TPMDC Brian Baird
Health Care
Against It: A Look At The 34 Dems Who Voted No On Health Care Reform
Clockwise: Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO), Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY), Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA)
The 34 Democrats who voted against health care reform last night are by and large a familiar set. They overlap significantly--though not entirely--with the 39 Democrats who voted against the House health care bill in November. Just as in November, most hail from contested districts, in the south and the midwest. But just as in November, there are some surprises--members you wouldn't normally expect to see voting against legislation so closely associated with the Democratic party.
Most of the Democratic "no" votes are as you would expect: conservative members from conservative districts, in many cases facing difficult re-election challenges. Blue Dog chair Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) is one such member. So is Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA).
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (125) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: AFL-CIO, Artur Davis, Barack Obama, Bart Gordon, Brian Baird, Charlie Melancon, Colin Peterson, David Vitter, Democrats, Health Care, House Democrats, House of Representatives, Ike Skelton, John Tanner, Michael Arcuri, Nancy Pelosi, Richard Trumka, Stephen Lynch
Health Care
Thousands Of Calls Helped Sway Baird From 'No' To 'Yes'
Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA).
Rep. Brian Baird is switching his vote from opposing health care last fall to voting "yes" today, his office announced. Baird, retiring this year, was a prime target for Democrats to switch. (See everyone in play here.)
Baird (D-WA) said in a statement he's changed his mind because "the status quo cannot be sustained." I did a piece earlier this week detailing the stunning number of phone calls that have been flooding switchboards on Capitol Hill and in district offices across the country. Baird's office told me yesterday that on Friday, Baird's district office received 3,018 calls. They'd stopped keeping track in the D.C. office because "the phones were constantly ringing," spokesman Adam Hudson said.
Of the calls coming from voters within the district, 57 percent were for the bill and 43 percent were against. The out of district calls - 52 percent of the total - had 87 percent against health care and 13 percent for the bill.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (6) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: 2010 elections, Brian Baird, Health Care, House Democrats
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
DeLay: Dem Leadership Practicing 'Arrogance' In Writing Health Care Legislation
Appearing on State of the Union, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) accused Democrats of "arrogance" in their management of the health care bill. "I think what they're doing wrong is because of arrogance," said DeLay. He elaborated: "They have huge majorities . . . and you would think you could pass anything and pass it quickly with those kinds of majorities. Why is it? Why can't they? It's because they're going back in rooms and then telling the members, take it or leave it. You can't do that. It's obvious."
Dem Rep. Baird: 'We Don't Have A Dance Partner' In GOP
Appearing on State of the Union, Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), who is retiring this year, criticized Republicans for not participating in a bipartisan manner in the legislative process. "Tom DeLay was on Dancing with the Stars," Baird quipped, who then explained: "We don't have a dance partner. We don't have someone on the other side who is seriously willing to say, 'If you do these things, you will have our support.' And the reason is they see it as such a potent political weapon."
Topics: Brian Baird, Budget Reconciliation, Evan Bayh, Health Care, Kathleen Sebelius, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, Roundup, Tom DeLay
Sunday Shows
The Sunday Show Line-Ups
Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:
• ABC, This Week: Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
• CBS, Face The Nation: Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
• CNN, State Of The Union: Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA).
• Fox News Sunday: Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA).
• NBC, Meet The Press: Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN).
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (8) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Brian Baird, Chris Van Hollen, Evan Bayh, Harold Ford, Kathleen Sebelius, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, Orrin Hatch, Sunday Shows, Tom DeLay
Brian Baird
Can Dems Hold Baird's Open Seat -- And Will There Be Others?
Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA).
The retirement of Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), the third Democrat to do so in the last three weeks, has opened up a new swing sweat for Democrats to defend. So what's the outlook for the seat -- and for the party environment itself?
"It's a tough district," a Democratic source in Washington state told us, also adding: "It's a rural district and a suburban district. It's a swing district, but it's been trending Democratic."
Baird's district voted twice for George W. Bush by narrow margins -- 48%-46% in 2000, and 50%-48% in 2004 -- before switching to Barack Obama in 2008 by a 53%-45% margin.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (3) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Brian Baird, House '10, WA-03
Brian Baird
Swing-Seat Dem Brian Baird Retiring
Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA).
House Democrats now have another open swing seat to defend in 2010, with Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) announcing his retirement.
Baird's district could have a close race. It voted twice for George W. Bush by narrow margins -- 48%-46% in 2000, and 50%-48% in 2004 -- before switching to Barack Obama in 2008 by a 53%-45% margin.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (1) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Brian Baird, House '10, WA-03
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