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Emanuel on Health Care: It Might Just Be Us Dems
Rachel Slajda | August 19, 2009, 8:53AM
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
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White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel tells the New York Times that the administration may be giving up on finding a bipartisan way to pass health care reform.
"The Republican leadership has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama's health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day," he said.
Some Republicans, such as Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ), have suggested their party won't support any bill.
"There is no way that Republicans are going to support a trillion-dollar-plus bill," Kyl said. "I have no doubt that they can make it revenue neutral to find enough ways to tax the American people, but that doesn't mean the Republicans will support it."
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the chief GOP negotiator on the Senate Finance Committee, has said he won't vote for a bill without wide Republican support.
And the Republican National Committee has attacked co-ops, a concession some Democrats are willing to make instead of pushing the public option.
Late update: Press Secretary Robert Gibbs denies that President Obama has given up on bipartisanship.
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ru4862
August 19, 2009 9:14 AM
Shock! What planet is this White House on? I guess being called socialists, Prime Minister and Nazi wasn't enough sway for the white house. Rahm and Obama are truly two peas in a pod.
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El Puerco
August 19, 2009 9:31 AM in reply to ru4862
Or better, to paraphrase Barney Frank: "What planet does the White House spend most of its time on?"
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ru4862
August 19, 2009 9:48 AM in reply to El Puerco
LMFAO....true.
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VivaAmerica!
August 19, 2009 9:34 AM in reply to ru4862
Wait, I thought Rahm was this cunning mastermind with a tendency to be an asshole. Now he's being called clueless?
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Fighting Bill
August 19, 2009 9:45 AM in reply to ru4862
Well gee, why not think for a minute what the White House has stockpiled here? Can it be any more obvious that this is a "don't shoot til you see the whites of their eyes" strategy?
They have compiled hours of incriminating video tape to run as needed in the 2010 elections, from all the Republican "luminaries", spewing obstructionist and traitorous rancor. They have ugly footage of angry, ignorant "ordinary citizens" spewing hate, racism and obvious falsehoods, and carrying assault rifles to boot. They have gone WAY out of the way to float every possible concession, knowing that the Republicans wouldn't budge and would take the bait. They now have a clear field to do Health Care reform with a Public Option and with all of the ingredients that will give it the best chance to succeed.
And this has been done, in part, to provide cover for Max Baucus, Ben Nelson and their ilk in the Senate so that they can help us reach 60 votes to deny the filibuster and then vote as needed on a final bill that contains a public option. If their votes are needed to reach the majority, Blue Dogs have the cover of having fought the good fight to slow this down, which will help them in their conservative states. (Read Kevin Sack's piece in the NY Times from a couple of days ago about Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas to better understand why this is such an important component of the strategy.)
Remember when Rahm Emmanuel scolded activists a few weeks ago about running ads against Ben Nelson and other Blue Dogs? It was because the strategy was long since in operation: any Obama operation excels at counting and does their homework. They had to figure out a way to solve the Democratic votes in both the House and the Senate, and create a mechanism for centrists and Blue Dogs to get on board. And boy, the Republicans have fallen for this, hook, line and sinker. Charles Grassley, for one, could be reading from scripts written by David Plouffe and David Axelrod--perfect campaign fodder for 2010.
Do you think Obama and his crew got to where they are by being emotional and reactive? No, they outsmart people by always taking the long view. I suspected this is what they've been up to, and for me it was confirmed earlier this week by the big grin on Howard Dean's face when he made the rounds of morning and evening shows to insist that everything's on track, and again last night by the serene Mona Lisa smile on the face of Linda Douglass as she calmly endured Ed Schultz's interrogating rant.
This is Obama's way of doing business. I think his record speaks for itself.
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DavisDem
August 19, 2009 10:01 AM in reply to Fighting Bill
I hope you're right and I am inclined to think that the Obama crew has a plan. I'm not sure having Dean going on TV to lay out the plan makes sense because it would seem to reduce the cover for Blue Dogs, but perhaps he did that on his own.
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Big River Bandido
August 19, 2009 11:10 AM in reply to DavisDem
Dean is outside the Administration and can operate independently, which is an advantage that can be called upon when needed.
As for the Blue Dogs, Dean was all sweetness and light toward them on Scarborough. Made it a point to say that healthcare reform must have a broad political and geographic base and that with Republicans out of the picture, the Democrats need the Blue Dogs in the House to make the bill palatable to their constituencies, and thus the country at large. According to Dean, the Blue Dogs forced concessions that actually improved the bill, particularly vis-a-vis various small business provisions. He also said that much of what the Blue Dogs had done to improve the bill was not publicly known. Whether all this is true or not, it's clear that he was stroking the Blue Dogs to keep them on board.
