Harry Reid

What Did We Learn From Saturday's Health Care Vote

Brian Beutler | November 23, 2009, 11:50AM

Senators Nelson (D-NE) and Lieberman (I-CT)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid got his 60 on Saturday, and when the Senate returns from Thanksgiving recess next week, they'll be debating and amending a major piece of health care legislation. However, the vote, and its aftermath exposed or clarified the cleavages within the Democratic party that will have to be bridged if Reid hopes to keep his caucus in line on the next cloture motion--to end a Republican filibuster and hold a simple majority vote on reform.

If you thought the opt-out compromise was a silver bullet for the public option, you may have gotten a bit ahead of yourself. It held up for a while, and could still survive, but that's going to require some interesting gymnastics from Democratic leaders. Leading up to Saturday's vote, and in its immediate aftermath, conservative Democrats entrenched their opposition to the public option in the Senate bill. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) repeated his threat to support a health care filibuster if it includes a public option of any kind, and, despite her earlier support for the provision, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) took to the Senate floor Saturday and announced, "I'm promising my colleagues that I'm prepared to vote against moving to the next stage of consideration as long as a government-run public option is included." That gives her a bit more wiggle room than Lieberman's left himself, and Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have a bit more still, but that makes 60 for the opt out a tough climb. On the other side of the caucus, though, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Roland Burris (D-IL) have inched closer to threatening to block a health care bill from the left if the public option is weakened further. If reform is to pass, one side of the caucus will have to hold its collective nose and vote for something they don't like.

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Barack Obama

Lieberman Repeats Claim That Public Option Not Part Of 2008 Presidential Campaign

Brian Beutler | November 21, 2009, 9:15PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) raised hackles among liberals earlier this week when he claimed that the public option wasn't a part of the 2008 presidential campaign. He repeated that claim to reporters tonight, though acknowledged, when pressed, that then-candidate Barack Obama did in fact include a public option in his campaign health care proposal.

"This is a kindof 11th hour addition to a debate that's gone on for decades," Lieberman told reporters tonight. "Nobody's ever talked about a public option before. Not even in the presidential campaign last year."

I asked in response, "How do you reconcile your contention that the public option wasn't part of the presidential campaign given that all three of the [leading Democratic] candidates had something along the lines of the public option in their white papers?'

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Health Care

Senate Debates Historic Health Care Bill

Brian Beutler | November 21, 2009, 10:14AM

Sen. McConnell (R-KY) Sen. Reid (D-NV)

We'll be following today's proceedings live from the U.S. Capitol, gavel-to-gavel. Check in all day for breaking updates.

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Joe Lieberman

CT Religious Leaders Pray For Lieberman 'To Come Home' On Health Care

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 16, 2009, 3:36PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

A growing number Connecticut's religious leaders are calling on Sen. Joe Lieberman to appeal to a higher power and change his mind about including a public option in a health care reform bill.

Last night, hundreds of reform supporters from congregations across the state held a candlelight vigil outside Lieberman's home in Stamford, CT. Today, a group of more than 70 religious leaders from Christian and Jewish congregations sent a letter calling on Lieberman to abandon his threats to filibuster any health care reform bill in the Senate that includes a public option.

"A lot of groups who have historically supported [Lieberman] are praying for him to come back home," Rabbi Ron Fish, leader of the Concerned Clergy Of Connecticut, which sent the letter, told TPMDC.

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Joe Lieberman

Poll: Connecticut Voters See Lieberman As Being More Republican Than Democratic

Eric Kleefeld | November 12, 2009, 9:50AM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

The new Quinnipiac poll in Connecticut has an interesting result regarding Sen. Joe Lieberman: More voters see his policies as being close to the Republicans than close to the Democrats.

An outright majority 51% of Connecticut voters, say Lieberman's views are closer to the Republican Party, with only 25% saying his views are closer to the Democrats. It's an amazing journey that Lieberman has taken, from being the 2000 Dem nominee for Vice President, to losing his primary and being re-elected as an independent in 2006, and supporting the Republican nominee for president in 2008 and then continuing as a member of the Democratic caucus.

Lieberman's overall approval rating is 49%, with 44% disapproval. Among Republicans, his approval is 74%-20%, with Democrats against him by 31%-62%, and independents approving by 52%-40%.

