This afternoon, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid met with Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee--not to apprise them that they've run out of time. But to reassure them that efforts to achieve bipartisan consensus on health care reform would continue.

Two possible explanations come to mind. First, that Reid approached Republicans gently today, but with the same resolve not to compromise reform efforts. And second, that earlier reports of Reid's sudden hard line overstated things a bit. I've placed a call to Reid's office for some clarification.