TPMDC
Mike Pence

Cao: Health Care Vote Was Proper Decision For My District
Appearing on State of the Union, Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA) explained his vote for the House health care bill. "I felt last night's decision was the proper decision for my district even though it was not the popular decision for my party," said Cao, also adding: "A lot of my constituents are uninsured, a lot of them are poor. It was the right decision for the people of my district."

Graham: House Health Care Bill 'Dead On Arrival' In Senate
Appearing on Face The Nation, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) predicted that the health care bill just passed by the House will be "dead on arrival" in the Senate. Graham added: "I just think the construct out of the House and what exists in the Senate is not going to pass, and I hope and pray it doesn't because it would be a disaster for the economy and health care."

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Topics: Ed Rendell, Fort Hood, George Casey, Health Care, Joe Lieberman, Joseph Cao, Lindsey Graham, Michael Steele, Mike Pence, NY-23, Roundup, Sunday Shows, Tim Kaine

Health Care

GOP House Leader Counting On Bill Passage

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 7, 2009, 12:58PM

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

There's still a chance that tonight's House vote on a health care reform bill may not happen -- or that even if it does, it may not with a victory for Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership.

Apparently, House GOP conference chair Mike Pence knows something journalists and political observers don't about the bill's chances tonight. He just posted this to his official website:

PENCE DENOUNCES HOUSE PASSAGE OF PELOSI HEALTH CARE BILL

(h/t Glenn Thrush)

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Topics: Health Care, Mike Pence, Mike Pence

Health Care

GOP House Leader Counting On Bill Passage

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 7, 2009, 12:58PM

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

There's still a chance that tonight's House vote on a health care reform bill may not happen -- or that even if it does, it may not with a victory for Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership.

Apparently, House GOP conference chair Mike Pence knows something journalists and political observers don't about the bill's chances tonight. He just posted this to his official website:

PENCE DENOUNCES HOUSE PASSAGE OF PELOSI HEALTH CARE BILL

(h/t Glenn Thrush)

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Topics: Health Care, Mike Pence, Mike Pence

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).

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Topics: Bob McDonnell, Chris Van Hollen, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Dick Armey, Haley Barbour, Joe Lieberman, Michael Steele, Mike Pence, Robert Menendez, Sunday Shows, Tim Kaine

Health Care

Conservatives Celebrate Embarrassing CBO Analysis Of GOP Health Care Bill

Brian Beutler | November 6, 2009, 12:20PM

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

I noted yesterday that, in its own quiet way, the Congressional Budget Office gave the Republicans' health care bill a failing grade: A package seemingly meant to address the problem of the uninsured that does almost nothing to expand insurance or lower premiums.

But somehow, someway, conservatives don't seem to have noticed. In fact, they're celebrating!

"As a result of the House Republican bill, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office now confirms that families will see their health care premiums reduced by up to 10 percent and hard-working taxpayers can expect deficits to decrease by $68 billion over the next decade," reads a statement from Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN).

Let's go to the tape:

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Topics: CBO, Congressional Budget Office, Health Care, House of Representatives, Mike Pence

Health Care

House GOP Aim To Fight Pelosi Bill With Women

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 2, 2009, 4:29PM

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

House Republicans plan a full court press on health care this week, including the release of their own version of a health care reform bill. GOP leaders said today their goal is to make passage of the bill offered by Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week "as difficult as possible to vote for," and plan to use women to fight it.

"Our women leaders will take the premiere role" in a multi-pronged attack on the bill this week, House GOP conference chair Mike Pence said at press briefing with House minority leader John Boehner this afternoon.

The rest of their plans to combat the Pelosi bill include attacking specific provisions the pair said show the bill's true intent -- to nationalize the American health care system. They said that if the public read the bill, they would be outraged at the Democratic health care reform plans. Pence said his party intends to make sure the GOP reading of the bill is heard.

"Americans deserve to know what's in the bill," he said.