The public is split on Lieberman's re-election in 2012, with 46% saying he deserves another term and 45% saying he does not. If he runs as a re-election, 20% say he should do so as a Republican, only 12% say he should be a Democrat, and 55% say he should continue as an independent. The margin of error is ±2.8%.

Health Care

Lieberman On Trigger Option: 'I Don't Feel Like Wiggling'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 10, 2009, 5:03PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

In a scrum with reporters just now, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) was asked how strong his commitment to filibustering any health care reform public option really is. Asked if he saw any "wiggle room" on his pledge -- say, a trigger for example -- Lieberman said he'll stand firm.

"I don't feel like wiggling," he said.

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Health Care

Do or Die: The Six Senators Who Will Decide the Fate of Health Care Reform

Brian Beutler | November 9, 2009, 1:46PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid faces a number of obstacles to passing health care reform but his main task is to keep his caucus united for not one, but two, supermajority votes, just to get the reform bill an up or down on the Senate floor. Failure to get 60 votes to push past either of those two procedural chokepoints could derail the reform bill. Here are the six key holdouts Reid must wrangle to reach the magic threshold.

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Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | November 6, 2009, 2:18PM

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and RNC Chairman Michael Steele

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

• ABC, This Week: RNC chairman Michael Steele, DNC chairman Tim Kaine

• CBS, Face The Nation: Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX), Republican political consultant Ed Rollins, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

• CNN, State Of The Union: Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell (R-VA).

• Fox News Sunday: Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell (R-VA), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

• NBC, Meet The Press: Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS), Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA).

MoveOn

MoveOn: We Have $3.5 Million Pledged For Primaries Against Dems Who Filibuster Health Care

Eric Kleefeld | November 6, 2009, 2:15PM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

MoveOn is serious about opposing Senate Democrats who join Republicans to block health care reform, announcing yesterday that they've built up over $3.5 million in pledges to fund primary challenges against any of them.

While no specific Senator is mentioned, it should be noted that Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), who is up for re-election in 2010 and is currently facing a tough race, could find herself becoming a top target of this push from the left.

MoveOn also has a petition that it is asking members to sign: "If ANY member of the Democratic Caucus joins a Republican filibuster of healthcare reform with a public option, the Caucus must immediately strip that Senator of all Committee Chairmanships."

The full e-mail from MoveOn is available after the jump.

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Barack Obama

As Leaders Try To Pass Health Care Reform By Year's End, The Nearest Obstacles Are In Their Own Party

Brian Beutler | November 5, 2009, 2:23PM

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

With less than two months to go until Congress breaks for the holidays, the White House and Senate leaders are huddling to figure out how to pass a bill before the end of the year. As part of their push, both camps are meeting with conservative Democrats--most notably Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)--whose unanimous support is absolutely required simply to bring the bill to the floor. But leading Democrats are unlikely to make any progress until these swing-vote senators see the bill Majority Leader Harry Reid put together, along with a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. They say that's necessary before they make any decisions on even the earliest procedural votes, and there's no clear indication as to when the CBO will weigh in.

Last night, Reid met with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and others to discuss, among other things, how far they've come in convincing caucus conservatives to support the bill's public option. "That's one of many subjects, that wasn't the main subject," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Along the same lines, Reid spokesman Jim Manley suggests that this is part and parcel of an effort to move legislation sooner rather than later. They met, he said, to "discuss ways to try and get a bill done by the end of the year."

But with conservative Democrats cold to the public option, and withholding their commitments to allow the bill to be debated on the floor, the White House and Democratic leaders have a lot of work ahead of them and they'll likely have to work in tandem. On that score, this week, Lincoln--perhaps the most electorally vulnerable of all moderate Democrats--met with both Reid and President Obama to discuss the Senate bill.

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Health Care

HCAN: We Haven't Had Private Discussions With Reid About Lieberman

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 3, 2009, 12:15PM

A Health Care For America Now spokesperson shot down the idea that progressives "inside the beltway" have a different view on Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-CT) threats to filibuster health care reform than pro-reform groups outside D.C. do.

An article published in The Hill last night suggested progressives inside the beltway expected Lieberman to vote for cloture, based on discussions with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid about private talks between the two senators.

