"Kildee Breaks From Stupak Over Senate Abortion Language" (Whoohoo!)

[Clio the Leo]

Kildee Breaks From Stupak Over Senate Abortion Language

By Steven T. Dennis
Roll Call Staff
March 9, 2010, 9:08 p.m.

Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), a key supporter of Rep. Bart Stupak’s (D-Mich.) anti-abortion language intended for the health care bill, said Tuesday night that he’s satisfied the Senate abortion language prohibits federal funding of abortions and will likely vote for the bill.

“I think the Senate language keeps the purpose of the Hyde amendment,” Kildee told reporters. “I’ll probably vote for it.”

Kildee’s conversion undermines the position of Stupak, his fellow Michigan Democrat who has been demanding changes to the Senate bill.

House Democratic leadership aides have predicted that they could perhaps cut the losses from Stupak’s coalition to a handful instead of the 10 or more Members he says will vote to bring down the Senate health care bill unless their demands are met.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/44032-1.html?mostread=1

[SharonRB]

1. This is great news!

[vaberella]

2. It's interesting how all this is playing out. n/t

[kjackson227]

3. Step in line, or get left behind. Great News!

[karynnj]

4. Sanity!!

One question - the article refers to him as having been a key supporter of Stupak, does that mean that he is influential with the others who voted that way? I am not familiar at all with the cast of characters here.

[tosh]

5. Good question.

I hope someone answers.

[kjackson227]

8. Not sure if this will shed light on your questions, but...

Rachel Maddow reported last night that Stupak saying he has 12 supporters is bunk. He only has 4-5 at the most. Apparently, these supporters now have a better understanding about what's truly in the bill.

[karynnj]

9. Thanks

It gets to the real question I had, which is whether the others could be persuaded to see what was in the Senate bill - and from Maddow's comment, that may be what has happened. (The only reason I was interested in his influence.)

[Jennicut]

10. 4 to 5, huh? Stupak has no power anymore.

[kjackson227]

12. It sounds like even senators are having a hard time deciphering and understanding what's in the bill

just as much as we do :)

[karynnj]

14. Or, they are relying on the partisan explanations of organizations with

agendas rather than reading the extremely dry language. There was substantial disinformation on this saying it did allow public funding for abortion or that people against abortion would have to pay their money into a fund for abortion - neither is true.

[kjackson227]

15. Yep, this is true, AND Maddow also stated that Stupak might just be grandstanding...

or trying to get more attention (fifteen minutes of fame). I guess she didn't find any more C Street dirt on him, but his fifteen minutes are just about up anyway... hopefully.

[cilla4progress]

16. Truly - a bunch of prima donnas there!

[kjackson227]

17. Yep, bad attention is better than none at all, it seems.

[cilla4progress]

18. Reminds me of Lieberman

[Snarkoleptic]

6. Who are the anonymous brave souls still backing his madness?

[elfin]

7. He was my Latin teacher in high school

Believe it or not, he was adorable way back then. Rumor had it that he had been a priest, but quit, causing the girls to dream.

Hilarious now that I see his current pic and bio. Looks like he is still a Roman Catholic bachelor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_E._Kildee

He was not a terrific teacher - very nice, but very quiet.

Glad to see that he is stepping away from idiot Stupak and doing right for Michigan.

[karynnj]

11. Cool story and insight

By the way, your link says he has a wife. (His website - http://www.house.gov/kildee/biography.shtml, says he has three kids. (Why they bother to point out adult, given he is 80, is beyond me.)

[elfin]

13. Thanks- I just did a quick skim and didn't see that info eom