Coleman aide won’t side with McCain’s health care plan.

The Center for American Progress Action Fund reported last month that 3.1 million Minnesotans could lose their employer health benefits under Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) health care plan, which would also lead to “major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid.” Recently, Luke Friedrich, an aide to Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), was asked four times whether Coleman supports McCain’s plan. Each time, he refused to back McCain, only claiming that Coleman “is aligned with Senator Coleman’s plan”:

FRIEDRICH: Well, Senator Coleman is aligned with Senator Coleman’s plan and I think that’s the point that I want to make here. [...]

Q: If Senator McCain’s bill came up for a vote, how would the Senator vote on it?

FRIEDRICH: Again, it would depend on what was in the bill. … I’m sure, some things that will line up. I mean, they are both pretty comprehensive plans. I’m sure there are some things that line up from Senator Obama’s plan as well.

Watch it:

The Wonk Room has more on the Bush administration’s plan to cut Medicaid for 18,000 low-income parents in Minnesota.