Today, HCAN spokesperson Jacki Schechner denied that any such discussions had taken place and said that her group "is just as angry at Lieberman as anyone else" about Lieberman's anti-public option rhetoric. But Schechner that her group believes the threats from Lieberman to filibuster health care reform will prove to be hollow when all is said and done.

"It's political posturing," she said. "We think Lieberman will come around."

Joe Lieberman

Reid's Office: There Is No Understanding With Lieberman, But We Hope To Get His Health Care Vote

Eric Kleefeld | November 3, 2009, 10:29AM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office is denying reports of any understanding with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), that Lieberman would vote for cloture on health care.

Reid spokesman Jim Manley told us: "There is no such understanding. We hope to have his vote in the end but we are not there yet."

A leadership aide also told us: "Senator Reid is speaking with Senator Lieberman and all members of his Caucus. To say that there is some 'understanding' about votes at the end of the process is preposterous."

Joe Lieberman

Lieberman's Office: There Is No Deal On Health Care, He Will Still Filibuster Public Option

Eric Kleefeld | November 3, 2009, 9:40AM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-CT) office is shooting down a report in The Hill that Lieberman has reached an understanding with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to not block health care reform.

Lieberman spokesman Marshall Wittman told National Review: "Senator Lieberman's clear position is that he will vote for the motion to proceed to the health-care bill because he supports health-care reform that will control costs and insure people who don't have it now, but will oppose cloture on a final bill if it contains a public option."

We telephoned Lieberman's office for further comment, and they referred us back to the National Review post. Reid's office has not returned our request for comment at this time.

Health Care

Report: Lieberman Won't Filibuster Health Care After All

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 3, 2009, 8:35AM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

"Sources" close to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told The Hill yesterday that Reid is expecting Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to vote with the Democratic majority to close debate and move to a final vote when Reid's health care bill hits the Senate floor. Lieberman's public promises to join a GOP filibuster of the bill because it contains a public option are just his attempt to influence the final bill, the sources told the newspaper -- in reality, Lieberman is not a threat to an up or down vote on health care reform.

One Reid source, from The Hill's report:

"Lieberman keeps assuring Reid that he's OK...But he's one of those characters -- you never know with Joe."

Lieberman's official spokesperson denied the claim from Reid's office when the The Hill called. But the paper reports "connected" progressives inside the beltway share Reid's take. "Activists and liberal bloggers" have "seethed" over Lieberman's public comments because they are "out of the loop" on his actual thinking, the paper reports.

Read more »

Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | October 30, 2009, 1:05PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

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

• ABC, This Week: Senior White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett.

• CBS, Face The Nation: Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

• CNN, State Of The Union: House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Gov Haley Barbour (R-MS).

• Fox News Sunday: Rush Limbaugh.

• NBC, Meet The Press: Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner, Obama 2008 campaign manager David Plouffe.

Joe Lieberman

Reid's Office On Lieberman Campaigning For Republicans: We're Focused On Health Care

Eric Kleefeld | October 30, 2009, 11:38AM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

We asked Jim Manley, the spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, whether Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-CT) position in the Democratic caucus was still secure, in light of his declaration that he will probably campaign for some Republican candidates in the 2010 election -- or as Lieberman said, "I'm going to call them as I see them."

Manley told us: "Senator Lieberman may call them as he see's them, but for Senator Reid, the only thing that he is focused on right now is delivering on the president's promise of comprehensive health care reform."

Joe Lieberman

Lieberman Says He'll Stump For Republicans in 2010

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 30, 2009, 9:42AM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Last year, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) broke with his former colleagues in the Democratic party to stump for Republican candidates all across the country, including John McCain. Yesterday, Lieberman said he's planning a repeat performance on the congressional campaign trail in 2010.

Lieberman, from an interview with ABC News:

"I probably will support some Republican candidates for Congress or Senate in the election in 2010. I'm going to call them as I see them."

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Filibuster

Harkin, Again, Hints At Consequences For Off-The-Reservation Chairmen

Brian Beutler | October 30, 2009, 9:17AM

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)--chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee is rare among senior Senate Democrats. Whereas many in the party view seniority as akin to tenure, Harkin thinks it should come with responsibility. And when powerful chairmen stray, he doesn't keep quiet.

