Apr. 13, 2010: FRONTLINE examines the health care bill

>> Rooney: A LITTLE OVER

A YEAR INTO HIS

PRESIDENCY, BARACK OBAMA

SIGNED HEALTH CARE REFORM

INTO LAW.

BUT THE HISTORIC MOMENT

CAME WITH BAGGAGE.

QUIET PROMISES AND

PARTISAN IN-FIGHTING.

TONIGHT CBS TAKES UP THE

BACK-ROOM DEALS THAT MADE

HEALTH CARE REFORM A

REALITY.

>> YOUR VOICE CAN WIN AN

ELECTION.

>> HE PROMISED CHANGE.

>> President Obama: YOUR

VOICE CAN CREATE THE KIND

OF AMERICA WE DREAM ABOUT!

>> Reporter: AND THEN HE

TOOK ON ONE OF

WASHINGTON'S TOUGHEST

ISSUES.

>> LET'S BE THE GENERATION

THAT SAYS WE WILL HAVE

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN

AMERICA.

WERE -- WE CAN DO THAT.

>> THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN

GET IT THROUGH IS TO BRIBE

THEIR MEMBERS.

>> Rooney: OBAMA'S DEAL,

HOW THE PRESIDENT

ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING IN

LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR IN

OFFICE THAT NO ONE THAT

DONE BEFORE, UNIVERSAL

HEALTH CARE.

THE DOCUMENTARY TRACKS THE

RISE AND FALL AND THE RISE

AGAIN OF THE HEALTH CARE

DEBATE, AND THE BACK-ROOM

DEALS THAT THREATEN TO

DERAIL THE WHOLE EFFORT.

>> EMMANUEL AND HARRY REID

WERE DOING DEALS TO WIN

OVER DEMOCRATS.

PLEASING SENATOR LIEBERMAN

AND OTHERS.

THEY LOWERED PROPOSED

TAXES FOR MEDICAL

DEVICE-MAKERS FOR EVAN

BUY.

>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS

INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING

TO LIFT UP PEOPLE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY,

WHEN YOU'RE PASSING

LEGISLATION, IT IS ABOUT

DEAL-MAKING.

THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO

DO IT.

>> Rooney: THAT'S

BASICALLY HOW IT GOT DONE.

EVEN VICE PRESIDENT JOSEPH

BIDEN WAS AGAINST TRYING

TO PASS LEGISLATION.

AND THE PRESIDENT'S

ECONOMIC TEAM WANTED HIM

TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE

RECESSION.

ENTER CHIEF-OF-STAFF RON

EMMANUEL.

>> HE IS A BRILLIANT

POLITICAL STRATEGIST.

HARD-NOSED, JUST A FORCE

OF NATURE.

>> VERY POLITICAL.

VERY AGGRESSIVE AT

CREATING DEALS.

IN FACT, PROBABLY MORE SO

THAN ONE WOULD ANTICIPATE

FROM THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION BEING.

>> Rooney: TONIGHT THE

STRATEGY, THE

ARM-TWISTING, AND THE

DEAL-MAKING AS FRONTLINE

GOES BEHIND THE SCENES OF

THE NATIONAL HEALTH CARE

BILL.

JOINING ME IS MICHAEL

KIRK, THE PRODUCER OF

FRONTLINE'S NEWEST

DOCUMENTARY, OBAMA'S DEAL.

WELCOME, MICHAEL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Rooney: OBAMA GOT

INTO DEAL-MAKING NOT ONLY

WITH THE POLITICIANS, NOT

JUST TRYING TO CON HIS OWN

PARTY AND THE REPUBLICANS,

BUT THE LOBBYISTS.

HE WAS WILLING TO REACH

OUT TO BILLY TOWNSEND'S

GROUP AND THOSE PEOPLE.

>> HE PROMISED AS AN

OUTSIDER HE WAS GOING TO

CHANGE WASHINGTON.

HE GETS THERE, AND VERY

QUICKLY HE PICKS UP THIS

ISSUE, WHICH BIDEN, AS YOU

SAID IN THE PIECE, SAID

DON'T GO NEAR THIS.

THIS IS THE THIRD RAIL,

THIS BURNS YOU UP.

HE SAID NO, NO, NO, IT'S

NOT JUST ABOUT HEALTH

CARE.

ABOUT SHOWING AMERICA A

CHANGE CAN OCCUR.

THEN WHAT DOES HE DO?

HE PICKS DASCHLE AND

EMMANUEL, AND

CONGRESSIONAL INSIDERS,

AND CLOSES THE DOORS AND

GOES TO WORK WITH BIG

BUSINESS, WITH TRADE

GROUPS AND OTHERS.

