Hillary Clinton claims VA problems not 'widespread' and blames VRWC™ for making it an issue

**Written by Doug Powers

Lots going on, so here's another Sunday open thread, brought to you by BUBBA Burgers, Sam Adams Boston Lager and Happyscrapper. 

A few things to kick it off...

A review of health care at Veterans Affairs found "significant and chronic system failures" and a "corrosive culture" contributed to vets dying while waiting for care and delays in treatment all around the country.

Hillary's take on that? It's not as big of a deal as some people try to make it:

Democratic primary front-runner Hillary Clinton says the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) scandal is not as “widespread” of a problem as coverage would indicate.

She said the problem is real, but cautioned that “it’s not been as widespread as it has been made out to be” on MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show” on Friday.

Not only is the problem not widespread, but one of the reasons the VA scandal is a big story is because the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy™ has manufactured it:

The former first lady blamed Republicans for using the issue as part of an “ideological agenda” and said they want the VA to “fail.”

I really hope veterans groups keep that excuse in mind in the coming months when she's trying to pander to them.

If the VA scandal is going to be fully noticed and acknowledged by Hillary they'll have to start performing abortions first:

“I’m proud to stand with Planned Parenthood, I’ll never stop fighting to protect the ability and right of every woman in this country to make her own health decisions,” Clinton said in a video released Monday.

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Hillary doesn't have any problems that Katy Perry can't fix:

https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/658267044006117377

If you're thinking that was enough to finally get Bill to join his wife on the campaign trail, you're absolutely correct:

https://twitter.com/edhenry/status/658034981525155841

Not that he hasn't thought about it before.

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The NRA is viewed positively by more Americans than Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. Turns out people who stay safe by surrounding themselves with people carrying guns aren't the most believable anti-gun voices.

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Cher called Ted Cruz the devil, which, when it comes to appealing to sane people, is one of the best endorsements Cruz has gotten so far.

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Factoring in Cher's quasi-endorsement for Cruz gives us these latest Iowa poll numbers:

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In an effort to make a meat lovers pizza cost as much as a Buick, the World Health Organization will classify bacon to be as dangerous as cigarettes:

WHO will target processed meats such as bacon, ham and sausages as causes of cancer and will say red meat is also hazardous to health in a decision to be released Monday. The findings resulted from a meeting of scientists from 10 countries.

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This answer was worth losing Final Jeopardy:

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In comments about the death of Thomas Stemberg, the founder of Staples, Mitt Romney seemed to throw his hat in the ring for the Democrat nomination in case Hillary ends up dropping out:

Romney recalled that shortly after he was elected, Mr. Stemberg asked him why he ran for governor. Romney said he wanted to help people, and Mr. Stemberg replied that if he really wanted to help, he should give everyone access to health care, which Romney said he hadn’t really considered before.

“Without Tom pushing it, I don’t think we would have had Romneycare,” Romney said. “Without Romneycare, I don’t think we would have Obamacare. So without Tom, a lot of people wouldn’t have health insurance.”

2012 called and it wants its presidential campaign back.

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Williams College invited writer Suzanne Venker to speak at their "Uncomfortable Learning" series but was later disinvited. Why? Some students found that particular learning to be uncomfortable:

But when word got out that an alternative point of view might be coming to Williams, angry students demanded her invitation be rescinded. It was. Explaining their decision, her hosts noted that the prospect of her visit was “stirring a lot of angry reactions among students on campus.” So Suzanne Venker joins a long and distinguished list of people—including Ayaan Hirsi Ali, George Will, and Charles Murray—first invited then disinvited to speak on campus.

The course should be re-named Irony 101.

This should just pump you full of optimism for the coming decades (h/t Mark Hemingway): 

Some 800 students at a variety of colleges across the country were surveyed. The results, though not surprising, are nevertheless alarming. By a margin of 51 percent to 36 percent, students favor their school having speech codes to regulate speech for students and faculty. Sixty-three percent favor requiring professors to employ “trigger warnings” to alert students to material that might be discomfiting. One-third of the students polled could not identify the First Amendment as the part of the Constitution that dealt with free speech. Thirty-five percent said that the First Amendment does not protect “hate speech,” while 30 percent of self-identified liberal students say the First Amendment is outdated.

There's only one way to respond to that:

Have a good Sunday all!

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe