White House Defends Health Care: It Was a Republican Idea First

On the third and final day of Supreme Court arguments over the White House's signature achievement, the administration remains confident the health care law will be upheld. White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest says one of the many reasons the Affordable Care Act is constitutional, is because the individual mandate was originally a Republican idea.

"This was a novel policy solution that was conceived of by the Heritage Foundation, was promoted by conservative Republicans in Washington, D.C., as a solution to difficult health care challenges, and it was an idea that was put forward as the central part of the plan that was advanced by the Republican governor of Massachusetts, who put in place his own health care reform proposal," Earnest told reporters at the White House Wednesday.

The law appeared doomed after Supreme Court justices asked tough questions on day two of arguments, possibly shaking the Solicitor General, arguing the case for the administration. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli sounded unprepared and lacking confidence in audio recordings from the court Tuesday.

But the White House is defending their man, issuing a statement Wednesday morning calling the Solicitor General a "talented advocate who possesses a sharp mind, keen judgment, and unquestionable integrity."

When asked if the administration was prepared should the court overturn the law, Earnest said, "there's no contingency plan in place." The White House is focused on implementing the law they call a bipartisan plan, Earnest says, "one that we believe is constitutional."