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A recent US president said about a large bill "we have to pass it just to see what's in it."

I'm unaware of a President saying that. Sounds more like the Nancy Pelosi (then House Minority Leader, subsequently Speaker of the House), talking about Obamacare: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pelosi-healthcare-pass-the...

It was, and the context was the well-known tendency of the Washington press to only cover the fight until a bill passes, and only then turn toward explaining the substance of what just passed.

(It makes sense from the press perspective, as the substance is changing constantly in big bills right up until it passes… that’s what the fight is all about.)

It's not about the press, it's about how until a House passes a bill that is sent to reconciliatio, there literally isn't "a bill", there is a constant flux of amendments.

Pelosi…

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2010/03/09/p...

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