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wyt
August 19, 2009 11:20 AM in reply to DavisDem
Dean is operating as a sort of shadow government within the Democratic Party. That is, he's a leader of the loyal opposition. (The Republicans, by contrast, are the traitorous opposition.) He also, of course, has many active contacts within the Congress. So he's not just speaking for himself, and he's certainly not speaking for the Chicago clique within the Whitehouse.
This is not a bad thing.
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Virginia
August 19, 2009 10:33 AM in reply to Fighting Bill
Thanks, FB, for speaking some sense to the commentators here who seem to think they're so much smarter than the smartest politician of his generation.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
August 19, 2009 10:36 AM in reply to Fighting Bill
Plan? Bah! Everything little action of the White House filters out to the Internet in the form of some little nugget of news on a blog exists in perfect isolation from all of the other nuggets of news. The people in the White House never talk to each other, never plan, never implement any kind of strategy involving more than one step. (Except, possibly for their big secret plot to sell us out to big corporations). They never, in fact, do anything on the basis of motives that cannot be easily, readily and simplistically discerned by liberal bloggers and commenters from within the four corners of each little isolated nugget of news that filters out to the Internet and distilled into a shreiking Drudgified headline on HuffPo.
Mutter mutter Obama worshippers grumble gripe sneer 3-D chess grumble gripe sell out mutter mutter Hillary.
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mjshep
August 19, 2009 10:57 AM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
Further, mutter, mutter, grumble, arghh, mutter, mutter, umph, mutter.
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mjshep
August 19, 2009 10:54 AM in reply to Fighting Bill
Yep.
Some, especially those on the right, have called Obama snake oil salesman. I've always thought he was more like a rope salesman. And he's not just selling rope, he's giving it away, and it seems that Republicans have been greedily snatching it up.
Well, like the old saying, give them enough rope...
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jeffgee
August 19, 2009 11:01 AM in reply to mjshep
And you have rope-a-dope.
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Guy Behind the Guy
August 19, 2009 9:16 AM
President Obama could come out for the elimination of the income tax, a constitutional amendment striking "A well regulated militia," and the posting of the ten commandments on every street corner, and he would be resisted every step of the way by the Rs just so that he fails. It is time to take away their seats at the table.
And by the way, why isn't every Congressman reacting like Barney Frank? Where are the national ad's featuring Candidate McCain talking about the necessity of health care reform to cheering crowds?
Reconciliation exists, just like the filibuster exists. There is nothing dirty about using it.
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JohnAH
August 19, 2009 9:23 AM
Obama needs to outline just how extensively he has tried to work with the Republicans on health care and detail how they have offered nothing other than "NO", lies, more lies and protection for the insurance companies. Then proclaim that given that this nation MUST have reform of our health care industry and the Republicans simply won't participate, that they are going to be 100% excluded from any and all future discussions and will be simply ignored.
The American People elected a huge number of Democrats this past year; it's time to act as if the minority party is the minority party for a reason! Most American's aren't interested in what they have to offer at this point no mater how vocal and passionate a small number of conservatives are.
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AnswerFrog
August 19, 2009 9:23 AM
The "Party of No" would at this point vote against their own mothers, oxygen and the 24-hour day.
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mjshep
August 19, 2009 10:59 AM in reply to AnswerFrog
You've got a point about the 24 hour day. I've been against it from the beginning.
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Tom Wells
August 19, 2009 9:27 AM
And Rahm cares more about Rahm than anything else.
Rahm is the one selling out progressives.
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decisivemoment
August 19, 2009 9:41 AM
This is good. The Obama Administration has tried, in good faith, to negotiate with Republicans, and they, in visibly bad faith, have spat in the face of anyone who favors health care reform. It's the Republicans against America, and people will see it for what it is -- first when the reform is passed, and then hopefully again once it works.
And now the Republicans are going to get the full Emanuel. Let's also hope they get the full treatment on Capitol Hill, with a better bill forced through on reconciliation if necessary, and then let's see in five years time if any Republican dares to vote not to renew it.
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JohnAH
August 19, 2009 10:07 AM in reply to decisivemoment
I hope that is the way the White House and the Dems go forward. It's probably the only positive way forward so I truly hope you are right!
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Tom Betz
August 19, 2009 10:58 AM in reply to decisivemoment
There's nothing dirty about using reconciliation, but there's something impermanent about it.
The reason the Bush tax cuts expire next year is because the Republicans used reconciliation to pass them. That's how Senate rules are written. Would you want health insurance reform to expire in ten years after passage?
Neither does the President.
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conniptionfit
August 19, 2009 9:42 AM
Pot calling out kettle, much?
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Joshua the Teacher
August 19, 2009 9:43 AM
Go it alone, Mr. President!! To the GOP, bipartisan means giving them everything they want, and then having them vote against it. They aren't worth the time!