"[Lieberman] still wants to be a part of the Democratic Party although he is a registered independent," Harkin said. "He wants to caucus with us and, of course, he enjoys his chairmanship of the [Homeland Security] committee because of the indulgence of the Democratic Caucus. So, I'm sure all of those things will cross his mind before the final vote."

Lieberman suggested this week that he'll filibuster health care reform legislation if it includes a public option.

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Health Care

White House Disputes Lieberman On The Public Option

Brian Beutler | October 28, 2009, 5:16PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

A lot of people in Sen. Joe Lieberman's former party are now stepping up to set the record straight, and say they don't agree with his analysis of the impact of the public option.

At the White House briefing today, a reporter asked Press Secretary Robert Gibbs whether he agrees with Lieberman, who says both that a public option will cost tax payers dearly, and drive up the cost of health insurance for everybody else--positions that are disputed widely by experts.

Gibbs was pretty direct: "I think we would disagree and I think elements of the Congressional Budget Office would disagree with the analysis that Senator Lieberman has made."

In making those statements, he joins other high profile Democrats who also dispute Lieberman's position. However, though Democrats don't agree with Lieberman, none have publicly chastised him for going rogue yesterday. According to Sam Stein of the Huffington Post, this is reflective of Senate leadership's strategy of winning over the Connecticut senator without pushing back too hard and, perhaps, entrenching his opposition to health care reform.

Chuck Schumer

Key Democratic Senators Correct Lieberman On The Public Option

Brian Beutler | October 28, 2009, 3:06PM

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Key public option supporters in the Senate Democratic Caucus pushed back today on different objections raised by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to the idea of including a public option in health care reform.

"I think one of the problems the leader is working through...is that there have been a number of theories about what a public option is that have been kicked around," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in response to a question from TPMDC. "On the Senate side, in the [HELP] Committee, we chose to...make sure that these public options were self sustaining."

Lieberman has suggested both that the public option would be a drain on taxpayers, and that it would drive up private insurance premiums, in contrast to the findings of most experts.

"I think there's a bit of a function of trying to make sure that everybody's clear exactly what it is that we're proposing," Whitehouse said. "I think once the actual text of the bill is out and it's clear that the HELP language is what was adopted. I think we'll be successfully able to make the case to Senator Lieberman that there is not a subsidy here and it is not an entitlement."

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) added his own two cents as well.

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Joe Lieberman

CORRECTED: Lieberman Proposed Public Option In 2004, Opposes It Now

Eric Kleefeld | October 28, 2009, 2:56PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

[CORRECTION: We have been told that Joe's program here was not properly termed a public option, but was two different concepts -- an expansion of government-run health care programs for the young, extending it up to age 25, and the creation of private health care exchanges in order to create a competitive, organized marketplace. So to be blunt, we bungled this one. TPM regrets the error.]

Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) seems to have seriously changed his position on a public health insurance program -- from supporting it years ago, to staunchly opposing it now.

Back when Lieberman was a full-fledged Democrat and sought the party's nomination for President, he said this at a debate in South Carolina on January 29, 2004:

"And one of the things we will do when we're one nation is to end the moral outrage of 44 million people without health insurance in the richest country in the world, nine million children whose parents can't take them to the doctor when they get sick 'cause they can't pay the bill. I'm gonna do that, and also help the millions who have insurance that can't pay it, by creating national health insurance pools like the ones members of Congress get our insurance from.

"Promises: When you're born, child in America, you get a membership card, and MediKids covers your insurance. Two, if you lose your job, you will not lose your health insurance. Three, underemployed, self-employed, small business, you can buy into this plan, it'll cost you a lot less, and incidentally, you'll get drug benefits with it. That's the kind of centrist leadership that produces results, and that's the kind of president America needs and I'll be."

(Transcript via Nexis)

Back then, Joe Lieberman was presenting the public option as a sensible, centrist plan for the country. But now he's promising to filibuster a Democratic proposal to establish one. So what changed?

We've placed a call with Lieberman's office, but they have not yet gotten back to us.