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Topics: Health Care, John Boehner, Mike Pence

Health Care

House GOP Knows What It Doesn't Want In A Health Care Bill, Won't Yet Say What It Does

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 29, 2009, 1:59PM

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

House Republicans slammed the new Democratic health care reform bill this morning, but didn't say when or if they'll be offering a reform package of their own.

GOP leader John Boehner led a press conference to voice his concerns about the bill an hour or so after Pelosi was done presenting it outside. He walked carrying the nearly 2,000 page house bill, which he dropped with a thud onto the podium.

"Through August and September, the American people made it clear they want know part of a government-run system for providing health care," he said. "[But] this bill amounts to a government takeover of our health care system."

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Topics: GOP, Health Care, John Boehner, Mike Pence, Nancy Pelosi, Roy Blunt

Mike Pence

Pence: Obama 'Has Used His Position As Commander In Chief To Advance A Radical Social Agenda'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 28, 2009, 4:45PM

The GOP may have lost a recent battle over President Obama on social politics, but a House Republican Leader today said he's not ready to let Democrats win the culture war.

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), the leader of the GOP conference in the House, issued a fiery statement denouncing to Obama for signing a hate crimes bill into law today.

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Topics: Barack Obama, GOP, Mike Pence

Health Care

House GOP Finds New Health Care Reform Villian In AARP

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 26, 2009, 7:15PM

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA)

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) briefed reporters this afternoon on the House GOP's plans for health care this week. The party will focus on reform's effects on senior citizens, specifically through changes to Medicare. Democratic proposals include several changes to the way Medicare is funded that have long had support from the AARP, far and away the most powerful lobbying group for seniors. But Pence and Reichert suggested that support was the result of corruption inside the AARP and not based on the interests of its membership.

"What you've got here is a backroom deal," Pence said of reform measures expected to be introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this afternoon. "Democrats are protecting the salaries of the heads of groups like AARP while cutting medicare."

For its part, AARP dismisses the allegations, pointing out that it has seen this movie before.

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Topics: Dave Reichert, GOP, Harry Reid, Health Care, Medicare/Medicaid, Mike Pence

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 9:00AM

Obama Teaming Up With Bush 41, Promoting Volunteerism
President Obama is teaming up today with former President George H.W. Bush, to promote the cause of community service at Texas A&M University. The event at the conservative school will also be protested by the college chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas. "I actually did get an invitation," said chapter chairman Justin Pullman, age 19, "but I had to decline due to our protest."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will depart from San Francisco at 12:35 p.m. ET, arriving in Houston at 3:55 p.m. ET. He will attend a Point of Light Forum at Texas A&M University, at 5:50 p.m. ET, hosted by former President George H.W. Bush. He will depart from Houston at 8:25 p.m. ET, arriving back at the White House at 11:15 p.m. ET.

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Topics: ACORN, Afghanistan, Barack Obama, George H. W. Bush, Harry Reid, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, NV-SEN, Pres '12, Roundup

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 1, 2009, 8:57AM

WaPo: Obama May Have To Seek GOP Support On Afghanistan
The Washington Post says that the emerging Democratic opposition to a heavily increased troop presence in Afghanistan could put President Obama in an awkward situation: "The emerging Democratic position could compel Obama, whose domestic agenda is facing stiff Republican criticism in Congress, to rely on those same opposition lawmakers for support if he decides to send more combat troops to Afghanistan."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will deliver remarks at a 1:50 p.m. ET fundraiser for the Democratic Governors Association. He will meet at 3:30 p.m. ET with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and at 4 p.m. ET with Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner. He will depart form the White House at 6:35 p.m. ET, headed to Copenhagen, Denmark, to lobby for the 2016 Olympics to be held in Chicago.

