Jon Favreau and Rick Wilson on bad bills and worse messaging

POLITICO's Pulse Check

The Affordable Care Act has polled poorly for years — but Republicans’ health bill is polling even worse. What does it mean for the GOP to have such an unpopular bill, and how can progressives take advantage of it? On this PULSE CHECK, you’ll hear from two experts in political messaging and strategy. First, Jon Favreau, who was the chief speechwriter for President Obama and is a cofounder of Crooked Media, a new liberal political media network, sits down with POLITICO’s Dan Diamond to talk about setting Affordable Care Act strategy, Republicans’ struggles to craft a health bill of their own, and how his views on media have changed since starting a media company. (Starts at the 1:50 mark.) Then after the break, Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist who helped attack the Affordable Care Act, explains why Obamacare’s pre-existing conditions protections are the “nuclear bomb” against critics of the law, why he's no fan of Republicans' current health care strategy, and how the GOP is risking the party’s political future by pushing a bad bill. (Starts at the 38:50 mark.) We’d appreciate your help: Please share PULSE CHECK and rate us on your favorite podcast app! Have questions, suggestions or feedback? Email [e-mail].