Report: Obama To Meet With Three Anti-Reform Senators
Roll Call is reporting [sub. req.] that President Obama is meeting with Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Bob Corker (R-TN) at 4 p.m. ET today to discuss health care reform. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says three others were invited as well, but, seemingly, did not attend.
That's an interesting trio for a couple reasons, most obviously because neither senator is really a principal on health care matters. Of the three, only Murkowski--as one of the more junior members of the HELP committee--serves on either of the two committees with jurisdiction over the issue.
But beyond that, each of these senators has said fairly discouraging things about health care reform efforts on the hill. Just today, Murkowski voted against the HELP committee's overhaul legislation. Last month, she said "the health care reform legislation being pushed in the Senate has not been "carefully crafted" and we still don't know how this legislation will be paid for.... This is not the kind of health care reform I would support nor is it a plan the nation can afford."
Likewise, here's a lukewarm Corker in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. And Chambliss has spoken out against the idea of a federal "takeover" of the health care system, and even voted against expanding the Children's Health Insurance Plan.
It's not immediately clear, in other words, what the President stands to gain from hosting these three.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Oh I don't know, he could lay out the stats of how many people healthcare reform can help and how many millionaires are gonna get nicked to pay for it in their states. Then he can over the amount of cash they each get from AHIP, Pharma, and the AMA to vote against it and remind them that all that information can go into ads that'll air in their states from now until their next election campaign with the cash he has left over from millions of us who elected him last year to pass healthcare reform.
July 15, 2009 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds just like Obama's style.
July 15, 2009 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
HAH!
From your keyboard to Obama's ears!
July 15, 2009 4:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I second CT Voter's response!
July 15, 2009 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know, we're all progressives now so I'm not sure why they are even meeting.
July 15, 2009 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
The problem is that Chambliss just got re-elected and has plenty of time to ride this out. As unpopular as Chambliss is overall, the Georgians who turn out at the polls are still overwhelmingly conservative and I find it difficult to believe that they would elect a Dem in his place.
July 15, 2009 5:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well again, there's a lot of not so wealthy people in GA who might change their view of Chambliss and his Democratic challenger in 6 years if Saxby winds up on the wrong side of history, and he most certainly will if he votes against this bill.
I could write the ad right now. *Clears throat* This is what Saxby Chambliss said about America's healthcare bill back in 2009. Chambliss: "It'll be a nightmare, you'll have guvmint revenuers standin between you and your doctor!" and here's Chambliss today. "We must strengthen the system, and make sure that every Georgian is covered!"
Saxby Chambliss voted against the bill that gave thousands of Georgians healthcare. If you've been to a doctor or a dentist in the last 5 years chances are Senator Chambliss wanted to make sure you couldn't afford it.
July 15, 2009 5:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in Georgia and I agree with SchrodingersCat, there are a lot of yellow dog conservatives here. They ain't votin fer no dam liburals.
Also, the Chambliss, 2008, 49.8%; Dem 47% was when Obama was on the ticket:
http://www.sos.georgia.gov/ELECTIONS/election_results/2008_1104/003.htm
Martin was utterly crushed in the runoff:
http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2008_1202/003.htm
Chambliss has nothing to lose by not cooperating with Obama.
July 15, 2009 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lotta things can change in 6 years homefries. Lotta things can change.
July 15, 2009 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Trust me....I pray that you're right. I would like more than anything to have at least one representative in DC who is remotely in line with anything that I believe. (To give you some idea of what I'm facing, my Congressman is John Linder who co-authored a fair tax book with ultimate nutwinger Neil Boortz). I just have my doubts that it can change so drastically in six years, however.
July 15, 2009 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I doubt that Georgia will escape the effect of time on the demographics of the state. Old folks croaking and young folks registering and getting downright ticked about things.
I'm sure Obama has the election results, demograpahic and party trends, to scare this Senator about where he will get the votes to get elected in the future. Incumbents can topple--ask Talent here in Missouri if you doubt the tumbles--and that was in 2006 when Obama was not on the ticket. :)
July 15, 2009 6:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. That's what happened in North Carolina. Net immigration of half a million people between 2000 and 2008 and a lot of young people replacing dead old white people on the voter registration rolls and, bank, we go from deep red to voting blue.
