For better or for worse (probably worse) this Maryland Health Connection debacle has really given Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown a chance to show off his politician-y chops. And it’s clear that he’s got what it takes, assuming what it takes is an inability to answer any questions straightforwardly.
The embarrassing failure of Maryland’s own health care exchange website — which Brown oversaw — couldn’t have come at a less opportune time for the lieutenant governor. The thing is damaging in its own right, but it’s worse when you’ve got an opposing candidate looking for something he can trash you for at a rate of once a day.
But not only does Brown have to keep spouting positive but non-committal statements like, “Every day we get better at identifying the problems,” but he’s got to talk around another looming disappointment, namely the likelihood of failing to meet the promise made by Gov. Martin O’Malley that most of the site’s technical problems would be fixed by mid-December.
When asked about the feasibility of that target on Tuesday, Brown replied, “The governor and I will certainly report back on the status of that timeline that he laid out. Certainly there will be a timely update on that timeline.”
What could he mean by that? I mean, this was asked on the 10th. This update that he speaks of is getting less timely by the hour.
Forget Gansler AND Brown. I say, bring on the marijuana candidate.
