Jimmy Carter Slams Ted Kennedy On Health Care

Tells "60 Minutes" Comprehensive Care Would Be In Place Had The Late Senator Not Killed His Bill

(CBS) - The late Sen. Ted Kennedy, champion of the recent health plan legislation, actually delayed comprehensive coverage for Americans for decades, says former President Jimmy Carter. It was Kennedy's actions to kill Carter's own health care bill that made Americans wait more than 30 years for meaningful coverage, says Carter in an interview with "60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley Stahl.

The interview will be broadcast on Sunday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

"The fact is that we would have had comprehensive health care now, had it not been for Ted Kennedy's deliberately blocking the legislation that I proposed," he tells Stahl. "It was his fault. Ted Kennedy killed the bill," says Carter. And Kennedy, who then ran against the president for the democratic presidential nomination, did it out of spite says Carter. "He did not want to see me have a major success in that realm of life," he tells Stahl.

Former President Jimmy Carter tells Lesley Stahl Americans would've had comprehensive health care for decades had Ted Kennedy not killed his legislation. 60 Minutes, Sunday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. ET/PT.