President Obama celebrated the news that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Obamacare in the King vs. Burwell case.
Although the word was out just after 10, Obama basked in the news for a full hour before he stepped into the Rose Garden with Vice President Joe Biden to deliver his reaction.
“The Affordable Care Act is here to stay,” he announced from the podium, noting that Republicans had been working for years to bring it down.
“As the dust has settled, there can be no doubt that this law is working,” he added.
Obama celebrated it as an important legacy item, noting that someday American grandchildren would ask their parents about a time when people with pre-existing conditions weren’t covered.
In his remarks, Obama tried to end the debate, repeatedly asserting the his health care plan was working.
“This is reality … this is healthcare in America,” he stated emphatically. “It’s workin’.”
“In many ways this law is working better than we expected it to,” he added.
The president also repeated his line about Obamacare being “woven into the fabric of America” just like social welfare programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
“This was a good day for America,” he said as he concluded his speech. “Let’s get back to work.”
Obama’s attitude toward the case was one of frustration, appearing that he took it as a personal insult that the Supreme Court even took up the case. Earlier this month, Obama flashed his annoyance at reporters who asked if he was worried that a key component of his signature legislation would fail.
“This should be an easy case. Frankly, it probably shouldn’t even have been taken up,” Obama said on June 8.
He dismissed the case as “based on a twisted interpretation of four words,” one that could easily be fixed by a Republican Congress.
White House aides refused to share any suggestion of a “plan B” should the ruling go the other way.
“This would be hard to fix, Obama admitted. “Fortunately, there’s no reason to have to do it. It doesn’t need fixing. All right?”