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Did the White House Drop the Ball on Meeting with House Progressives?
Brian Beutler | September 9, 2009, 6:04PM
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Remember back on Friday, President Obama discussed the public option on a conference call with House liberals? And remember how the upshot of that call was that Obama planned to meet yesterday with the chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, And Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus?
Well that meeting never happened. Yesterday, sources told me that the meeting hadn't been scheduled, but could happen as late as this morning. Today, a House aide tells me that it's not going to happen at all.
"They never called," the aide said.
Before reading too deeply into this, I have a call in to the White House seeking an explanation. But at a glance it doesn't seem to suggest that House liberals are being roped in to the health care negotiations between the House and the Senate.
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CT Voter
September 9, 2009 6:07 PM
Before reading too deeply into this,
Too late.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
September 9, 2009 6:08 PM
Oh, for Christ's sake, dude. He's the frikkin' President. Dontcha kinda think its possible that something could come up from time to time in that job that could cause the occaisional abrupt change in his dayplanner?
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dijamo
September 9, 2009 6:42 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
I'm sure he finds time for BFF Olympia Snowe.
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 7:02 PM in reply to dijamo
Hillary lost--18 months ago. Only the mentally unstable are still hanging on to that fantasy.
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dijamo
September 9, 2009 7:17 PM in reply to FreeRider
Did I say anything about Hillary? Why don't you get back to cheering Daschle as the savior of health care reform and the White House PhRMA deal instead of reliving the primaries? Thanks.
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 7:18 PM in reply to dijamo
It's always about Hillary for you. Seek help.
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readytoblowagasket
September 9, 2009 7:36 PM in reply to FreeRider
Ohmygod, a case of untreated Tourette's.
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 7:57 PM in reply to readytoblowagasket
That's too bad. You should get that looked at.
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readytoblowagasket
September 9, 2009 10:45 PM in reply to FreeRider
LOL! You might want to look up the symptoms of Tourette's before you make the next comment.
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FreeRider
September 10, 2009 3:28 PM in reply to readytoblowagasket
Why? You're the one claiming to have an untreated case of it, not me. Get yourself checked out. OK?
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
September 9, 2009 9:18 PM in reply to dijamo
Yes, you're at least as "sure" of it as Brian was that this must be a dropped ball or a snub or something when he decided to post baseless speculation rather and then ask for comment instead of maybe doing it the other way around.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
September 9, 2009 9:22 PM in reply to dijamo
Yes, you're at least as "sure" of it as Brian was that this must be a dropped ball or a snub or something when he decided to post baseless speculation rather and then ask for comment instead of maybe doing it the other way around.
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readytoblowagasket
September 9, 2009 10:47 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
Normally, TPM excels at speculation.
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twirling fartknocker
September 14, 2009 2:52 PM in reply to readytoblowagasket
and histrionics
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bluebell
September 9, 2009 6:27 PM
Larry O'Donnell had it pegged last night on Keith. The grand and glorious progressive cave is already set. Nancy may not even ask them to hang in there for one vote.
This is all so cooked, it's a stinking old stew. "Progressives" spend a few months pretending to be progressive before they pretend to be so sorry they utterly failed to deliver again.
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ru4862
September 9, 2009 6:38 PM in reply to bluebell
Correct. Did u hear Pelosi and Reid waver on Tuesday? democrats don't have a spine--i think thats been established.
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rwc
September 9, 2009 6:49 PM in reply to bluebell
And what choice do the progressives have other than to stop any reform at all? True progressive are less than half of the congressional Democratic caucus -- probably as little as 30% of the caucus. In other words, about 15-20% of Congress. Give me a House full of Kuciniches and a Senate full of Ted Kennedys and I'll give you universal single-payer health care, along with a real progressive tax system, a much reduced military budget, free universities, plenty of money for schools, mass transit and other societal needs, just like in Social Democratic ruled nations in Europe. But first we have to elect such a Congress and President. And as anyone can see, we have a real long way to go.
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bluebell
September 9, 2009 7:08 PM in reply to rwc
Stopping any "reform" at all would be an excellent start. "Progressives" have been using that excuse for decades since they lost their heart and soul and fight. There's no point in electing them to lose. If their one and only answer to every failure is that they can't get it done, well then they're every bit as much of the problem as the Blue Dogs or the Republicans. If you can't get it done, get out of Dodge. I'm not accepting the excuses any more.
Look what Republican do with 40% of the Senate! Obstruct! So progressives - make 'em pay. Make their life hell. Earn your keep.
As far as I'm concerned if the party doesn't deliver, it won't get my vote any more. No more excuses! If you don't have the votes then don't come home till you've got them.
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 7:21 PM in reply to bluebell
Oh, STFU, will you!
How many times have you declared that you won't vote for another Democrat? You've been saying that lame shit for 10 months. Nobody's buying what you're selling. The date on your bullshit expired a long time ago.
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bluebell
September 9, 2009 7:35 PM in reply to FreeRider
Sorry to keep you waiting. The party was on the phone calling me again. That's the only thing I've gotten out of 40 years as a "D". They all call me asking for money. What a hoot! I do so love to amuse the phone bank. And such a great excuse for not giving money. I just tell them to call back when candidate X has delivered on healthcare and so far I haven't had to give one of them a dime!
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FreeRider
September 9, 2009 7:58 PM in reply to bluebell
Delusions of grandeur.
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USgreentech
September 9, 2009 7:08 PM
House Progressives are real annoying. They should do exactly what Obama wants. I have not heard him back away from a full, universal public option.
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mcc
September 9, 2009 7:14 PM
And what choice do the progressives have other than to stop any reform at all?
At the moment, this is the only option progressives have. We don't have numbers, particularly, and we don't have leverage, particularly. The only thing we have is the ability to bargain with our support for party initiatives. And if we decide we don't want to use that, then we have nothing.
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mcc
September 9, 2009 7:16 PM in reply to mcc
I was attempting to post this as a response to a comment by rwc above.
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wbgonne
September 14, 2009 1:50 PM
Since the Republicans have sunk into irrelevancy (policy-wise if not vote-wise), there are really just two serious political parties in the U.S.: Blue Dog Democrats and Progressive Democrats. Maybe it's time to split the Democratic party. I believe that a true progressive party would be viable. The problem is getting it off the ground.
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