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Topics: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Climate Change, John McCain, Karl Rove, Mike Pence, Mitt Romney, Olympics, Pres '12, Sarah Palin, Sherrod Brown, Stimulus

Values Voter Summit

The Values Voter Summit: A Celebration Of The "Religious Right"

Eric Kleefeld | September 21, 2009, 12:57PM

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR)

The Values Voter Summit concluded over the weekend, showcasing the religious right (and more on the proper usage of that label later on) and its fervent opposition to President Obama.

Mike Huckabee won the presidential straw poll, a key test of religious right voters, but it was with a weak plurality in a very divided field: Huckabee 29%, followed by Mitt Romney Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin and Mike Pence, all with about 12% each. That said, it's natural in some ways that the GOP should have no obvious frontrunner at this point in the cycle, and this isn't really a huge problem -- but don't mistake these numbers for a major Huck win.

Huckabee was obviously a big hit, and really did play into the worldview of good versus evil. For example, he besmirched the very motives and patriotism of their political enemies, and of those who tell the the GOP to be less conservative and more moderate: "I'm not sure the center makes a whole lot of sense when it's coming from people who certainly don't have our interest, or our country's interest, at heart."

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Topics: Mike Huckabee, Mike Pence, Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Values Voter Summit

Joe Wilson

New GOP Meme On Joe Wilson: Obama Started It!

Eric Kleefeld | September 16, 2009, 11:36AM

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

An interesting new pattern has emerged from some Republicans. Both during and after yesterday's House admonishment of Rep. Joe Wilson's (R-SC) outburst of "You lie!" during President Obama's speech to Congress, GOP House members have been emerging to say that it was Obama who started the breach of decorum.

• After the vote was taken, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) declared on the House floor that Obama had insulted Congress, by saying that his opponents were lying about his health care proposals. "He comes in here talking about a lie ... He says we're making wild claims," said Gohmert. "That's no way to act when you're invited into somebody else's house."

It's interesting to see Gohmert take such a sudden interest in the gentlemanly etiquette of the House, considering how he too was heckling Obama during the speech -- albeit through the silent display of a sign, rather than shouting out:

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Topics: Joe Wilson, Louie Gohmert, Mike Pence, Steve King

Health Care

Wasserman-Schultz Schools Mike Pence on the Public Option

Brian Beutler | August 31, 2009, 6:42PM

On CNBC earlier today, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) gave Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) a lesson in the health care policy.

Republicans are fond of the line of critique which holds that employers will take advantage of the creation of a public option to drop their insurance coverage and pay the penalty, "forcing" their employees into the public option. To do this, they often cite a flawed study by the Lewin Group--a research center owned by the giant insurer Wellpoint.

But as Wasserman-Schultz articulates, that's not how the policy is set up. If employers drop their coverage, they'll have to pay into insurance exchanges, where their employees will be able to shop around for insurance plans, including, perhaps, but certainly not limited to, a public option.

Somehow, though, I doubt Pence will take this simple policy lesson to heart.

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Topics: Health Care, Mike Pence, Public Option

Barack Obama

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | June 13, 2009, 1:01PM

Obama Proposes New Savings On Health Care, To Pay For Reform
In his weekly Presidential YouTube Address, President Obama argued that health care reform must be done quickly. And to help in this effort, he announced that he will save $313 billion in various areas, to go for paying the short-term costs of reform:

"These savings will come from commonsense changes," said Obama. "For example - if more Americans are insured, we can cut payments that help hospitals treat patients without health insurance. If the drug makers pay their fair share, we can cut government spending on prescription drugs. And if doctors have incentives to provide the best care instead of more care, we can help Americans avoid the unnecessary hospital stays, treatments, and tests that drive up costs."

Pence: Dem Energy Plan A "Declaration Of War" On Families
In this weekend's Republican address, Rep Mike Pence (R-IN) lambasted the Democratic proposals for a cap-and-trade program:

"This national energy tax amounts to an economic declaration of war on America's families, small businesses and family farms. The American people know we can do better," Pence said.