ASTONISHING IN SOME WAYS

THAT HE WAS BOTH PRACTICAL

AND NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

>> Rooney: THAT'S THE

PART THAT I THINK

SURPRISED PEOPLE.

BECAUSE YOU HEAR EVEN THE

CRITICISM THAT YOU HEAR

NOW OF HIM.

HE WAS PRACTICAL IN

KNOWING THAT HE HAD TO DO

THAT.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T

THINK HE WAS TOUGH ENOUGH

TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE

KIND OF COMPROMISES.

>> AND FOR A WHILE, HE

WASN'T.

th WHAT TOSEN DID?

TOSEN HELD HIS FEET TO THE

FIRE.

HE KNEW THEY WANTED A

DEAL.

HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE

AT THE TABLE OR OWN THE

MENU.

HE SITS WITH OBAMA, AND

PROMISES HIM SOME

COMPLICATED FORMULA THAT

IS SUPPOSEDLY GOING TO

SAVE $80 BILLION.

AND IN THE END HE HAS A

THREAT ATTACHED TO IT,

WHICH IS, LOOK, WE DID IT

IN THE CLINTON

ADMINISTRATION.

WE CAN DO IT TO YOU.

WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN

DEEP POCKETS --

>> Rooney: WHICH IS THE

DRUG MONEY, THE PHARMA

CEUTICAL DEALS.

AND THE BEN NELSON DEAL,

AND THE $100 MILLION TO

NEVADA TO COVER OFF ALL OF

THEIR CLAIMS -- NEBRASKA,

SORRY.

THEY DIDN'T ALL GO

THROUGH?

>> NO.

BUT THEY ALL WERE GOING TO

GO THROUGH, AND THEY ALL

ALMOST WENT THROUGH.

IT WAS, IN FACT, A LOT OF

PEOPLE TOLD US, THAT

THROWING THE MONEY AT BEN

NELSON'S FEET, THAT

PLAYING "THE PRICE IS

RIGHT" WITH HIM -- THAT

REALLY, THE DEAL WAS SO

SMELLY THAT A LOT OF

PEOPLE SAID THAT'S WHAT

HAPPENED IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THAT'S WHAT'S BEGAN TO

HAPPEN IN A LOT OF OTHER

PLACES.

THAT CORN HUSKER DEAL FELT

LIKE WHO IS THIS GUY?

HE PROMISED CHANGE, AND

INSIDE OF HIS OWN PARTY HE

HAS HAD TO BRIBE HIS GUYS.

AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE

HAVING A FIELD DAY WITH

IT.

YOU SEE ORIN HATCH SAYING

THEY HAD TO THROW DEALS AT

THE FEET OF THEIR OWN

MEMBERS.

IN FACT, IT WAS UGLY AND

SMELLY, AND IT GOT ALL

OVER OBAMA.

>> Rooney: THAT CORN

HUSKER DEAL, IN MANY WAYS,

IS WHAT RODE SENATOR SCOTT

BROWN TO VICTORY HERE IN

MASSACHUSETTS.

HOW DID SCOTT BROWN'S

ELECTION CHANGE THE MIX OF

THE DEBATE AND THE

PARTISANSHIP HERE AT THE

END?

>> RIGHT BEFORE THE SCOTT

BROWN ELECTION -- THEY'RE

NOT REALLY PAYING

ATTENTION TO WHAT IS GOING

ON UP IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THEY'RE LITERALLY PLANNING

THE CEREMONY WHERE THEY'RE

GOING TO SIGN THE BILL.

REMEMBER, ON CHRISTMAS EVE

THEY GOT THE GREATEST GIFT

POSSIBLE FROM THE SENATE,

WHICH WAS THE SENATE BILL

PASSED WITH BEN NEL ON

SOWS -- NELSON'S VOTE ON

IT.

THE FRIDAY BEFORE AXLE ROD

GETS A PHONE CALL FROM

MARTHA COAKLEY, AND SHE

SAYS, PLEASE, HE'S GOT TO

COME UP.

AND THE PRESIDENT COMES,

AND KNOWING THE COAKLEY

HISTORY, IF YOU'RE NOT

GOING TO DO IT FOR HER, DO

IT FOR ME.

MY OWN PRESIDENCY IS

HANGING IN THE BALANCE.

THEY DON'T.

THEY VOTE FOR BROWN.

HE LOSES THE SUPER

MAJORITY.

THE REPUBLICANS HAVE

NUMBER 41, AND OBAMA LOOKS

LIKE HE IS DEAD.

IT'S OVER.

THEY TELL ME AT THE WHITE

HOUSE, AND THEY SAY IT ON

THE FILM TONIGHT, THAT

THEY REALLY BELIEVED IT

WAS DONE.

AND HE HAD TO COME UP WITH

A STRATEGY, EITHER WALK

AWAY FROM IT, TRY TO GET A

LITTLE, TINY PIECE OF IT.