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Deep Brain Diarist
August 19, 2009 9:59 AM
Gee. You don't suppose that all the recent talk about ditching the PO was a PLOY? A POKER GAME BLUFF? A successful attempt to get the GOP to show its CARDS? That no matter WHAT kind of reasonable options the Dems present, they'll vote AGAINST it? And now, having seen the GOP's cards, the Dems can go to the American people and say, convincingly, "Golly! And we SO wanted to work WITH them on this. Oh well. We'll do it without them..."
Or would that be too... political?
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
August 19, 2009 10:40 AM in reply to Deep Brain Diarist
Mutter grumble Obama worshippers grumble sneer 3-D chess grumble gripe sell out mutter mutter primaries.
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richgee
August 19, 2009 9:59 AM
It's all strategy. These guys aren't stupid.
Obama offers up the opportunity for the Republicans to help out, they turn it down at many junctures, Obama gives in a little more and VOILA - they turn it down again.
They've played right into Obama's hands - he now can spend his time pressuring the reluctant Dems and get this passed ASAP.
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JohnAH
August 19, 2009 10:20 AM in reply to richgee
If this is what the White House was doing the whole time and it works then do we need to have a special ceremony to give Obama the title of a Jedi Night or can only Bill "I am Bullet Proof" Clinton bestow that title upon him?
FYI - The "I am Bullet Proof" reference is from a great SNL skit right after the impeachment process ended. Darrel Hammond as Clinton walked out into the Rose Garden for a press conference and in perfect Darrell Hammond Clinton simply says "I am Bullet Proof" with the thumb up and the lip bite and then turns around and walks away. I know Clinton never said it but it is stuck in my memory and I'll never forget it.
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fnord12
August 19, 2009 10:30 AM in reply to richgee
If that's true, then what about this:
President Obama's advisers acknowledged Tuesday that they were unprepared for the intraparty rift that occurred over the fate of a proposed public health insurance program, a firestorm that has left the White House searching for a way to reclaim the initiative on the president's top legislative priority.
...
"I don't understand why the left of the left has decided that this is their Waterloo," said an anonymous senior White House adviser. "We've gotten to this point where health care on the left is determined by the breadth of the public option. I don't understand how that has become the measure of whether what we achieve is health-care reform."
Doesn't look to me like it's all part of a strategy. Seems like they are bumbling around, and they don't even understand what the important aspects of this reform are about.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
August 19, 2009 10:51 AM in reply to fnord12
Or, you know, possibly they were initially expecting liberals to look at the entire picture, consider whether all the other things in the bill are in themselves necessary and worthwhile rather than mindlessly grab onto simplistic bumper sticker litmus tests of ideological purity the way Republicans do. In hindsight, they clearly did give us too much credit at the start.
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agio
August 19, 2009 12:52 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
Simplistic bumper sticker perhaps, but I don't see how else the skyrocketing cost of insurance can be contained.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
August 19, 2009 10:45 AM in reply to richgee
Grumble gripe sneer 3-D chess . . .
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AnswerFrog
August 19, 2009 10:02 AM
Is this the sound of the Baucus-Grasshole bullshit balloon losing air?
I think Baucus' bullshit game is being revealed. Grasshole has outed himself as Glenn Beck deather, meanwhile Kyl thankfully said out loud that the GOP will just oppose anything.
Time's up Baucus. Who the fuck are you still negotiating with?
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MAX TARDCORE
August 19, 2009 11:08 AM in reply to AnswerFrog
You rang? Are you from AETNA, Humana... Industry panel?
Wire it into my Swiss account.
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henk
August 19, 2009 10:04 AM
Conniptio: I agree totally.
Rahm is one of them. Look at this, he says, "...solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day,"
Insurance problems? Do they think that is the issue, getting insurance? They want everyone to have Insurance and they don't care how they get there or the quality of the care they get, the cost of the care they get? I thought we were fighting for a better HEALTH CARE system.
In the Washington Post they quote and anonymous White House adviser as saying "they were very surprised that the Left of the Left saw the defeat of the Public option as their "Waterloo." I thought the Public option is what it was all about!
They/Rahm is clueless. He needs to go.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
August 19, 2009 11:18 AM in reply to henk
You got all that out of those ten words? Impressive.
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traitorjoe
August 19, 2009 10:08 AM
If Obama pulls off the public option after the MSM went batshit for the town hall crazies as representative of the public's "real" opinion this will be the greatest coup since his election.
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AnswerFrog
August 19, 2009 10:11 AM
Listen to Dr. Dean:
http://www.onpointradio.org/2009/08/the-public-option-debate
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crenelle
August 19, 2009 10:18 AM
We're just starting to see more cogent suggestions in print from the conservative camp, so the process continues. To tell you the truth, a couple of the suggestions are good ones. The one where everyone gives up their right to go to court in regards to matters medical is one of their suggestions, but it will likely not gain any traction with reps who work for less wealthy patients.
