Pagliuca says he‘d do a better job on health care

“Health care reform has failed for generations because we’ve lacked the leaders in Washington who were willing to stand up and be counted, and who refused to be derailed,” Pagliuca said. “We are at a crossroads today, and we cannot detour and turn our back on women and families who need fundamental reform in health care to survive.”

His attacks almost immediately triggered strong responses -- some veiled, some bitingly direct -- from Coakley and Capuano in one of the most stinging rejoinders so far in the Democratic primary.

"I'm the only candidate who actually voted to keep health care reform alive," Capuano said in a statement. "And I'm certainly not going to take any lectures from someone who gave money to George Bush and supported Mitt Romney against Ted Kennedy, has hired lobbyists to block Wall Street reform, and made a fortune in part by gutting KB Toys, a great Massachusetts company, costing thousands of workers their jobs and their health insurance."

Coakley, after a morning event in Cambridge, said she would be a reliable vote on health care and deemed Pagliuca's line of attack "a false choice."

"Health care is among the most important issues right now," Coakley, who never mentioned her opponents by name, said at a press conference held less than an hour of Pagliuca's ended. "We have the momentum we have a plan today that I think most Americans can support. I certainly can."

The four Democrats running in the Dec. 8 primary spent much of last week squabbling over whether they would vote in favor of a health care overhaul, even if it included a provision to limit federal subsidies of abortions. Capuano and Coakley both said they would vote against any final legislation that included such restrictions. Capuano, however, voted in favor of House legislation that contained the restrictions because he said he wanted to ensure health care reform stayed alive.

“It’s a tortured explanation of voting for it and against it,” Pagliuca said of Capuano’s argument. “You’d have to ask him that. But my point is, we need to pass one of these two bills, and we need to pass it because it’s a historic opportunity.”

Pagliuca, as well as the fourth candidate, Alan Khazei, both said they would vote in favor of health care, even if the provision remained in it. Pagliuca has taken out radio and television ads that highlight his position but without naming any of his opponents.

Campaign aides are hoping Pagliuca’s stance on health care will be a major shakeup in the so-far civil race.

Pagliuca, who comes with a long background in the financial world, displayed a decidedly laid-back manner. He showed passion at times during the press conference this morning, jabbing his finger on the podium, but mostly had a dry delivery.

It was the first time a candidate in the race has called a press conference specifically to challenge the other candidates in the race.

Pagliuca also argued that while he opposes the abortion provision, not passing overall health care would inflict even greater damage on women. He cited statistics that show each year 43,000 women die of breast cancer and 4,000 die of cervical cancer – numbers that he claims could be reduced if more Americans have access to health insurance.

“These are insurance issues, these are women’s issues,” he said. “These are women’s lives we can save if we stand strong as the 60th vote for healthcare.”

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.