Ryan criticizes McCain for dramatic ‘no’ vote on Obamacare repeal
Feb 15, 2018, 4:13 AM | Updated: Mar 1, 2018, 3:24 pm
PHOENIX — House Speaker Paul Ryan criticized U.S. Sen. John McCain on Tuesday for his dramatic vote that prevented parts of an Obama-era health care bill from being repealed last year.
In an interview with FOX Business’ Maria Baritromo on “Mornings with Maria,” Ryan pointed to McCain’s “no” vote, arguing that reform is necessary to limiting budget deficits.
“The house has passed these bills, but John McCain said no instead of yes,” Ryan said.
“The house Republicans passed the biggest entitlement reform package ever when we passed our health care bill. Unfortunately, somebody did this instead of that in the Senate and it didn’t pass,” Ryan said, making the thumbs up and thumbs down signs.
McCain was one of three Republican senators who in July voted no on the so-called “skinny repeal,” effectively derailing his party’s seven-year effort to repeal Obamacare.
The vote was nothing short of dramatic: McCain had left the room for a time while the vote had started.
When he walked in, he held his hand up and then gave a thumbs down, confirming his vote as a no. Audible gasps could be heard throughout the room, followed by a series of claps.
The bill eventually failed by a margin of 49-51, with Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) joining McCain as Republicans who voted the same as all of the Senate Democrats.
