Halperin, Heilemann on Gruber Testimony: 'We've Been Trying to Avoid,' 'Sideshow'

On Bloomberg’s Tuesday broadcast of “With All Due Respect,” co-hosts Mark Halperin and John Heilemann downplayed the implications of the congressional testimony from so-called ObamaCare architect, MIT professor Jonathan Gruber.

“The other action on the Hill today was frankly about a guy we’ve been trying to avoid – not because Jonathan Gruber is a fake news story but because it is a classic Washington sideshow,” Heilemann said. The world’s most famous MIT professor testified and apologized and apologized and apologized for saying that Americans are stupid and as part of the deal, he got to receive a ceremonial Darrell Issa shaming.”

“[I]t is going to turn a lot of Fox News viewers against ObamaCare,” Halperin aaded. “This has been a sideshow. It is still a sideshow. It was a great hearing for those who like theater … There is a ton coming up for ObamaCare – a Supreme Court ruling on subsidies, you’ve got a bunch of new governors that are going to have to decide what to do, you’ve got the question of people signing up, premium increases – there’s a lot going on in the next years about ObamaCare. Gruber – he’s great for whipping up the Republican base but it has no impact whatsoever.”

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