Health Care

Gibbs Says Obama Hasn't Talked To Reid And Calls Lieberman Questions 'Hypothetical'

Christina Bellantoni | October 28, 2009, 1:38PM

White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs

President Obama hasn't talked to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the last few days since the votes for the health care bill seemed to fall away on Capitol Hill.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters this afternoon Obama last spoke with Reid last week when leadership huddled with him here.

Reporters - including TPMDC - sort of ganged up on Gibbs to pin him down, but he dismissed questions about Sen. Joe Lieberman's stance on the public option and a potential filibuster as hypotheticals.

"I'm not going to judge the end of this process by what people say today," Gibbs said.

He cited Lieberman (I-CT) saying today that he would vote for the motion to bring the health care bill to the floor, adding "That's the first part of the process."

Reporters reminded him the filibuster part is a bit more important, and Gibbs interrupted, "Can't get to the second before you get to the first."

Asked if Obama and Lieberman have spoken, Gibbs said he wasn't sure the last time.

"The legislative affairs team is in touch with many on Capitol Hill," he said.

Gibbs also went into where things stand with health care.

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Joe Lieberman

Reid Spokesman: 'Nothing Has Changed' On Lieberman's Position In Dem Caucus

Eric Kleefeld | October 28, 2009, 1:34PM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

We asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's spokesman Jim Manley whether Sen. Joe Lieberman's (ID-CT) position as a senior member of the Democratic caucus and a committee chairman is still secure, in light of his new comments that he will filibuster the public option.

"Nothing has changed," Manley told us.

Chris Dodd

Key Senators React To Lieberman's Fuzzy Public Option Logic

Brian Beutler | October 28, 2009, 9:32AM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

One of the most puzzling things about Sen. Joe Lieberman's opposition to the public option is that he says it's based in a belief that a new government "entitlement" will end up being a large burden on taxpayers. In fact, the public option will be paid into (i.e. not subsidized like an entitlement) and the vast consensus among experts, partisan and non-partisan, is that a public option will save the government lots of loot. Moreover, they conclude that the bigger the plan is, the more money it will save.

Yesterday, I asked Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Lieberman's Connecticut colleague Chris Dodd (D-CT) what they thought of Lieberman's backward thinking.

Singing the praises of her preferred 'trigger' solution, Snowe said "[triggers] obviously can have a maximum impact...certainly, not as comparable to a full public option and what they want, but on the other hand what you're doing with the public option is basically crowding out the private sector, because of the government's, you know, inordinate advantage in the market place."

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Health Care

Snowe Pessimistic About Triggers

Brian Beutler | October 28, 2009, 9:13AM

Yesterday Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said he'd filibuster a health care bill if it contains a public option. Many reporters and analysts took this as a sign that an alternative political strategy of courting Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), who prefers the public option only as a fall back, would re-emerge.

Well, Snowe herself disagrees.

"I don't see how you get to 60 [votes to replace the public option with a trigger]," Snowe told reporters last night.

Having a public option in the bill, she said, will "make it infinitely more difficult to change that on the floor...I just don't see how that works."

For what it's worth, Lieberman also said he opposes the trigger option yesterday, too. So he's not necessarily making a public push to get Snowe back into the game.

Health Care

Baucus Calm In Face Of Lieberman Threat To Health Care Reform

Brian Beutler | October 27, 2009, 5:06PM

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT)

After a meeting of Senate Finance Committee Democrats in his office this afternoon, chairman Max Baucus sought to contain the fallout from Sen. Joe Lieberman's statement today that he'd be inclined to filibuster a health care bill with a public option in it.

"A lot of this now is in Sen. Reid's hands--I certainly would expect [for the bill to proceed to debate]," Baucus said.

I think he's quite close, and there's time yet. I think some senators are not definitely decided because they want to see the CBO report. They want to look at CBO's cost estimates, coverage estimates, effect on premiums, etc., before they make up their minds. Once the CBO report comes out--at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later--it's going to be positive. And once it's positive, I think we'll find a lot more senators inclined to get on the bill.

For a time line of conflicting Lieberman statements on the public option, see here. For a rundown of his previous willingness not to obstruct legislation, see here.

Health Care

WH On Lieberman: 'We're Pleased The Process Is Moving Forward'

Christina Bellantoni | October 27, 2009, 4:17PM

White House Spokesperson Linda Douglass

I've been after the White House for several hours for a response to Sen. Joe Lieberman saying he'd back a filibuster on health care.

