TPMDC
Claire McCaskill

Schumer: Dems 'Very Close' To 60 Votes
Appearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Democrats are approaching 60 votes for a compromise public option: "The liberals, they like it stronger, but they're willing to live with level playing field, opt-out. The more moderate Democrats, there are some who actually like it. As long as it's a level playing field, they're comfortable with it. There are others who say that, 'I'm not sure I like it, but I won't hold up passage of the bill.' I think we're very close to getting the 60 votes we need to move forward, and my guess is that the public option level playing field with the state opt-out will be in the bill. But Leader Reid will make that decision after he talks to everybody several times.

Abdullah Calls For 'Dramatic Increase' In American Troops In Afghanistan
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Afghan presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah called for a "dramatic increase" in the number of American troops in his country: "If the situation is not reversed from deteriorating further the security situation, so the future of this country will be at risk, and the future of the engagement of the international community will be at risk. So this situation requires a sort of dramatic increase in the number of troops in order to stop -- stop it from further deteriorating and reversing it. The permanent solution is in a road map that Afghanistan stands on its own feet in a few years down the road, troops -- number of troops could be decreased in Afghanistan, finally, and eventually will stand on its own feet."

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Topics: Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan, Bob McDonnell, Chuck Schumer, Claire McCaskill, Creigh Deeds, Dick Cheney, Health Care, John Cornyn, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Public Option, Roundup, Russ Feingold, VA-GOV

Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | October 23, 2009, 5:34PM

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

• CBS, Face The Nation: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI).

• CNN, State Of The Union: Dr. , Afghan presidential candidate; Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA).

• Fox News Sunday: Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan presidential candidate; Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ).

• NBC, Meet The Press: SEn. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY.

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Topics: Abdullah Abdullah, Ben Nelson, Chuck Schumer, Claire McCaskill, Jim Webb, John Cornyn, John McCain, Jon Kyl, Mitch McConnell, Orrin Hatch, Russ Feingold, Sunday Shows

Health Care

Snowe, Nelson, McCaskill, and Lieberman "Commend" Baucus for Health Care Bill

Brian Beutler | September 17, 2009, 3:23PM

It's not ironclad, but it's the first strong sign that Sen. Max Baucus' health care reform bill might win the support of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) when all's said and done.

She, along with Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) have released a joint statement 'commending' Baucus' efforts and saying, basically, if consensus is to be found, it will be here.

"We commend Chairman Baucus for his efforts to forge a health care reform proposal that has the potential to gain broad bipartisan support," the statement reads. "While we each have outstanding concerns we wish to see addressed, Senator Baucus has taken an important and critical step forward with this legislation, which is budget neutral and reduces future health care costs according to CBO."

This isn't the same thing as a wholesale endorsement of the bill, but it's a step in that direction from Snowe, who just yesterday was emphasizing her concerns. You can read the entire statement below the fold.

Late update: Chuck Todd reads a bit more into the statement than I do.

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Topics: Ben Nelson, Claire McCaskill, Health Care, Joe Lieberman, Max Baucus, Olympia Snowe, Senate, Senate Finance Committee

Claire McCaskill

McCaskill To Tea Partiers: "I Don't Understand This Rudeness"

Eric Kleefeld | August 11, 2009, 3:25PM

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) may have just hit upon a new way for Democrats to deal with the Tea Party crowds: Lecture them as if they were unruly schoolchildren:

"Let me just tell you -- and I said this yesterday, I'm gonna say it again -- if anyone wants to bet you whether or not we're gonna get a single-payer nationalized health care bill out of Congress, take the bet and take their money, 'cause it is not gonna happen," she said -- only to hear the right-wing crowd booing in disbelief.

"I know you hate to hear good news," she said, "but we will not do this."

She later said in exasperation: "I don't understand this rudeness. What is this? I don't get it, I honestly don't get it. Do you all think that you're persuading people when you shout out like that?"