Mediaboss Marketing

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- President Barack Obama promised accountability, but he made clear Wednesday he won't fire Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki -- yet -- over excessive and sometimes deadly waiting times faced by veterans seeking government health care.

The controversy has mushroomed since CNN first reported the problem last November in a detailed investigation examining several VA hospitals.

Hospital delays are killing war veterans

After meeting with Shinseki at the White House, Obama held a hastily arranged news conference in which he said he needed more time to review what was going on.

"If these allegations prove to be true, it is dishonorable, it is disgraceful, and I will not tolerate it, period," the President said in his first public comments in weeks on the issue.

However, he made clear his main target for now was anyone who actually carried out improper practices at VA, rather than the retired Army general at the top.

"Anybody found to have manipulated or falsified records at VA facilities has to be held accountable," Obama said.

Emotional issue

The VA problems touch on an emotional topic -- caring for America's military veterans, many of whom served in war -- and the revelations of scheduling tricks and secret lists to hide months-long waits for care prompted criticism of Shinseki and the VA on both sides of the aisle.

Read more from the original source:
Obama: 'I will not stand for it'