July 15, 2009 9:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
The kid who ran Obama for America in GA is in IL now. I met him a few weeks ago. When O pulled out of GA he was down 14 points. The staff was scattered hither and yon and even without money or or paid staff the homegrown Obama volunteers pulled back withing 5 or 6 points at the end. If Obama had stayed in GA chances are Chambliss would still be looking for a job with benefits right now.
July 15, 2009 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
This does not make sense. To talk of a trio and then say "neither" is like talking of a trio and then saying "both." Do you mean "... most obviously because none of these senators..."?
July 15, 2009 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Journalists of America, I want to know what comes of this meeting! A followup would be most welcome.
July 15, 2009 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Georgia...Chambliss, 2008, 49.8%; Dem 47% This spells vulnerable.
Alaska? Murkowski appointed by her dear ole dad; Ted Stevens; Palin resigning. Is this state changing to blue? My guess is that internal state polling would show a shift.
Corker? Tennessee? Less than 3 percentage points for this win. Again, what does the state polling show.
I would imagine the absent three don't want to hear the bad news from their states.
These folks will be targeted and defeated in an election during Obama's projected two terms. Get defeated or shore up your support......
Rock, meet hard place.
July 15, 2009 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
As someone pointed out above, that was with Obama on the ticket. Also, enough people were ticked off at Chambliss for voting for the bailout that they voted for the libertarian candidate - sending Chambliss into a runoff with Martin. Check out those results and remember that Obama will not be on the ticket in 2014 when Chambliss faces re-election.
The Republicans here in GA are the wingnuttiest of the wingnutty. Obviously Obama has a reason for doing what he's doing, but I just don't see the upside for Chambliss. If Chambliss cooperates with Obama and gives us "socialized, government-run medicine" (which is defined as anything that changes the current system) he will likely be primaried and could very well lose.
I know that many here think that if we get successful reform then that will make Chambliss and other southerners vulnerable, but I don't see it happening. People around here may benefit from any reform, but they would likely never acknowledge it and certainly wouldn't give credit to the Dems: these are the type of people who rail against the "guvmt" and "tree-hugging librls" as they rush down to the local Walmart to cash their unemployment, disability, and SS checks. They don't care as long as they get to keep their guns and there is a continued ban on Sunday alcohol sales. Voting Republican is cultural around here and ideologies have hardened since Max Cleland and Roy Barnes were elected state-wide.
July 15, 2009 9:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, good grief. Look, Obama didn't really expect Georgia--he pulled out early as someone mentioned above. And still he lost in Georgia--or did you forget that. I haven't.
But Georgia is rapidly growing; its 65 and older crowd is the 3rd lowest in the country; it's much more Protestant; and Atlanta and other counties are growing like crazy. The population numbers are changing--with whites still growing in single digits, but others (blacks, natives, Asians, etc.) growing in double digits with no let-up in sight. You have net migration with most coming from within the US but a lot coming in as immigrants (apparently legal).
During the primary and general elections, Obama and his strategists targeted needed states--but still kept a presence (see above for when Obama's staff pulled out)--and still came with 5-6 points. Missouri came within 5000 votes in the general so I know exactly how it feels to come so close to the ring--but we did elect McCaskill here to the Senate in 2006 (a practice run for 2008 and Obama).
Georgia has trained people--and they need the training to overcome what I suspect are significant roadblocks in voter registration and in voter contact in the small towns and rural areas of Georgia. It's much easier to organize and GOTV in the metro areas.
So, yes, Chambliss has a problem unless he softens his stances--and that includes healthcare. Don't agree. That's fine. But the reality of political strategy is that Georgia's republicans are vulnerable in their next election.
July 16, 2009 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not sure I want to know what a "lukewarm Corker" is.
It sounds kinda gross.
July 15, 2009 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
When the Dems pass health reform on a party line vote, Obama can say, 'we tried, but they are assholes.' And he will be right. And the public will agree.
July 15, 2009 9:48 PM | Reply | Permalink