Health Care Expert Michael Steele: “You Don’t Have To Call It ‘Death Panels’…You Can Call It ‘A Panel’”

Earlier this month, in an effort to incite fear over the health care debate, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (R) claimed that the Obama administration is advocating “death panels” that would determine whether a person is worthy of care. A few days later, Newt Gingrich picked up on Palin’s false meme.

This morning on MSNBC, host Joe Scarborough called the assertion “ridiculous” and asked RNC chair Michael Steele if it was “unfortunate” that Palin and Gingrich issued such false claims. “No, I think, I don’t know what – some characterize it as unfortunate, others characterize it as a reflection of what they think and what they feel,” Steele said. But when Scarborough asked what Steele himself thought, the RNC chair struggled to give a straight answer:

STEELE: It may or may not be, I don’t know. I don’t know what the bill is. There’s so many permutations here but there’s clearly an attempt by at least the House members to put in place a structure that causes concern for the American people’s respect of end of life decisions I think that’s a legitimate point. You don’t have to call it “death panels” if you want to. You can call it “a panel.” I call it rationing.

Watch it:

Of course, the claims are “ridiculous.” As FactCheck.org noted, such provisions are simply giving seniors the option of speaking with experts about end-of-life care, such as living wills. Even GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson (GA), who offered a similar amendment in the Senate, called Palin and Gingrich’s rhetoric “nuts.”

But Steele does at least seem to be stepping back from “death panels,” at least gradually. Last week, he wholly endorsed Palin’s claim. “I think it’s proper,” and “perfectly appropriate,” he said.