Krauthammer’s Take: Obama’s ‘Stonewall Playbook’ Won’t Work on VA Scandal

The National Review ^ | May 23, 2014 | Staff

[2ndDivisionVet]

While the Obama administration has largely been able to fend off criticism from many of its looming controversies, it won’t be able to do the same with the mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs given the wide scope and various reports and anecdotes of the problem, Charles Krauthammer said on Friday’s Special Report.

In the past, the White House used the “stonewall playbook” of refraining from commenting on scandals by pointing to an ongoing investigations, in which there was largely no other source of outside information and allowed the administration to more feasibly control the narrative. In regards to the VA scandal though, Krauthammer explained that with more and more victims and their families coming forward every day and revealing various examples of malpractice at facilities and hospitals, it makes the situation more difficult for the White House to manage public perception.

“To say, ‘We can’t know what happened unless there’s investigation or until it comes in,’ is simply untenable"(continued)

[2ndDivisionVet]

Dr. Krauthammer is a Democrat who worked for the Carter White House, so maybe he's right.

[Mark17]

While the Obama administration has largely been able to fend off criticism from many of its looming controversies, it won’t be able to do the same with the mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs given the wide scope and various reports and anecdotes of the problem, Charles Krauthammer said on Friday’s Special Report.

Don't underestimate the Obungler and the lames in the Media. They will certainly try. It does not matter how many kittens they BBQ on the White House lawn, or how many Vets have died, they have been successful before, they will try it again.

[nickcarraway]

I bet within a week, the media will report that the VA problems are a right wing myth that has now been, “debunked.”

[Gene Eric]

FNC had an insightful documentary on Krauthammer that is worth watching.

Krauthammer was once a liberal ideologue; though, he shifted towards conservatism after realizing, at a relatively young age, the fallacies of contemporary liberalism.

Krauthammer is a glass half-full in my opinion.

[Eagles6]

No Chuck, you're wrong. The gutless RINOs will put up somebody with some bark but no bite, like Issa, to run the show hearings which will drag on until commander zero is out of office.

I think Trey Gowdy made the crybaby appoint him so I don't give boner credit for doing the right thing.

[missnry]

Krauty may be right... The good old HIPAA laws are meant to conceal and protect the Rats from people digging in to their records so they can hide their hideous lives. They can shield the Rats when they want to try and cover something up related to their medical issue. With this VA scandal the Rats can actually throw out the "Active Investigation" line HOWEVER they CANNOT hold back the countless number of Veterans who are currently affected by this fiasco! IF they throw out the HIPAA BS that can be worked around if the Veteran lays it out in the public record.

Veterans need to lay a siege at EVERY VA Hospital in the country! If a veteran is in care lay out their time of waiting - get it first hand with documenting evidence. Loved ones who have lost a veteran because of poor or neglected care need to get their story out.

The news media is an extension of the Democrat party. This is going to have to be a grassroots effort. It is time to lay a siege at every local network station to shame them in to covering stories that have been ignored. If the national network won't cover it we can start impacting local news stations.

[Terry L Smith]

There are more living breathing speaking thinking veterans than all of the 0bama voters combined.

There are so many electronic outlets, ‘as i write this’, that every one of us who is a veteran has some piece of information.

Last time I looked, and you might find this, in your regional newspaper online, due to the way they cull comments these days, that you will find nothing but glowing praise from veterans’ wives. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong here. Whatchoo talkin’ ‘bout?”

[airborne]

I bet within a week, the media will report that the VA problems are a right wing myth that has now been, “debunked.”

Nope. Pelosi has already begun the "Blame Bush" mantra, which the socialist media should pick up and run with any day now.

[Bigg Red]

I wonder if the VA scandal has been pushed by President Jarrett in order to distract from Benghazi. So many others to share the blame in the VA wreckage.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I'd be happy to have some of the Jimmah Cahtah Donks back, in place of the current flock.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

I wonder if the VA scandal has been pushed by President Jarrett in order to distract from Benghazi. So many others to share the blame in the VA wreckage.

There’s certainly something to be said for that; Rush mentioned that idea a week or so ago.

But the problem for Obama is that, as he himself has long ago indicated, VAcare is a prototype for ObamaCare - it was ObamaCare before there was an Obama. If it doesn’t work and hasn’t been fixed in all this time, it is a strong counterexample to the rhetoric of the wonderfulness of governmentism.

Government medicine doesn’t work in Britain, it doesn’t work in Canada, and the VA mess confirms that it doesn’t work in America.

[Bigg Red]

But the problem for Obama is that, as he himself has long ago indicated, VAcare is a prototype for ObamaCare - it was ObamaCare before there was an Obama. If it doesn’t work and hasn’t been fixed in all this time, it is a strong counterexample to the rhetoric of the wonderfulness of governmentism.

***
Sorry, I don’t listen to Rush.

While what you say is true, the unfortunate fact is that the average American is not paying enough attention to even make such a connection to Obamacare. And, of course, the media will help them to remain ignorant of the truth.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Joseph McCarthy's downfall started when he decided to take on the Army and Joseph N. Welch asked the Senator, "Have you no sense of decency?"

Perhaps, today's McCarthy, Barack H. Obama's downfall started, when he used military veterans to get elected, then ignored them and allowed dozens to die.

Nixon was an innocent baby in comparison to Barack H. Obama. No one died at Watergate. Obama has hundreds of dead bodies piling up in Mexico and the US from Fast & Furious. Obama was lucky that only 4 Americans died in Benghazi, it could've easily been over 30 Americans. Now he has veterans dying on his watch coast to coast.

Let's hope justice is finally catching up to the worst President in American History since Buchanan helped set the groundwork for the Civil War.

We don't know yet, if we'll have another Civil War, so Obama could take the top spot.

[Toespi]

All these Vets had to do, rather than wait for months for treatment or appointments with the VA, was to enroll in Obamacare...........

[ExTexasRedhead]

Obamacare = no choice of doctors and few hospitals that will take the Obama voodoo.

[VRW Conspirator]

Veterans are democrats and republicans. And, America likes their veterans. This is a serious problem and it will continue to be a problem.

Obama and company will try to say that "We fixed the problem" (like AL Qaida) and "It started with Bush" (it didn't) but the truth will rear it's ugly head in the form of dead veterans (like Benghazi).