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Robert Gibbs: Paul Ryan should 'thank President Obama'

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    Obama campaign adviser on 'Fox News Sunday'

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And hello again from Fox News in Washington.

-- Paul Ryan joining the Republican take at the presidential campaign took on a new intensity this week.

Especially over who has the best planned to preserve Medicare.

We'll hear from a top Romney strategist and a few minutes but first.

Obama campaign senior advisor and former white house press secretary Robert Gibbs Robert welcome back to FOX News Sunday thanks for -- -- Romney running night Paul Ryan campaigned in the villages retirement community with a 78 year old mother Betty yesterday -- He's sad that the Republicans want to protect Medicare.

While the president is turning it into a piggy back.

-- -- When I think about Medicare.

It's not.

Just a program.

It's not just abortion numbers.

It's what my mom relies on the president.

Raids.

716.

Billion dollars.

From the Medicare program to pay for the obamacare program.

Your reaction.

Well I think if he wants to protect Medicare for his mother then he should thank first -- should thank.

President Obama for what he's done in the past few years to extend the life of the Medicare trust fund -- it helps seniors with their prescription drug costs.

-- help seniors get free preventive care.

Chris what President Obama did was strengthen the Medicare beneficiary.

Did Medicare benefit.

To help Medicare beneficiaries and to extend the life of the Medicare trust fund.

By more than eight years okay but let's talk about the 716.

Billion dollar -- To Medicare because it is if I may you may ask the question.

That under.

The Obama plan Obama -- there is a 716 billion dollar cot there's a 716 billion dollar.

We found -- -- sixteen billion dollars and efficiency and savings.

Primarily by reducing the subsidy that the government was paying to Medicare Advantage through private insurance companies.

Something that was costing Medicare.

Not saving Medicare money is it was -- -- designed to do but in fact.

Costing Medicare about 16% more than traditional Medicare.

We took those subsidies out and lo and behold.

The enrollment for Medicare Advantage is actually -- this year we strengthen the benefit by adding again as I said preventive services.

The best way to add to tackle health care costs is to work with seniors to make sure that we prevent illnesses rather than simply treat them once they have now cut that.

That is the argument that the Obama campaign -- -- the 716 billion dollars is all in cuts to providers and insurance companies.

And it will have no effect on benefits or services.

To the beneficiaries -- -- -- let me let me ask my question.

Medicare's own acts -- where.

Own actuary of Medicare and out of the Romney campaign says that's impossible that you can't have the same services for 716.

Billion dollars less and let's put up some of what.

The Medicare actuary -- They say that's 15% of Medicare providers will be unprofitable like 201925%.

Of Medicare providers will be unprofitable -- 2030.

And the Medicare actuary -- -- this is his quote.

In practice Medicare providers could not sustain continuing negative margins and absent legislative changes would have to would draw.

Withdraw from providing services to Medicare beneficiaries.

Merge -- -- provider -- search -- substantial portions of Medicare costs.

That are non Medicare non -- Medicaid.

Providers in other words according to the -- Medicare.

Patients millions of them will lose access to Medicare benefits.

If Medicare companies that are involved in the program.

Continue doing what they're doing which is inefficient.

Let's -- currency tell you that little men and women -- actually wearing black on Medicare -- Aetna the actuary says in practice Medicare providers could not sustain.

Continuing negative margins if we can if Medicare providers continue to do we're doing right now under the old program.

Chris -- -- if senior got readmitted over and over and over to the hospital.

For the same illness they got paid every single time the senior got admitted into the hospital want to strengthen the benefit by adding.

Preventive health care to it.

And trying to ensure that this -- patient gets accountable care and treated before they get that.

The providers don't do it.

Then what happens is under your plan this unelected board fifteen bureaucrats come in and they decide -- -- and out of -- that is it I asked I'm I'm I'm I'm laughing it you're.

Your characterization of -- I think it are -- not a nonetheless I they have elected or their medical professionals aren't either their people that we trust to make medical decisions are they elected by.

Ned Jarrett not unaccountable unelected board that comes in and will make decisions on what their providers and hospital I didn't know because an accident and not and congress either has devoted all up -- Yeah well look who we're trying to get efficiencies out of the Medicare program.

We're trying to provide.

Some much needed enhancements to the benefits that Medicare beneficiaries have and most importantly we're trying to sustain.

The hospital trust fund let's let's talk when the -- If all of what you described was so amazingly egregious -- -- not one but in two Paul Ryan budget's.

Does he never seek to roll back the so called cuts from the unelected bureaucrats that you discuss.

What post Ed Gillespie -- that.

I probably I -- we're gonna talk to adolescent let's go to -- -- he has to accept.

The current law and what's in the baseline he does actually have to that he did that's a whole.

That's what this is a bunch of the last and I know let's until -- the question why they don't get asked the question I have but but I know why they don't know that I -- get to ask the questions if but I mean your your contention is you can take 716.

Billion dollars out of Medicare.

Lot of money -- sixteen billion dollars and it'll have no impact on benefits.

We strengthen the Medicare beneficiaries whose look do you think they know they are gonna do you think the AARP would be in would have been endorsed what we did if it hurt seniors.

Did you think you -- you gotta get the Medicare actuary would say that this isn't gonna have an impact but I mean.

If they say 15% of providers will be unprofitable.

Again if they if they don't change the way they currently do business that's what we're talking about.

Getting greater efficiency out of Medicare strengthening the Medicare beneficiary again if all this was so egregious -- why did Paul Ryan's seat.

