Medicare political ads, 1964 to present

Since before President Lyndon Johnson enacted Medicare in 1965, presidential candidates have used the entitlement program to score political points against opponents.

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Johnson 1964: “Medicare” President Lyndon Johnson used the not-yet-enacted Medicare entitlement in this ad to hit Sen. Barry Goldwater (R, Ariz.) for taking time away from his luxury cruise just to fly to Washington and vote against the hospital insurance component of the program in September 1964. The ad uses the now-familiar tactics of charging elitism and taking umbrage at a quote taken out of context. “I’ve got my own Medicare plan. I’ve got an intern for a son-in-law,” Goldwater is quoted as saying. Johnson won in a landslide. (View ad)