Dem Leaders Lobbying Centrists One By One, Durbin Says

Senate Majority Leader's deputy, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), says his boss has been holding one-on-one meetings with centrists in order to ensure a 60 vote majority for the health care reform package he announced yesterday.

The Hill reports:

"Harry has been literally sitting down face to face with senator after senator, working through these differences," [Durbin] said.

As for the chances of success for the meetings, Durbin told the newspaper he was confident, but only time will tell.

"There's always a question," Durbin said when asked Tuesday whether Democrats would muster the 60 votes to proceed to the reform bill. "There are members that have serious concerns that are specific to their states or specific to their own set of values.

"For over 60 years we've been waiting for this day and it's going to be here in the matter of a week or two," said Durbin. "We're fortunate enough to serve at this moment in history, and now we have the responsibility to find the best healthcare reform that we can pass.

"We have 60 votes and no excuses," Durbin added.