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Gibbs On Whether There's A New Health Care Deadline: 'Not That I Know Of'
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs
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White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today he knows of no new deadlines for health care reform, an issue Congressional leaders are wrangling with following the Democrats' loss in Massachusetts last week.
Reporters asked about the status of health care reform and if there is a "new deadline" for getting health care done since Democrats failed to meet previous deadlines set in 2009.
"Not that I know of," Gibbs said.
Democrats have been all over the map about what to do with health care now they have only 59 seats in the Senate, with some calling for Congress to start over or move on altogether.
Last week Sen. Chuck Schumer offered a bit of a timeframe, saying no one wants the fight to keep going "for three more months."
Gibbs said Obama would directly address health care in his State of the Union address Wednesday. "You wont have to lean forward to hear the discussion of health care," he said.
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felix
January 25, 2010 2:25 PM
I can't watch anymore
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LarsThorwald
January 25, 2010 2:35 PM
I have been a strong supporter of President Obama from day one, but I have to tell you, my patience is wearing quite thin.
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JohnW1141
January 25, 2010 2:41 PM
Gibbs: 'I don't know, ask the Republicans, they're running the place.'
Lars, I gave up on him about 3 months ago.
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Moose49
January 25, 2010 2:48 PM
Let's see what he says Wednesday and does the day after. Based on everything I've seen since last Tuesday, I'm not optimistic, but I'm willing to hang onto a thread for two more days.
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felix
January 25, 2010 2:52 PM in reply to Moose49
Fair enough, but I'll bet he outlines a scaled back health bill.
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Maritza
January 25, 2010 3:00 PM in reply to felix
It depends how "scaled" back. If it gets rid of some of the crap they can just refer that as "scaled" back. But in order for this to work, there has got to be a mandate.
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Xantar
January 25, 2010 3:09 PM in reply to felix
I'll take that bet. Proposing a scaled back health bill would be stupid because then both houses would have to start over again, and this time the Senate wouldn't have 60 Democrats to overcome the filibuster. Obama can count just as well as the rest of us.
I expect he will offer rhetoric but not an actual plan that he wants Congress to follow. The question is really how strongly he advocates for health care reform. Like it or not, Obama has apparently decided that the best way for him to help is to publicly cheerlead while making phone calls behind the scenes.
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Moose49
January 25, 2010 3:12 PM in reply to felix
If true, he's essentially conceding defeat and my thread is gone. I don't understand why he finds it so hard to tell the House to pass the stupid Senate bill and then quickly work out a reconciliation measure that improves it. This outcome would produce better results (30+ million people with new insurance, tens of millions saved from bankruptcy, everyone with better health security) than a scaled back bill, and it can be achieved tomorrow, allowing them to move their focus to jobs.
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Maritza
January 25, 2010 2:51 PM
I think setting a "deadline" right now would be dumb since so many have been lost. Instead, what is more important is coming up with a plan and working towards getting this thing done.
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CT Voter
January 25, 2010 3:07 PM
My patience is wearing thin, but I can't say I disagree with this.
If they said there was a deadline, that's all that would be talked about. Then congress critters would flap about "deadlines", etc, and the whole situation would be an opportunity to point out all the missed deadlines.
If the WH walks away from this altogether, I'll still vote for Obama in 2012 (if he runs), but I'm not going to be donating much money or time.
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Schmed
January 25, 2010 3:12 PM
"Not that I know of"
"Two words, Mr. President: Plausible Deniability." [Albert Nimzicki]
"Release me. Release me NOW!" [Left-of-center Americans]
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