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White House responds to Jimmy Kimmel's health care monologue

Posted at 5:13 PM, May 03, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-03 17:13:36-04

The White House has joined the list of politicians weighing in on Jimmy Kimmel's emotional health care monologue.

 

The late night host on Monday choked up while talking about his son's heart surgery, calling on viewers to hold politicians accountable for health care issues.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Wednesday said President Donald Trump shares the same concerns about health care as Kimmel.

"We share that concern for the Kimmels' child, as well as any child that needs care," Spicer told reporters. "That's frankly why the president fought so hard like he did this morning to improve the bill to sure there was an extra layer of protection for anybody with a pre-existing condition no matter their stage in life."

The comments come as Republican leaders continue to push to repeal and replace Obamacare -- also known as the Affordable Health Care Act.

"That's why we're fighting so hard for this," Spicer said of the GOP party's efforts to find a replacement.

A handful of Democratic leaders -- including former President Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton -- took to Twitter earlier this week to share Kimmel's speech.

"Well said, Jimmy," Obama wrote on Twitter Tuesday afternoon. "That's exactly why we fought so hard for the (Affordable Care Act), and why we need to protect it for kids like Billy. And congratulations!"

Meanwhile, some conservatives have criticized the late night host.

"Sorry Jimmy Kimmel: your sad story doesn't obligate me or anybody else to pay for somebody else's health care," former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh tweeted Wednesday. "Got no problem with @jimmykimmel tearing up & getting political. Got a big problem with: 'We need gov-run healthcare cuz of my sad story.'"

Spicer said the most important part of Kimmel's monologue was the end, during which he emphasized that health care shouldn't be a partisan issue.

"He (Kimmel) said that we need to have these things that are not Republican or Democrat, they are American policies," Spicer said. "I think that's what the President is fighting for right now. To make sure we have a health care system that doesn't matter where you live or your background, that it takes care of people. We're making sure right now -- we've talked about this endlessly. We have a health care system not doing what it's supposed to."

Vice President Mike Pence was on Capitol Hill Wednesday to meet with members of Congress about the new bill.