Dem Rep. Larson: ‘We Have The Votes’
Appearing on This Week, Rep. John Larson (D-CT) said that House Democrats now have the 216 votes needed to pass health care reform: “We have the votes. We are going to make history today. Not since President Roosevelt passed Social Security, Lyndon Johnson passed Medicare, and today, Barack Obama will pass health care reform, demonstrating whose side we’re on.”
Steele: Racist And Anti-Gay Demonstrators ‘Got Stupid’
Appearing on Meet The Press, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele distanced the party from the racist and anti-gay language that demonstrators hurled against Rep. John Lewis (D-MA) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). “What you had out there yesterday were a handful of people who just got stupid and, and said very ignorant things,” said Steele. “And neither party, I believe, are associated—or should be associated with that.”
Hoyer: Still Members Making Up Their Minds, But We Will Have 216 Votes
Appearing on Meet The Press, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer declined to say that the Democrats currently had 216 votes for the health care bill — only that they will have them: “There’s still members looking at it and trying to make up their minds. But we think that there are going to be 216-plus votes when we call the roll.”
Pence: House GOP To ‘Use Every Means At Our Disposal’
Appearing on State of the Union, House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) said that Republicans would do everything they could to stop the health care bill. “House Republicans are going to use every means at our disposal,” said Pence. When asked by Candy Crowley exactly what they would do, Pence replied: “Well, stay tuned, Candy. It’s going to be an interesting day.”
Cornyn: Senate GOP Will Offer ‘Hundreds’ Of Amendments
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said that if the health care bill passes the House, Senate Republicans will work to weaken the bill by proposing “hundreds” of amendments. “We’re going to help the American people understand by these amendments what is in the bill and why they are right when they think it’s a bad bill,” said Cornyn. “I mean, the American people don’t want this bill, but our Democrat friends seem determined to jam it down their throat regardless, and I think there are going to be some very serious consequences. But we’re going to highlight that with our amendments.”
Van Hollen: After Bill Passes, People Will See ‘Fear Mongering Was Just Not True’
Appearing on Face The Nation, DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) predicted that public opinion about the health care bill would improve once it is actually passed. “Once we pass this bill, everyone will see right away that all those horror stories are not going to come true,” said Van Hollen. “The world is not going to come to the end. It’s not going to be Armageddon. There won’t be the death panels. They’ll begin to see the benefits. We’ll be closing the donut hole so seniors have more help for their prescription drugs. We’re going to make sure there are lifetime limits on out of pocket costs. There are a lot of benefits that people will see. They’ll see a lot of the hysteria and the fear mongering was just not true.”
Plouffe: Democrats Are In Better Shape Politically If They Pass Health Care Bill
Appearing on This Week, former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said that Democrats would be better off politically to pass the health care bill. “But I think the politics of this, by the way, we pass this, we’re in much better shape politically as a Democratic Party than we are today, because we’re going to go out there and not just talk about what we’re for, but what the Republicans are voting against,” said Plouffe. “They are siding with the insurance companies over people who are denied coverage for pre-existing conditions, siding with the insurance companies over saving seniors money. So this isn’t just about us being a pinata here in the election. Elections are about choices. They are voting against an enormous tax cut for health care for 40 million middle-class families and 4 million small businesses. That’s what they’re opposing here.”
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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