Must-Read: Allegra Kirkland: Rand Paul: Trump Backs Plan To Repeal, Replace Obamacare Simultaneously

Must-Read: Did Trump understand what it meant? Did he really say it–or did he just regard himself as saying friendly noises back to Rand Paul to keep him happy? Did he mean it? Does he remember saying it? Or did Rand Paul simply decide to say that Trump said it, on the grounds that nobody can know, that his credibility is greater than Trump’s advisors, and that if Trump snaps back there are benefits to being the office holder first out of the gate in opposition to Trump?

Time to resurrect the category: “Live from the Topkapi Palace”…

Allegra Kirkland: Rand Paul: Trump Backs Plan To Repeal, Replace Obamacare Simultaneously: “Rand Paul: ‘I just spoke to @realDonaldTrump…

…and he fully supports my plan to replace Obamacare the same day we repeal it. The time to act is now.

Paul this week said it would be a “huge mistake” for Congress to move forward with a quick repeal of the healthcare legislation that delays replacement until two years down the line. In a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” he said “repeal and delay” could lead to insurance company bankruptcies.

Other senators including Susan Collins (R-ME), Bob Corker (R-TN) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) have also called for simultaneous repeal and replacement in recent days, while Lamar Alexander (R-TN) told TPM that the GOP conference should “listen carefully to Rand Paul.” Republicans have yet to put forward any type of proposal for replacement, citing a lack of consensus on what it would look like.