PELOSI WAS SAYING TO HIM,

LECTURING HIM, YOU'RE

NEVER GOING TO GET THE

SENATE BILL THROUGH THE

HOUSE.

YOU CAN'T DO IT,

MR. PRESIDENT.

THAT WAS HAPPENING DAYS

AFTER THE SCOTT BROWN

ELECTION UP HERE.

>> Rooney: MICHAEL, WHEN

YOU UP THERE AND TALKING

TO PEOPLE, HOW MUCH OF

THIS KEY PARTY OUTRAGE DID

YOU SENSE?

WAS IT OUT THERE AND

SMOOTHING AROUND THE

EDGES, THE WHOLE TIME

AROUND THIS DEBATE?

>> I THINK THIS TEA

PARTY -- IT IS AN

INTERESTING THING ABOUT

THIS TEA PARTY.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAIM A

FILM ABOUT -- MAKE A FILM

ABOUT IT.

>> Rooney: YOU SHOULD.

>> BECAUSE I THINK OUT IN

THERE AUGUST, THEY WERE

ANGRY ABOUT A LOT OF OTHER

THINGS BESIDES HEALTH

CARE.

HEALTH CARE HAPPENED TO BE

THE SUBJECT DEJOUR.

BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF --

THERE IS A LOT OF

FINANCIAL INSECURITY IN

AMERICA.

THE STIMULUS BILL HAD

PASSED.

IT LOOKED LIKE BIG

GOVERNMENT WAS ALL OVER

THE PLACE.

WITH PAULSON AND SOMMERS

AND GEITNER HAD BAILED OUT

THE BANK.

AND PEOPLE WERE ANXIOUS

AND VULNERABLE TO BEING

PLAYED BY OTHER GROUPS

THAT SAID, WATCH OUT, IT

IS ALL ABOUT HEALTH CARE.

AND I'M NOT SURE THE WHITE

HOUSE -- IN FACT, I'M

POSITIVE THE WHITE HOUSE

DIDN'T ANTICIPATE AND KNOW

IT WAS COMING.

ONCE AGAIN, THEIR

POLITICAL OPERATION LOST

TRACK OF WHAT WAS

HAPPENING.

IT HAPPENED TWO TIMES, AT

LEAST, THAT WE SAW.

AND THE FUNDAMENTAL ONE

WAS, AS YOU APPROPRIATELY

SENSED, THAT MOMENT THAT

THE TEA PARTY -- AND

WHATEVER WAS HAPPENING IN

THOSE TOWN MEETINGS --

>> Rooney: RON

EMMANUEL -- THERE WAS A

LOT OF PUBLICITY ABOUT

HIM.

THE "WASHINGTON POST" IS

REPORTING HE IS DEFACTO

THE PRESIDENT.

HE IS THE ONE

STRONG-ARMING PEOPLE.

WAS THAT CALCULATED TO PUT

HIM IN THAT POSITION.

IT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE HE

WAS GOING TO TAKE THE

FALL?

>> IT LOOKED LIKE THAT.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO WATCH

AND TRY TO READ THE TEA

LEAVES -- SOMETIMES YOU

CAN MAKE A MISTAKE.

IT LOOKED AND FELT LIKE --

I DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE

OF THIS -- BUT IT LOOKED

AND FELT LIKE EMMANUEL WAS

GIVING LOTS OF INTERVIEWS.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE MAKE THEY

WERE SETTING HIM UP.

MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE WAS

SETTING HIM UP.

THEY'RE VERY GOOD AND HE'S

VERY GOOD AT THAT MOMENT

IN THERE WHERE THEY'RE

TRYING TO DEFLECT AND DRAW

ATTENTION.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE A SHIELD

HAS GONE UP THAT IS GOING

TO DRAW A LOT OF ATTENTION

AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENT

WHILE THE PRESIDENT

HUNKERS DOWN.

THE PRESIDENT TOLD US IN

THE WEEKS BEFORE SCOTT

BROWN AND BEFORE HE BURST

OUT INTO THE OPEN IN THE

SUMMIT, AND ALL OF THOSE

TRIPS AROUND AMERICA WITH

DENNIS AND OTHERS ON AIR

FORCE 1, THERE WERE REALLY

ONLY THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE

WHO REALLY KNEW WHAT WAS

GOING ON, AND EMMANUEL WAS

ONE OF THEM.

PELOSI, REID, AND EMMANUEL

WITH CLOSED DOORS WITH

OBAMA.

>> Rooney: I'VE READ THE

PIECE, BUT I'M DYING TO

SEE THE DEAL.

OBAMA'S DEAL AIRS TONIGHT

ON WGBH.

AND WHEN WE CONTINUE, THE

ART OF INDIA'S MASTER

STORY-TELLERS.