Newt Gingrich on health care in 1993 - is there a recording or quote?

[rurallib]

I am fairly certain I have heard a recording of Newt Gingrich saying to someone that "if the democrats get a universal health care plan passed we'll never be able to elect a Republican again."
Is there such a recording? Or is there such a quote? I have been looking but can't put my finger on anything.

[antigop]

1. Here is something from the PBS.ORG website about Kristol's memo

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/may96/background/health_debate_page2.html

>>
December 2, 1993 - Leading conservative operative William Kristol privately circulates a strategy document to Republicans in Congress. Kristol writes that congressional Republicans should work to "kill" -- not amend -- the Clinton plan because it presents a real danger to the Republican future: Its passage will give the Democrats a lock on the crucial middle-class vote and revive the reputation of the party. Nearly a full year before Republicans will unite behind the "Contract With America," Kristol has provided the rationale and the steel for them to achieve their aims of winning control of Congress and becoming America's majority party. Killing health care will serve both ends. The timing of the memo dovetails with a growing private consensus among Republicans that all-out opposition to the Clinton plan is in their best political interest. Until the memo surfaces, most opponents prefer behind-the-scenes warfare largely shielded from public view. The boldness of Kristol's strategy signals a new turn in the battle. Not only is it politically acceptable to criticize the Clinton plan on policy grounds, it is also politically advantageous. By the end of 1993, blocking reform poses little risk as the public becomes increasingly fearful of what it has heard about the Clinton plan.
>>

[ramapo]

2. Bob Dole admitted to this

It is in Clinton's book. Seems they were close to an agreement on a plan. Dole backed out, said he was forced to by the party for that precise reason. So much for putting Americans first.

Amazingly this has gotten little to no coverage. Hillary has always been blamed for the debacle and it is she that is linked with the failure in the minds of almost all Americans.

Here we are almost 15 years later still with no health plan because of those bastards.

[rurallib]

3. Thanks to both of you for your replies.

[ramapo]

5. Here it is exactly

P. 601 My Life Bill Clinton

Here's what happened
- Health reform bill providing universal care voted out of committee
- Republican Jeffords(Vt) urges Clinton to continue reaching out to Republicans, saying a couple of amendments would get a few more votes
- Two days later...Dole, after having promised to work out a compromise, says he'll block any such legislation and make it a major issue in the upcoming congressional elections
- Gingrich quoted as saying the Republican strategy was to make health-care reform unpassable by voting against amendments to improve the plan

Clinton goes on to say that Republican leaders had received a memo from William Kristol, Dan Quayle's former chief of staff, urging Republicans to kill health-care reform because a success on health care would present a "serious political threat to the Republican Party" while failure would be a "monumental setback for the President".

This still makes me sick every time I read it.

[MGKrebs]

4. Thanks! I've been looking for that forever too!