Waxman: Obama's summit performance has made reconciliation easier

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/83851-waxman-obamas-summit-performance-has-made-reconciliation-easier

Waxman: Obama's summit performance has made reconciliation easier
By Jared Allen - 02/25/10 08:08 PM ET


House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on Thursday night said he believes that the White House healthcare summit has made reconciliation an easier sell to the American people.

Waxman, one of the key House healthcare negotiators, said that President Barack Obama was “tremendous” during the Thursday bipartisan summit.

“He showed enormous command of the substance and the process,” Waxman said.

And while the six-hour summit may have appeared to produce little tangible results or movement on healthcare legislation, Waxman said that he believes the President was successful in showing why using budget reconciliation rules to pass changes to the Senate healthcare bill with only 51 Senate votes.

“I think one of the results of today’s meeting is that the American people fully understand that this bill needs to go forward with a majority,” Waxman said. “I don’t think too many people are going to quibble if it involves reconciliation.”

[BeyondGeography]

1. And that was the whole point

[polichick]

5. Yes, it was.

[JoePhilly]

6. Hope so.

[wroberts189]

2. And Waxman was cut off by Obama when slamming the pubs on inaction. nt/knr

[whathehell]

3. Yes, I was a bit surprised by that although he said he wanted to be "fair" as

he had told the republican(s) "no campaigning".

[babylonsister]

4. I imagine that had more to do with maintaining civility than

disparaging Waxman.

[polichick]

7. Yeah, I wish the prez would have let truth triumph over decorum there. nt