Never to undo these cuts -- have been questions of when I have happened the last thing I promise I'll ask them anyway but after on Friday Obama campaign manager Jim -- offered the Romney campaign a -- -- five years of tax returns.

And we won't ask for anymore.

Isn't that a distraction from the major riches of the economy and jobs and national debt and foreign policy that the president says he wants this campaign to -- I don't I don't think taxes are -- anyway a distraction from this campaign I think they're very -- talking about campaign Mitt Romney's personal tax -- what we're not about tax policy -- all of America -- we are talking about text I don't look at -- -- -- without having his tax return well.

We we're gonna have that argument and we should see -- tax returns his father said you shouldn't just put out one or two years you should put out a series of tax returns twelve to thirteen years.

Mitt Romney -- -- -- 23 years and John McCain were about to have a very fundamentally important debate about the direction of tax reform in this country and I think if if Mitt Romney proposes to be president of the United States and lead us through tax reform shouldn't the American people understand.

The offshoring -- outsourcing.

And the tax havens that he takes advantage of he he and his tax return and understand how those values would govern the tax reform decisions that he might make as president.

I think what what is really stunning Chris is that.

Look Mitt Romney is a highly educated.

And he is clearly made.

A decision that one is in those tax returns is far more damaging to him.

-- to do what every presidential candidate has done which -- show the American people your personal finances if he's clearly decided that -- -- far today.

If the president is so -- in transparency.

As you indicate.

Why is -- that he is not he's held one news conference at the White House this year and that was back in March more than five months ago and why is it.

That he refused to release documents to congress and invoked executive privilege.

-- operation fast and -- well look let's talk about I'd I'd be this situation interviewing the president and the president let me just give you some statistics are of the -- -- wouldn't.

Get them wrong.

In in the month of August and we're only nineteen days in August the presence on thirteen local TV interview -- that include president assignment tonight that included being asked not -- look back at that included being asked what.

His favorite sorry work out so I took questions and I think that's what -- -- on some of the youngest eleven radio interviews.

And 55 round table interviews with fifteen print journal and I sit down with the White House.

Press -- look I -- I think the president and the president did take a question from the white house press corps regarding.

The shooting that happened in Wisconsin a question look look Chris did.

I think the white house press press -- of at a time in the press room.

The white house press corps has good questions but so -- local TV stations and Iowa and in Colorado in Ohio.

Who regularly get past the president questioned the notion that this president.

Is somehow.

Not doing interviews he he is ridiculous not long ago we were answering questions.

And charges from -- Republican that -- Barack Obama was overexposed.

We're looking forward to our first interview of his presidency here on FOX News Sunday.

Well I -- I know that the president has spent time with Brett -- I know.

I believe you interviewed the president at the White House when when I was there is that correct that's it that's true I and got to a one month into his presidency not too bad.

Really well I had never run Fox's Sunday in any case and a special played it this -- Vice President Biden spoke in Virginia to a crowd including a large number.

Other African Americans here's what he -- He's good the big banks once again write their own rules.

And change.

Wall Street.

They're gonna -- you all back in chains.

Was that race -- that no more race -- them when John Boehner says let's -- Wall Street let's -- big business and I just don't -- -- pretty -- says -- that you were gonna put you all to a crowd of African America look -- we're gonna -- all article -- Georgia and large number of African Americans and our audience suddenly -- African America not exclusively of course senator -- that this -- -- -- -- -- -- this -- -- I don't want -- -- -- and -- this is no more racial -- -- -- speaker -- talks -- -- -- Wall -- and -- -- big business and I think the vice president was correct and exactly how explain what happens when we unshackled Wall Street and let Wall Street go back to writing its own rules.

Mitt Romney thinks it's okay to repeal Wall Street reform and let big banks on Wall Street go back to writing their own rules we know what happens that's what got us into this -- That's what happened -- mortgage backed securities went bust that's what happens when millions of people lost their jobs.

That's what got us into this mess and I think Vice President Biden.

President Obama and millions of others don't want to go back to that -- is Joseph Biden a drag on the ticket absolutely not I'm happy to have Joseph Biden out campaigning.

Telling his story.

To the American people.

Putting in front of people the choice that's gonna happen in this election.

I'm happy and proud of Joseph Biden I'm happy and proud to have him out on the trail every day one last question got a minute left this week Mitt Romney has repeatedly criticized the tone of the president's conduct.

Of this campaign.

Mr.

President.

Take your campaign and division.

And anger.

And the hate back to Chicago and let us get about three.

What do you make of all this talk about how angry the president you know Chris you should interview your reporters that route when the president this.

President was in Iowa first talking about how we pass a farm bill to help farmers and ranchers that are dealing with the worst droughts in our history.

The next day talk about how we continue to add it and clean energy jobs to our economy by extending the tax cut for for wind energy.

The president -- -- was talking about taxes and our budget.

Nobody that's been with the president -- seen the president.

Thinks he's running anything other than.

A campaign on the issues that are important to the American people and I want -- I'm not gonna get lectured by Mitt Romney or anybody on the Romney campaign about the tone of this campaign.

This is a guy who's -- all over the country.

Saying he -- he's not sure whether the president believes in America.

Right we're auctioning off dinners with the birth -- in chief right wing nut job Donald Trump who still questions whether or not.

The president was born in the United States of America.

I'm I'm happy to listens charges and countercharges but.

The notion that we're gonna get lectured by Mitt Romney and his campaign about running a positive campaign that's -- far too big -- well.

Robert thank you thank you thanks for coming on and always good to talk -- -- thank you.

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