Thread by @_waleedshahid

Pete Buttigieg was for single-payer, Medicare for All before he was against it. Here we go:

02/17/2018: Buttigieg is befuddled as to why anyone would ever question his support for Medicare for All.

https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg/status/964863858849574913

https://twitter.com/Lis_Smith/status/1194370238843936772

02/18/2018: Buttigieg literally says "[I] do henceforth and forthwith declare, most affirmatively and indubitably, unto the ages, that I do favor Medicare for All" pointing to an op-ed to demonstrate he's supported it since 2004.

The op-ed explicitly mentions single-payer.

2/14/2019, literally Buttigieg: "What is Medicare for All? It's a compromise. In the UK, you've got national health care. That would be the true left-wing position. The true right-wing position is free for all, all corporate -- the compromise position is a single-payer system."

Buttigieg's flip flop on Medicare for All is covered in more detail here. Team Buttigieg is now trying to save face by using the oldest trick in the politician's playbook which is to basically say "I agree with the goal but not the policy itself."

politico.com/news/2019/10/1…

4/1/19: Buttigieg again speaks in exceedingly positive terms about Medicare for All "Single-payer, which is very much a compromise position between nationalized medicine and fully private payer and provider...that's the middle ground."

https://twitter.com/_waleedshahid/status/1185002923773911040

4/1/19: In talking up single-payer and Medicare for All, Buttigieg also says Obamacare was a "conservative tweak to our health care system...cooked up in the Heritage Foundation and piloted by a Republican governor."

https://twitter.com/_waleedshahid/status/1193930018709262339

7/19/2019: Among Democratic candidates, Buttigieg was second to Joe Biden in terms of pharmaceutical and health insurance donations. His list of donors includes executives from Aetna, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer and Indiana’s Eli Lilly & Co.

opensecrets.org/news/2019/07/2…

9/19/2019, Buttigieg shifts tactics and goes on the attack: “Anyone who lets the words Medicare for All escape their lips should tell us just as plainly how they plan to get there.”

washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/…

9/19/2019, Buttigieg on the attack: "Warren is known for being straightforward and was extremely evasive when asked that question, and we've seen that repeatedly."

cnn.com/2019/09/19/pol…

10/15/2019, Buttigieg attacks Warren at the debate over Medicare for All:

nytimes.com/2019/10/15/us/…

Two fun stories on Buttigieg on 10/25/2019:

1) Big Pharma exec hosts a fundraiser for his campaign

2) Buttigieg says the "meaning" of Medicare for All has changed since he tweeted back in February of 2018.

[The meaning hasn't changed. Him cozying up to the industry has.]

Thaddeus Burns hosted a fundraiser for Buttigieg. He's the "Head of Government & Public Affairs" at Big Pharma giant Merck. Merck has repeatedly raised prices on drugs and vaccines.

In 2018, Merck spent nearly $7 million lobbying the federal government.

Buttigieg also held a fundraiser hosted by Eliav Barr, Senior VP at Big Pharma giant Merck.

Buttigieg also held a fundraiser hosted by Steve Holtzman, a pharmaceutical executive who is currently CEO of Decibel Therapeutics. Holtzman was previously an executive at Biogen and Millennium Pharmaceuticals (both on the no pharma donor pledge list).

During Holtzman's tenure as Biogen's Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, Biogen hiked prices on multiple sclerosis drugs by an average of 16% a year and charged $750,000 for a spinal muscular atrophy drug.

What happened this summer that made @PeteButtigieg decide to abandon Medicare for All?

1. He realized he was never going to beat @ewarren + @BernieSanders as a progressive.

2. He got scared of the fight.

3. He realized he could raise tons of cash from Pharma & insurance CEOs.