover of health care that would actually hurt seniors, eliminate private health insurance for 180 million Americans, and cripple our economy and future generations with unprecedented debt."
Republican leaders have also blasted the bill, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSanders town hall audience cheers after Fox News host asks if they'd support 'Medicare for All' Swalwell stakes campaign on gun violence Glamorization of the filibuster must end MORE (R-Ky.) saying it won't happen under a GOP-controlled Senate.
Despite criticism, a number of polls have shown both Democratic and Republican voters support Medicare for All. One such poll conducted by The Hill in October showed a majority of Republicans supported single-payer health care. Another poll conducted in January showed that 56 percent of American voters supported such an insurance system.
The video of Sanders on Fox quickly gained attention online Monday, with many pointing to the applause and past polling as examples of support among even conservatives for Medicare for All.
Sanders agreed to a Tax Day town hall on the network, moderated by the "Special Report" anchor Baier and "The Story" anchor Martha MacCallum.
In March, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez announced that the network would be barred from hosting any of the party's primary debates. Democratic presidential candidates are not precluded from appearing on Fox News for interviews or town halls, however.
GoFishOldMaid on April 16th, 2019 at 03:52 UTC »
The hosts seemed shocked by it too. People don't love their insurance. People fucking hate their insurance. After shelling out $500 a month in premiums I shouldn't also have to pay an additional $700 out of pocket if I get sick. I shouldn't hesitate to call 911 because of fear of an emergency room bill. People are dying because of that. They know they should go. Common sense tells them that chest pain and shortness of breath is life threatening but do they go? No. They call a doctor's office and ask the nurse what they should do and then balk when they are told to call 911. Your money or your life. That's the system we have now. Boomers are going to be in for a real shock when they become too sick to stay in their homes and are forced to sell them to qualify for Medicaid just so they can afford nursing home care. No one in the younger generations is going to inherit anything from the Boomers. The medical system will consume it all.
Yetiius on April 16th, 2019 at 00:30 UTC »
Watched the whole thing, Bernie did great. Fox reps were booed several times by politicizing their questions.
letdogsvote on April 16th, 2019 at 00:17 UTC »
Fox producers: "Well, that didn't go as planned."