In the upcoming issue of dead-tree TIME (just $1.99!), I have this update on what lies ahead for Harry Reid, the public and private battles he is waging, and why the Democrats are feeling an even greater urgency to get the job done on health reform.
Bill Clinton
BREAKING NEWS: Bill Clinton Ringtone Mystery Solved
Alas, somewhat disappointingly.
A source close to Bill Clinton confirms that the cellphone call he received while talking to reporters in the Capitol was indeed from the Secretary of State. However, he informs us that the intriguing ringtone we heard this afternoon was a generic jazz one, which the former President picked because, …
Bill Clinton Talks Health Care Lessons with Senate Dems
Former President Bill Clinton was the guest at the Senate Democrats’ weekly policy lunch. The subject: health care. Taking responsibility for the collapse of his attempt to pass health care reform in 1994, Clinton urged the caucus not to waste this opportunity. “I do think it’s good politics to pass this and pass it as soon as you …
Bill Clinton Lobbies the Senate for Health Reform
Jay Newton-Small is preparing a fuller account, but you can hear the audio of his Q and A with reporters here:
(Our audio wizard Caitlin Thompson thinks we should award bonus points to the first Swampland commenter who can identify Hillary’s ringtone on his cell phone.)
UPDATE: Here’s a clip that zeroes in on that mystery ringtone:
Health Care: Hitting the Re-Set Button
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Harry Reid have now formally requested President Obama to address a joint session of Congress:
Our nation is closer than ever to achieving health insurance reform that will lower costs, retain choice, improve quality and expand coverage. We are committed to reaching this goal.
We would
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In the ArenaUncategorized
Overmatched by Events?
This is the silly season among my dear colleagues in the press. We’re at the ugliest stage of the health care sausage-making–and so there are all sorts of dire predictions going around. Of course, the wingnuts are the worst. You can see blog posts with sentences like this almost every fifteen minutes:
Suddenly, six months into his
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Slouching Toward Denver
Billings, Montana
Here’s a dispatch from the road on Obama’s migration west. As I note in the story, Gore made a surprise stop to the floor of the convention in Los Angeles when he arrived that Wednesday to see his daughter speak. Obama is currently not scheduled to set foot in the Pepsi Center but his aides won’t rule out that he …
Bill and Barack Chat
Barack Obama and Bill Clinton chatted over the phone today, dispelling rumors that the former president has been reluctant in his endorsement of Obama. Clinton insiders explained his absence in New Hampshire, saying he wanted to give his wife, the candidate, the spotlight to do the unity event alone. The Obama campaign has said …
Bill Clinton, Your Ears Must Be Burning
The Obama campaign pulled out the big guns today on Bill Clinton, saying his tactics are dirty and beneath him. Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, who has endorsed Obama, fired the first salvo on a conference call arranged by the campaign:
“Because of the larger megaphone that (Bill Clinton) has a former president he needs to be very
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President Clinton in the Thicket
Following last night’s debate, I asked President Clinton this morning: “Is Obama running against you, or Hillary Clinton or both of you?” Forty-two again hit Obama for admiring Republican ideas — a sore spot for Obama who said in last night’s debate that he praised Reagan as a president able to cross the partisan divide NOT …
Hillary Giving Up on the Palmetto State?
Hilary will skip South Carolina most of the week, according to this nice scoop from the New York Observer, in order to campaign in California, Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey and New York, all February 5th states.
The campaign isn’t totally abandoning the South Carolina, apparently Bill and Chelsea will be here tomorrow. But, clearly, …
