MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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Congresswoman, good to have you with us tonight.

You know, if Romney gets elected, what does it going to mean for people with preexisting conditions? Are they in trouble?

REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D), ILLINOIS: They are in serious trouble. Of course, they are. The Romney campaign, as opposed to Mitt Romney, who doesn`t seem to know actually what his campaign and what his policies are, are saying all kinds of different things. But mainly it`s going to be the insurance companies who decide how much people with preexisting conditions are going to pay or if they are going to get health insurance at all.

But let`s say they say to someone with asthma --

SCHULTZ: Hold on just a second, congresswoman. This is a key point here. The Romney campaign spokesperson said that the free market will take care of those people with a preexisting condition. Hasn`t the free market already addressed that by not allowing these people to get insurance?

SCHAKOWSKY: That`s exactly who is not insured. People who have been insured, he`s saying, well -- if they have continuous coverage -- I don`t quite get this -- would be able to stay insured. But let`s say you lose your job and you move to -- have to look for other insurance? What happens to you then?

He`s saying that yes, they`ll be able to get insurance. But let me just go back to if someone has asthma or a heart condition, who says that the insurance company can`t say, we`ll insure you, but there`s going to be a 10,000 dollar deductible and your premiums are going to be thousands a month? There`s no control over the insurance industry.

Look, what Mitt Romney was expressing when he wanted to make points with the American people is exactly what the American people want. They want to be protected if they have a preexisting condition. They want their kids. They know that this is popular. But their real position is quite the opposite.

SCHULTZ: Well, this is an admission of guilt on the part of the Republicans, that all of a sudden they are finding things that they happen to like with Obamacare, after following the Tea Party all this long and vilifying what has been very popular with the American people. The Tea Party actually -- they were the first group that really went after Obamacare, called it socialism and certainly didn`t want it, going to be a government taker and everything else.

Now within 60 days of the election, they have a candidate that`s actually admitting that there are some things in Obamacare that he`s just going to have to put in.

SCHAKOWSKY: Of course this candidate would say that. That was his plan in Massachusetts. Of course he would, when left to his own devices and doesn`t have a minder with him all the time, would say that he likes it because he wrote the plan.

SCHULTZ: But this goes against their philosophy as a party.

SCHAKOWSKY: Absolutely.

SCHULTZ: So -- all right, the Democrats -- do you think the Democrats did enough to sell the health care plan? It was a very strong testimonial at the convention last week. There`s nothing more powerful than the mother of a sick child and testimony like that. Did the Democrats connect on that? Is that where the bounce is?

SCHAKOWSKY: I absolutely think so. That woman who was worried that if Obamacare is repealed, that she will not be able to provide the surgery that her child with a congenital heart disease has, of course --

SCHULTZ: So is it easier for Democrats now to sell health care after the convention than it was before?

SCHAKOWSKY: I think for two reasons, yes. Because I think we made the case in terms of our message from the podium. But the other reason is because more and more people are experiencing Obamacare, and know that it`s really helping them to afford the care that they need.

SCHULTZ: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, great to have you with us tonight. Thank so much.

SCHAKOWSKY: Thank you.

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