The Call: Health Care and What’s Next
This week’s podcast features Jay, Kate and Michael discussing the politics of health reform and what will happen after its pivotal test on Sunday. Enjoy:
This week’s podcast features Jay, Kate and Michael discussing the politics of health reform and what will happen after its pivotal test on Sunday. Enjoy:
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
—Kate explains the latest CBO score and where health reform stands as of now on the Hill. She hears Speaker Pelosi is “feeling ultra bullish.”
–Whip Clyburn sounds confident as well.
–The final vote will likely take place sometime after 2 pm Sunday.
–The San Francisco Chronicle …
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–Democrats just released preliminary CBO numbers on the last health care tweaks: $940 billion price tag, deficit reduction by $130 billion in the first decade and $1.2 trillion in the second 10 years. That squares with their goals and — assuming the Rules markup goes smoothly, they have …
I’ve said many times the current anti-Washington mood makes congressional incumbents act like they’ve never been there before. Nowhere is this more apparent than in carefully staged campaign ads. But Blanche Lincoln is taking a slightly different tack in her latest TV spot, hoping her recent ascent to the chair of the Senate Agriculture …
Marjorie Margolies, whose career-ending vote Karen recently recounted, describes rock bottom in a Washington Post column addressed to wavering Dems.
I was pressed on all sides: by constituents opposed, my president needing a victory and Republicans promising my demise. I was in the country’s most Republican district represented by a
…
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–As Michael mentioned, the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll (pdf) shows a little movement on health reform opinions in Obama’s favor, but it is mostly consistent with recent surveys showing a nation split on the merits of the plan. Pollster Peter Hart suggests the 21-point enthusiasm …
C-SPAN junkies rejoice — the indispensable cable chroniclers have put just about every minute they’ve ever recorded online with full search functionality. That’s 160,000+ hours going back more than 20 years! Though it will surely be a useful tool for studying history and exposing hypocrisy, we get the added bonus of being able to dig up …
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–As Karen and Jay mentioned, all signs point to Speaker Pelosi using the “self-executing rule” to deem the Senate health care bill passed without a full vote on anything but the reconciliation package of fixes. House Dems really don’t want to have an “aye” for the Senate bill’s warts on …
Photo courtesy of Ben Nelson’s office
–After so many months of vitriolic debate and soap-operatic drama, one might be skeptical when they hear this is the week health reform faces its ultimate test. But it is. House markup of the reconciliation package is scheduled to begin at 3 pm today. The final CBO score is forthcoming. The …
We’ve got a new feature here on Swampland. It’s a weekly podcast where you get to listen in to a few of our reporters talk about the stories they’ve been working on and the highlights of the week. Today’s call features Karen and Kate discussing Arlen Specter’s re-election battle and (of course) everything health care. Enjoy:
Official White House photo by Pete Souza
–President Obama has decided to delay his trip to Asia, originally scheduled to begin March 18, in order to work on health care. He is now slated to depart March 21. The window is still tight; the House has just nine days before he leaves to pass the Senate bill and the final CBO score has …
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–Vice President Biden gave a speech at Tel Aviv University today, a tricky balancing act after Israel’s settlement snub. Laura Rozen highlights five takeaways.
–Former Bush aide Dan Senor is being encouraged to take a run at Gillibrand’s Senate seat in New York, and he’s “seriously …