Gruber apologizes for ‘downright insulting comments’

(AP Photo/Molly Riley)

Dec. 9 — Jonathan Gruber, the PPACA architect turned “ stupidity of American voters” pariah, finally showed his face in public again on Tuesday to testify before the House Oversight Committee.   The hearing, “Examining Obamacare Transparency Failures,” was also set to focus on the Department of Health and Human Services inflating the number of enrollments with 380,000 dental plans. But the more dramatic offering was Gruber and the series of damning videos featuring him saying things like a “lack of transparency is a huge political advantage” in reference to the president’s signature health care law.   He came prepared with a mea culpa. From his prepared remarks, posted to the committee’s website:

“In excerpts of these videos I am shown making a series of glib, thoughtless, and sometimes downright insulting comments. I apologized for the first of these videos earlier. But the ongoing attention paid to these videos has made me realize that a fuller accounting is necessary. …

“I would like to begin by apologizing sincerely for the offending comments that I made. In some cases I made uninformed and glib comments about the political process behind health care reform. I am not an expert on politics and my tone implied that I was, which is wrong. In other cases I simply made insulting and mean comments that are totally uncalled for in any situation. I sincerely apologize both for conjecturing with a tone of expertise and for doing so in such a disparaging fashion. It is never appropriate to try to make oneself seem more important or smarter by demeaning others. I know better. I knew better. I am embarrassed, and I am sorry.