Hill Aides: More Senators Would Back Public Plan If Obama Pushed Harder

[katandmoon]

There is a growing sense on Capitol Hill that the White House's refusal to weigh in more forcefully in the health care debate could come at the cost of a public option for insurance coverage.

Democratic aides said that a "handful" of senators who are skeptical of a public plan likely could be persuaded if not to support it then at least to oppose a Republican filibuster, if the administration were to apply a bit more pressure -- or even guidance.

"There is a clear sense that it would be helpful," said one senior Democratic aide. "Throughout this entire debate the White House line has been 'We will weigh in when it is necessary'.... Well now we need 60 votes. So if it's not necessary now, then when will it be?"

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/20/hill-aides-more-senators_n_327189.html

[lisa58]

1. he will....timing is everything with him.

[katandmoon]

5. I'm sick and tired of Obama letting the public option twist slowly in the wind.

[lisa58]

8. I see it differently...

...I see that Obama lets everyone bloviate (or throw their tantrums) until they look ridiculous and then comes in, looks sane and gets it done.

[katandmoon]

9. And meanwhile, so much momentum has been lost.

[lisa58]

10. I don't think so...

...I think the momentum is building now - and no one can say they weren't heard...that's more bipartisan than repubs voting for the bill.

I love it.

[katandmoon]

13. How can it be building if Obama and congress are handing each other excuses for the PO failure?

[Raine1967]

2. I call bullshit.

That is like me saying that when I was a kid I would clean my room more if my mom pushed harder.

Sorry -- theses guys are now using the president as an excuse for not doing the right thing. And not for nothing -- I have heard our president -- he has been pushing --

Lamest. Excuse. Ever.

Over 200,000 phone calls happened today -- and they expect the president to be the gold standard? Whatever happened to the people who voted for them? WE ARE THE ONES PUSHING and we have a say in this.

[Kdillard]

3. Exactly. Seriously they sound like two year olds. Just do the

right thing already.

[katandmoon]

4. And Obama says it's up to them. So when we don't get a public option, they can all blame each other.

[drm604]

6. It does seem like an odd excuse. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

7. It's always been presented as attractive, but disposable. Eh! Whatever! nt

[Thrill]

11. Its getting harder and harder to keep defending Obama

It looks like he's turning out to be just a weak President. Ben Cardin's quote speaks volumes in my opinion.

"It's not in his DNA to do the prescriptive lobbying on the details here and I'm not going to try to change his style at this stage"


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/20/sanderss-plea-to-obama-he_n_327598.html

Thats very discouraging for Progressive Legislation. A President that doesn't have it in him to go lobby Senators for the votes?

If he won't do that, you can forget him standing up to those Generals on Afghanistan. They'll get their 40,000 Troops and we won't get a public option on healthcare.

I'm just very disappointed. I see where this is all going. For some reason, I thought Obama would be a much tougher President for the left.

[Scarsdale Vibe]

12. Forceful defense of the public option won't improve Lincoln's poll numbers.

Lincoln is up for re-election in 2010, she's already losing to potential Republican opponents (even with low name-recognition) in polls, and Arkansas has been trending Republican for awhile now. It's one of the few states where Obama garnered less than 40% of the vote. Her vote on cloture won't really make a difference for her electoral prospects as if she votes against it, Democrats will stay home, and if she votes for it, the specter of "government-run health care" will hurt her in a deep-red state. Her only viable shot at remaining a Senator is to bemoan the encroaching government control of real American's lives and regretfully switch to the Republican caucus.

Health care reform will, in the end, come down to a battle for the votes of Lieberman, Lincoln, Snowe, Collins, and Voinovich. Nelson and Landrieu aren't up for re-election until 2012 and 2014 respectively and can probably be counted on, although the stronger the public option, the less likely any of these Senators' support will be. It's unfortunate that the Democrats contributed to the sanctification of the public option as the centerpiece of reform (which it isn't), as that pretty much killed what would have been an effective cost-containment method and a toehold towards single-payer in the long-term.

[inna]

14. thanks for the analysis, and (belated) welcome to DU!