Jake Tapper and Dana Bash to Co-Moderate Monday Night Healthcare Debate

By A.J. Katz 

Not a fan of ESPN Monday Night Football? CNN thinks it has a legitimate alternative for you.

On Monday Sept. 22, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will co-moderate a CNN town hall-style debate with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) dedicated to healthcare, a policy issue that has elicited quite a bit of passion in recent weeks.

Sens. Graham and Cassidy are the two primary co-sponsors of a bill meant to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, referred to as the “Graham-Cassidy” bill. The GOP has until the end of the month to pass this Graham-Cassidy bill, and needs 51 votes to do so (including VP Pence).

Advertisement

“With a critical deadline looming, Graham and Cassidy, architects of the Republicans latest healthcare proposal, will debate Sanders and Klobuchar on the merits of the plan that would repeal and replace Obamacare,” CNN said in a statement.

The controversial bill has been condemned by the National Association of Medicaid Directors, and most notably late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Sen. Sanders, on the other hand, has proposed a “Medicare for all” bill that has earned public support from roughly one third of Senate Democrats.

This is not Sanders’ first CNN healthcare debate. He debated Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on the future of healthcare back in February.

The 90-minute healthcare debate will begin Monday at 9 p.m. ET, and can be seen on CNN, CNN en Español and CNN International as well as stream live for subscribers on CNNgo and the CNN mobile apps.

Advertisement