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RuperttheBear
August 19, 2009 10:20 AM
YAH THINK!??
Jeebus.
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traitorjoe
August 19, 2009 10:21 AM
"... The suggestions are good ones?" Do not agree and who will listen after they've incited the guns and God crowd to violence and threats?
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Lalo35adm
August 19, 2009 10:25 AM
He said the same EXACT thing a month or to ago. Helped so much back then.
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pmb50
August 19, 2009 10:33 AM
Gee no shit Rahm you just figured that out. Where you under a rock for the stimulus debate and everytime the republicans bashed your skull in
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traitorjoe
August 19, 2009 10:37 AM
Just a guess, but maybe Rahm was held on a leash by Obama who said, "let's give them a chance to be reasonable." We all know how that turned out. Agree Obama waited way too long to fight back, but I think letting Rahm out of the cage is a smart move.
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pmb50
August 19, 2009 10:41 AM
Rahm also discovered that sex feels good. This is Obama's bulldog?
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Sorklin
August 19, 2009 10:53 AM
I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
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obamaman
August 19, 2009 11:01 AM
whether it was part of some chess game or not, the Repubs have all revealed themselves as opposing any reform, even when Obama offers the possibility of removing a public option.
So now we can finally move on with a real reform bill without the need for any bs "bipartisan" support. Someone tell Baucus' secret committee of six that their services will no longer be needed.
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Tarrant
August 19, 2009 11:04 AM
I'd like to think that there was a strategy here, to get Republicans to admit there is nothing they'll compromise on, then go it alone.
But then I think, it's not like this was the first bill this Congress that was watered down to "compromise" with Republicans, who then voted against it en masse anyway.
The Cap-and-Trade bill, for example, was watered down significantly in order to appease Republicans that ended up voting against it anyway in the House.
A compromise if only a compromise if in the end both parties are willing to say "Well, it isn't perfect, but we both had to give a little and we both got a little" and they shake hands and vote for it. If someone demands concessions from you, you grant them, and then the other person says "HAHAHA! I watered it down!" and doesn't vote for it, you may as well have done what you wanted to do in the first place because you gave up something for nothing.
But that requires a line in the sand, and it hasn't seemed like that's been very important so far.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
August 19, 2009 12:25 PM in reply to Tarrant
Cap and trade was watered down to appease Blue Dog Democrats, some of whom voted for it.
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nellieh
August 19, 2009 11:29 AM
Rahm should get his head out of his ass. To claim the Republicans will not support a health bill sounds to me as if he hasn't been paying attention to what has been happening or said by Republicans for weeks and not just today! Where the hell has he been? He certainly hasn't helped the Democratic cause by having to backtrack on a statement made about a month ago! If he was a decent CoS he would be getting recalcitrant Senators to toe the line by threats if necessary. He isn't part of the Democrats solution, he is part of the problem. Did the Republicans have ANY problem passing legislation without a super majority? Hell no! They just told the Democrats to go sit in the back, submit no ammendments and we'll tell you when it is time to vote and it doesn't matter how. Remember Nuclear Option?" Remember how they opposed the Stimulus? And took credit for the money when it arrived in their States? They will do the same when Health Care is passed. The Democrats should emulate the Republican Congress and just pass the goddamn bill with everything in they proposed during the past election from Single Payer to anything else. RECONCILIATION! Just turn the table on the Republicans! They will not offer anything or vote for5 anything!
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
August 19, 2009 12:34 PM in reply to nellieh
Jeebus! I don't understand why this is so hard for people to grasp. High public officials don't just say shit to the New York Times to be saying it. He's not saying this because he's received some sudden prophetic vision from God that he felt the need to go shout from the mountaintops.
He's saying it because they want to get the MSM reporting the fact that, after the Democrats bent over backwards and kissed their own asses in the interest of obtaining the holy bipartisanship so revered, so treasured, by the MSM, the Republicans have now finally, on the record in in plain terms, made it clear that there is no possibility that bipartisanship can be achieved.
That's the story that has to get pushed, both to get the MSM's head right on this rather than having them reporting it as liberal Democrats trying to cram a partisan health care plan down the throats of unwilling Americans and to give cover to those Democrats in Congress who still pee in their pants at the thought that Republicans will run mean commercials about them back in their conservative district or state.
Whether by accident or design, Grassley, Kyl and the RNC have all made statments in the last two days that make it possible to push that meme out without getting any obtuse "well who says bipartisanship isn't possible?" questions from the White House press corp.
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rb6
August 19, 2009 2:29 PM
As a tactical matter I think the White House wants to be clear that it is the other side that has given up on bipartisanship. They are not going to make any direct statement to the contrary.
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