Obama Distances Himself From Obamacare Architect Jonathan Gruber, But Didn’t In 2006

All of a sudden Obama is washing his hands from anything that has to do with one of his Obamacare architects, Jonathan Gruber. However, in 2006 it was a completely different story, when then-Senator Obama sang Gruber’s praises publicly.

The Obamacare architect has been under the microscope ever since videos of him calling American voters “stupid” surfaced earlier this month. When the first clip was released publicly, Gruber apologized for his demeaning remarks, but since then a couple of other videos show that apparently this was not a one time gaffe, but the MIT professor really believes what he said.

Once a trusted advisor to the White House on all things Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, Jonathan Gruber has fallen from grace. The President and other Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, are basically saying the guy wasn’t as important as the media is making him out to be.

But this wasn’t the case in 2006, when Senator Obama mentioned “Jon” Gruber by name during a panel at the Brookings Institution.

“You have already drawn some of the brightest minds from academia and policy circles, many of them I’ve stolen ideas from liberally. People ranging from Robert Gordon to Austan Goolsbee; Jon Gruber; my dear friend, Jim Wallis here, who can inform what are sometimes dry policy debates with a prophetic voice.”

In a report on The Washington Free Beacon, Obama dismissed his relationship with the troubled professor saying, he was “some adviser who was never on our staff.” Reports have surfaced that Gruber made millions as a consultant during the time Obamacare was getting drafted.

The offensive comments made by Gruber surfaced last week and have created a storm of controversy because of the condescending manner in which the academic, once respected by Democrats and mentioned often, refers to the voting public. In the video, Gruber said the “stupidity of the American voter” was “critical” to passing Obamacare, which Republicans allege, indicates the Obama administration lied to the people in order to pass the now-unpopular legislation.

While answering questions from reporters at the G20 Summit in China, President Obama was asked about Jonathan Gruber’s comments.

“The fact that some adviser who was never on our staff expressed an opinion that I completely disagree with in terms of the voters is not a reflection on the actual process that was run.”

For those opposed to the healthcare mandate, the Jonathan Gruber controversy brings back memories, when Obama promised, “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Period. If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep your healthcare plan. Period,” for which he received the 2013 Lie of he Year honoree.

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