Health Care

Dems: Health Care Reform Almost Done -- Really!

Christina Bellantoni | March 11, 2010, 9:15AM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)

Democrats have a spring in their step, suddenly feeling quite confident health care reform is actually going to happen. The particulars are still being worked out, but the majority party sees the pathway ahead and lawmakers and their staff tell us it's the end game for real.

Sen. Daniel Akaka said in an interview yesterday he knew the hurdles had been cleared when he saw his colleagues ease off their tough stances on the public option and other elements of health care. "It was seeing senators letting go," Akaka (D-HI) told me at a reception following the Progressive Media Summit hosted by Senate Democrats.

While Akaka said he strongly supports the public option, he does not think the votes are there. He said that freed up Democrats to push forward for the best bill they can get, and House aides told me privately they agree.

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