Health Care

Five Conservative Dems Campaigning On Opposition To Health Care Reform

Eric Kleefeld | August 30, 2010, 8:57AM

Demonstrators rally outside of the U.S. Capitol Building.

An interesting pattern has started to emerge in this midterm election, which could be dominated by the continuing debate over the health care reform law passed earlier this year. A whole bunch of Dems from Republican-leaning districts have been running ads in which they tout their opposition to the bill.

So let's take a look at some of these conservative Dems. Will their votes against the bill -- and their public campaigning on those votes -- actually work for them in November?

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Bobby Bright

Blue Dog Bobby Bright Jokes That Pelosi Could 'Get Sick And Die'

Eric Kleefeld | August 26, 2010, 11:48AM

Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL).

Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL), a freshman Blue Dog, is trying to give some humorous examples to fend off accusations from his conservative constituents that he's an automatic vote for Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker: As Bright seemed to joke, Pelosi could die before it comes to that.

As the Montgomery Advertiser reported, Bright was speaking to the local Chamber of Commerce about his possible vote for Pelosi:

Bright, who is is in his first year in Congress and facing a battle against Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby this fall, joked that Pelosi might lose her own election, decide not to run for the speaker's job or otherwise not be available.

He suggested, jokingly he insisted to his audience, that Pelosi could fall ill and die in coming months. That remark drew laughter from the crowd.

Greg Sargent spoke to the Advertisers's reporter, who gave Greg the original quote from Bright. "Let's wait until that comes up," Bright said, then giving a long list of reasons why Pelosi might not run for Speaker of the House. "Heck, she might even get sick and die."