MSNBC's Hayes: Wendy Davis for Governor 'Matter of Life or Death for Many Texans'
On Friday's All In show, as Chris Hayes celebrated Texas
Democratic State Senator Wendy Davis's announcement that she will run
for governor, the MSNBC host characterized her run as "literally a
matter of life or death for many Texans," as he lambasted Texas
Republicans for opposing Medicaid expansion.
Hayes took a shot at Republican Senator Ted Cruz as he rejoiced in Davis's infamous filibuster to support abortion: "You remember Wendy Davis, the woman who waged an epic 11-hour
filibuster to temporarily block a Republican proposal restricting
abortion in the state, sporting a pair of neon pink sneakers throughout.
And the Davis filibuster wasn't some Ted Cruz-style spectacle. This
was a real-deal filibuster, an attempt to block a Republican bill
restricting women's access to medical care."
After recounting that she became an "overnight rock star in the Democratic party," he continued: "But a Wendy Davis candidacy is more than just good politics for Democrats. It's literally a matter of life or death for many Texans."
After citing statistics on the number of uninsured in Texas, Hayes indicted Republican Governor Rick Perry: "And the trend is getting worse. Piling on, the state's current governor, Republican Rick Perry, rejected the very thing that would help those people most to receive coverage under ObamaCare.".
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, October 4, All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC:
CHRIS HAYES: Yesterday was the day for Wendy Davis. The Texas state
senator throwing her hat in the ring to become the first Democratic
governor of the Lone Star State since Ann Richards. You remember Wendy
Davis, the woman who waged an epic 11-hour filibuster to temporarily
block a Republican proposal restricting abortion in the state, sporting a
pair of neon pink sneakers throughout. And the Davis filibuster wasn't
some Ted Cruz-style spectacle. This was a real-deal filibuster, an
attempt to block a Republican bill restricting women's access to medical
care.
Davis's actions galvanized folks across the country. A flood of
supporters gathering inside the state capitol to cheer her on. And when
the bill was ultimately blocked at the midnight deadline, Davis became
an overnight rock star in the Democratic party. Inspiring means, nail
art, a hash tag, even Taiwanese animation. But a Wendy Davis candidacy
is more than just good politics for Democrats. It's literally a matter
of life or death for many Texans.
According to Gallup for the fifth straight year, Texas leads the
country in its percentage of people without health insurance. A
whopping 29 percent of Texans don't have coverage. That's over six
million people, roughly the population of the entire state of
Massachusetts. And the trend is getting worse. Piling on, the state's
current governor, Republican Rick Perry, rejected the very thing that
would help those people most to receive coverage under ObamaCare.
GOVERNOR RICK PERRY (R-TX): Medicaid expansion is simply put a
misguided and ultimately doomed attempt to mask the shortcomings of
ObamaCare. Texas will not be participating in Medicaid expansion.
HAYES: Rejection of the Medicaid expansion around the country leaves
eight million people without health insurance, many of them poor single
mothers. Wendy Davis, a single mom at age 19, supports the expansion. As
a governor, she would help the uninsured in Texas on a road to
recovery.
