At an Iowa City rally promoting the recently signed health care legislation, President Barack Obama confronted both right wing attacks calling his bill “Armageddon,” and left wing criticisms that the bill lacks a public option.
“I’m not exaggerating,” Obama told the crowd, “leaders of the Republican party, they called the passage of this bill ‘Armageddon!’ Armageddon. End of freedom as we know it. So after I signed the bill, I looked around to see if there were any asteroids falling, or some cracks opening up in the Earth. Turned out it was a nice day.”
Those attending the rally burst into laughter and applause.
“Birds were chirping, folks were strolling down the mall,” the President continued, “people still had their doctors.”
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and RNC Chairman Michael Steele have both suggested that reform is akin to Armagedoon. Obama made a similar joke in a speech shortly after signing the bill into law on Tuesday.
Later in the speech, Obama was interrupted by a man shouting “What about the public option?”
“That’s not in the bill,” said Obama.
The heckler shouted back, “Why not?!”
“Because we couldn’t get it through Congress,” Obama explained. “There’s no need to shout, young man! Thirty-two million people are going to have health insurance because of this legislation. That’s what this bill is about.”
The heckler shouted back, but was drowned out by cheers and applause from the audience.
WATCH:
More on Obama’s speech here.
