Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) has taken a lot of heat for negotiating the “Cornhusker Kickback”–a deal he struck during the Senate health care debate under which the federal government would cover the entire cost of expanding Medicaid coverage in his state of Nebraska. But now that Democrats are proposing that the federal government cover the cost of a Medicaid expansion in every state, Nelson wants a little bit of credit. And he has a cute little name for it, too!
“Now I want them to start calling this the Cornhusker Kickoff,” Nelson joked on KLIN Radio’s Jack & John in the Morning” show. “It kicks off for everybody, which is what I sought in the first place. And now, if there is anything passed of this sort, it will apply in all the states.”
“My theme has always been: Nebraska first, Nebraska always, not Nebraska only,” Nelson said. So, you see, this was his plan all along. Asked by the host if he feels vindicated for negotiating the original deal, Nelson answered simply: “I do. In a word, I do.” (That’s two words.)
