Clinton To Dems: GOP Will Define Debate If Health Care Fails

[jefferson_dem]

Clinton To Dems: GOP Will Define Debate If Health Care Fails

Former President Bill Clinton urged Democratic senators to score a victory on health care reform in the weeks ahead, warning that a failure to pass legislation would leave them particularly vulnerable to Republican attack.

Addressing the caucus just one day before they head to recess, Senate sources tell the Huffington Post that Clinton made a fairly emotional and political plea for action.

"If you don't win this, the opposition will define the issue," a Senate aide who was briefed on the meeting, paraphrased the former president as saying. " noted that Hilary Care was defined in a way that didn't resemble what it truly was. His point was that you better win, or you risk being tagged by whatever they want to tag you with. The 'they' being Republicans, Republican strategists, candidates, etc..."

The former president, who is perhaps the best living symbol of the political harm incurred by failing to pass health care reform, told reporters that his message was: "The worst thing to do is nothing."

Inside closed doors, he bucked up Senate Democrats during the Caucus lunch and, according to one person in attendance, spent 20 minutes afterward "discussing health care with different groups of members that came up to talk to him." The list included not just fence-sitters but die-hard reform proponents as well.

In addition to warning of a pending Republican victory, Clinton also laid out the reasons that reform could be a success. According to the Senate aide, the former president listed several ways in which the current landscape is more favorable than that which he confronted.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/10/clinton-to-dems-gop-will_n_352748.html?fbwall

[derby378]

1. The House should have thought about that before approving the Stupak amendment

The bill was bad enough as it was, but denying women access to healthcare because they're women? That's a deal-breaker.

[DaveinMD]

3. I agree

but it won't survive conference. Senate has the votes to defeat an attempt to put that in the Senate Bill.

[Engineer4Obama]

5. The double edged sword of the senate

It hurts us when we are trying to pass something like health care but at the same time can help in situations like this.

[patrice]

6. Isn't it also true that the Senate doesn't "need" abortion legislation the way the house does?

Senators represent more people than Representatives do, so they aren't as vulnerable on this issue, because many of them have significant constituencies who would punish them for infringing upon Women's Reproductive Services Choice.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. Everything's been a deal breaker for you. (nt)

[T Wolf]

2. What do mean WILL DEFINE, Bill? They already do. And the pukes will attack NO MATTER WHAT

the Dems do or don't do.

Which makes the selling out to the reich all the more offensive to true liberals.

[BeFree]

4. BC is

..astute.

He knows which way the wind is blowing, and it blows toward HCR, finally.

Time to move on and get it done. Sure, its not everything we need.

But the people need it and want it, and we're on a roll. Finally.

[bigwillq]

7. Let's make sure it's a good bill

and not just to pass a bill to say "we" did it. If the Stupak amendment stays, it's a crappy bill regardless of some of the positive things (like pre-existing conditions). Only can wait and see what happens.