HILLARY KNOWS BEST. The First Lady and Ira Magaziner thought they could figure out every possible permutation of health-care reform. As a result, they produced a 1,364-page bill that only succeeded in stirring opposition.
BUSINESS BLITZ. The White House was unable to rebut the small-business charge that the Clinton plan would cost jobs. Using aggressive grass-roots lobbying, the business groups turned legislators against his approach.
DISSIN’ MOYNIHAN. Clinton failed to court the egotistical chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Moynihan undercut Clinton by claiming there was no health-care crisis, and then danced with Republicans instead.
UNIVERSAL COVERAGE. Sounded good, but the middle class interpreted it as a giveaway to the poor. Clinton never explained why the middle class should care about universal coverage.