This just in, from spokeswoman Linda Douglass:

"We're pleased the process is moving forward. The Majority Leader has spoken with all of the members of his caucus and will continue to work with them to address their concerns as the bill is refined and he prepares to take it to the floor."

Coupled with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs saying constituents will hold lawmakers accountable, it is clear there's no hard line yet from the White House.

Lots of readers are writing in to ask about President Obama's support for Lieberman during his 2006 primary when he was booted from the Democratic party, and about when Obama urged Senate leadership to let the independent retain his chairmanship of the Homeland Security committee. The White House hasn't mentioned it.

Meanwhile, if you call Lieberman's Senate office and try to leave him a message, "The mailbox belonging to Senator Lieberman's office is full. To disconnect press one."

Health Care

Gibbs On Filibuster Possibility: Dems And GOP Alike 'Will Be Held Accountable By Their Constituents'

Christina Bellantoni | October 27, 2009, 3:33PM

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

On Air Force One, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs wasn't sweating the news that Democrats and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) may not be coming through on the Senate health care bill.

Gibbs said he hadn't seen the reports about Lieberman saying he'd support a filibuster, but added, "I think Democrats and Republicans alike will be held accountable by their constituents who want to see health care reform enacted this year."

"I haven't seen the report from Senator Lieberman or why he's saying what he's saying," he said, citing polls showing support for health care. "And we know that if that doesn't happen, people say they'll be very disappointed by that, and we think people will make progress to ensure that this gets done."

Gibbs said President Obama hasn't been making specific calls yet but, "I'm sure we'll get involved in due time."

Read more »

Health Care

Reid: Lieberman Is The Least Of My Problems

Brian Beutler | October 27, 2009, 2:48PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid addressed a development, first reported by TPMDC, that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) will filibuster a health care bill if it includes a public option.

"Joe Lieberman is the least of Harry Reid's problems," Reid told reporters at his weekly press conference.

During a Q&A session with reporters, Reid offered a fairly spirited defense of Lieberman, signaling perhaps that he doesn't believe Lieberman will ultimately be an obstacle--or at least that he doesn't want to tip his hat: "I don't have anyone that I've worked harder with, have more respect for, in the Senate than Joe Lieberman. As you know, he's my friend. There are a lot of senators--Democrat and Republicans--who don't like [parts of this bill]... Sen. Lieberman will let us get on the bill, and he'll be involved in the amendment process."

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Health Care

End Game: So When Will Health Care Really Happen?

Christina Bellantoni | October 27, 2009, 2:03PM

The House voting, the Senate voting

Yesterday's events have given health care new momentum, but advocates are a long way from popping champagne.

There remain unanswered questions about how the proposed Senate bill and public option opt-out will be structured, along with questions about its final cost and how the government will pay for it.

A Democratic aide told TPMDC today the House is aiming to have its bill on the floor in early November with a vote by Nov. 11, Veterans' Day.

The Senate has several stages ahead - a CBO score for the merged bill Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced yesterday and then an agreement for what amendments will be allowed. It will be on the floor for debate in the next two weeks.

Once each bill passes its chamber, private negotiations will produce a conference report that will get another House and Senate vote.

Translation: there may be snow on the ground in D.C. before anything finally heads to President Obama's desk.

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Health Care

Lieberman: I'd Be 'Inclined' To Help Break GOP Filibuster

Rachel Slajda | October 16, 2009, 4:15PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), whose vote would most likely be necessary to break a Republican filibuster on health care reform, said Thursday that he's "inclined to let the motion to proceed."

But, he added, "I haven't decided yet."

Read more »

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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Health Care

Lieberman Opposes Public Option Despite Strong Support in Connecticut

Brian Beutler | September 15, 2009, 2:14PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Seems like only yesterday, Democratic leaders were telling supporters they supported Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) because "he's with us on everything but the war in Iraq."

That maxim doesn't actually extend to health care, though. Lieberman has come out against a number of aspects of the Democrats' health care reform proposal, including the public option...despite strong support for the measure in Connecticut.

A new Research 2000 poll commissioned by Daily Kos finds that 68 percent of likely voters in Connecticut support a public option, while only 21 percent oppose.

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