Jimmy Kimmel Rallies Critics Of Obamacare Repeal; Republican Senator Says Kimmel “Doesn’t Understand”

Even as Jimmy Kimmel rallies opponents of the latest Republican attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, the Republican senator accused by Kimmel of lying now says the late night host (and father of a son born with a congenital heart condition) just doesn’t get it.

Senator Bill Cassidy, appearing on CNN this morning, told New Day host Chris Cuomo that under the bill he’s co-authored with Sen. Lindsey Graham, “more people will have coverage and we protect those with pre-existing conditions. States like Maine, Virginia, Florida, and Missouri, there will be billions of more dollars to provide health insurance coverage for those in those states who have been passed by Obamacare and we protect those with pre-existing conditions.”

Cassidy might have President Donald Trump on his side – “Money direct to States!” Trump tweeted this morning (see it below) – but Kimmel’s impassioned and blunt monologue on last night’s show was being praised this morning by a growing roster of Democrats and pundits.

On Jimmy Kimmel Live last night, the host blasted Republicans for attempting to “sneak this scam of a bill” into law. “It seemed like (Cassidy) was being honest; he got a lot of credit and attention for coming off like a rare reasonable voice in the Republican party when it came to health care for coming up with what he called — and I didn’t name it this, he named it this — the Jimmy Kimmel Test. Which was, in a nutshell, no family should be denied medical care, emergency or otherwise, because they can’t afford it,” he said.

“I don’t know what happened to Bill Cassidy,” Kimmel said. “But when he was on this publicity tour, he listed his demands for a health-care bill very clearly. These were his words. He said he wants coverage for all, no discrimination based on preexisting conditions, lower premiums for middle-class families and no lifetime caps. Guess what? The new bill does none of those things.”

This morning, politicians, pundits and various Hollywood insiders were choosing sides, along partisan lines:

And on the other side:

Kimmel entered the national healthcare debate after the birth of his son Billy on April 21. A week after the birth, Kimmel spoke publicly and tearfully about the boy’s congenital heart condition, noting that he was fortunate to have the means to pay for care, and that no parent should have to worry about affording healthcare for their children.

Yesterday, Kimmel tweeted a photo of himself and young Billy as they prepared to write last night’s monologue.