Rep. Eric Cantor Is All Over the Health Care Debate, Less Diligent About Haircuts

On a morning of hypocrites, Imus was no exception, telling Rep. Eric Cantor, the House Minority Whip, that his hair resembled Lyle Lovett’s, and not in a good way.

“You’ve got a nice head hair,” Imus commented. “But we’ve got to get somebody to work on it for you.”

In all likelihood, Cantor’s got more important things to worry about, like, I don’t know, President Obama’s health care summit that begins today, which Cantor said will either be a dog and pony show or a legitimate opportunity to engage in some discussion.

“We’ve seen over and over again, Imus, from the town hall meetings that occurred this summer to election after election that we’ve seen over the fall: people don’t like this bill,” said Cantor, who is from Virginia. “It’s important for us to hear today if the President is listening to the people.”

Present at today’s meeting will be 40 members of Congress from both parties, President Obama, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Vice President Joe Biden, and probably others. While the focus will be pretty much up to the President, Cantor hopes he will listen to the other side and, more important, to the American people.

“What we’ve got to do is focus on competition,” Cantor said when asked for specifics on how the health care bill could be improved. “That’s how we bring down costs.”

Republicans insist that allowing families to purchase insurance across state lines would give people 30 or 40 plans to choose from, instead of just a handful. “That’s the best thing you can do for families looking for better health care—give them a choice,” he said.

Additionally, Cantor pressed for the removal of “junk lawsuits” from the examining room, and for giving small businesses the option to pool together and receive the more affordable insurance premiums normally reserved for larger companies.

“This President and the majority in Congress feel the best way to go and promote competition is to go in and have the government dictate that,” said Cantor. “We all know that doesn’t work.”

Obama does not trust the marketplace to provide adequate health insurance to Americans, Cantor added. But Imus doesn’t trust anybody in Washington, regardless of politics.

“You’re thinking about who you can curry favor with and not offend, so they’ll give you money next time you run for reelection,” Imus told his otherwise innocent guest. “And if some legislation gets done for the good of the people in the process, that’s fine, but if it doesn’t, that’s fine too.”

We’re sorry, Congressman Cantor. It’s the cancer (or the pneumonia, or the cold) talking.

-Julie Kanfer