Obama To Dems: GOP Will Attack Regardless Of How You Vote

In a final push to get health care reform through the House of Representatives, President Barack Obama warned lawmakers on Saturday that a vote against the legislation would not immunize them from Republican attacks.

The president, according multiple attendees, played the role of political prognosticator during his roughly 30 minute address before Democratic caucus members on Capitol Hill. Addressing, implicitly, those conservative Democrats who are worried about voting for a nearly trillion dollar health care overhaul, he insisted that they would not be safe from partisan attacks even if they opposed the bill.

"He certainly talked about the politics and he said that the Republicans want us to fail and no one should feel if they as a Democrat helped us to fail that they would be [free of their attacks]," said Rep. Henry Waxman, chair of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.

"None of you can expect the Republicans not to go after you if you vote against this bill," Waxman continued, channeling the president. "They want this bill to go down for their own partisan reasons."

Another high-ranking Democratic Hill staffer briefed on the meeting put it this way: "Obama's main message was that the GOP won't go any easier on you if you vote against the bill. It's a tough vote, yes, but they're going to take heat either way."

While politics took up much of the discussion, policy took up very little. Obama, according to several lawmakers, did not talk about the public option or the controversial amendment to make abortion restrictions much tighter. He discussed, primarily, the momentous nature of the vote and the need for the party to be on history's right side.

"This is the moment," said Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) That this is what we all went into politics for, that this was a historic moment, that seven presidents have tried to pass health care and haven't done it, and that this was a moment like civil rights or Social Security or Medicare."

In particular, Obama singled out Rep. John Dingell -- the longest serving member of the House -- who, on Saturday, presided over chamber for first time since the 1965 House vote to pass Medicare.

"He thanked all the chairs [of the committees involved in developing the health care bill]," said Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y). "He thanked all leadership and he mentioned specifically John Dingell."

By the meeting's end, the vast majority of the attending lawmakers seemed confident of health care reform's passage -- though certainly there is the potential for flare-ups as the abortion amendment introduced by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) comes to consideration.

"We are feeling pretty optimistic that we can defeat this," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a primary opponent of the amendment.

"Democracy is not pretty but it works," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), another opponent of the Stupak amendment. "I was here in 1993 when the ship went down," she said, referencing the Clinton administration's failed attempt to pass health reform. "This thing isn't going down."

Comments

[CaliGrown78]

It's about time he realized playing kissy face with the "can'ts" is never gonna be the answer with that being said I wish they would ALL realize that it's not about partisan hackery it's about doing the work of the people. They spend so much time trying to rub each others noses into $h!t & the only people who really wind up getting the stink is the American public.

[UNCLEJOE]

I understand, maybe MEDICARE benefits for seniors will be cut back due to the government's financial crisis.

This would be a serious infringement of the Social Security System which is Not a US Treasury asset, but independent of the US Government revenues in spite of the fact that President Lyndal Johnson passed a Resolution to combine Social security contributions (renamed Worker's Taxes) with Government Revenues as Unitary Revenues, in an effort to disguise the fact that he was using SS Surplus funds to finance his Tonkin Bay excuse to fght the Tet Offensive.

The SS Surplus funds today are $6.4 Trillion in US Government T-BILLS to be used exclusively for SS beneficiaries including the Baby Boomers.

Medicare is an integrated part of the SS System since 1970 and not a part of the US Treasury, despite the mis-leading UNITARY revenue terminology adopted by Congress.

Cutting back the Medicare befits arbitrarily, is the first step toward dismantling the SS System and disavowing the US Treasury's SS debt of $6.4 Trillion to be repaid by Income Taxes..

If we allow any administration to arbitrarily cut back SS benefits, then we can say good bye to the SS System and senior Citizen's pensions.

The core Republicans will never quit trying to destroy FDR's SOCIAL SECURITY safety net for the working Middle Class' retirement.

[GoodFeathers]

From the picture, it looks like the prez and Pelosi are in an elevator alone. Michelle should be worried.

[AxelDC]

If he dumped Michelle for Nancy, we should all be worried about him.

[TXfemmom]

We saw the true nature of the Republicans during this term and about all issues, but especially about health care. They truly hate Americans. Not a word was said during the deficit run up and debt run up during the Bush administration. Even before the economy collapsed last fall, and let's face it, Paulson and Bernanke and Bush were trying to nurse it along just to get through the election, knowing it couldn't last much longer, there was a $1 TRILLION dollar deficit predicted, but the Republicans were still playing the same old toons during the elections in 2008.

Then, they turned into the nastiness we saw during the health care debate during the summer, egging on their hate-filled teabaggers and anti-reform people. Their actions on health care would kill twenty or thiry times as many Americans each year as what we saw in the Towers, but they claimed to be saving us from communism, socialism, and terrorism all rolled into one. One has to be either very stupid or down right nasty and mean to believe that. I tend to believe that the ones at the top are the latter and the followers a mixture of all of the above.

[Eris23Skidoo]

Yeah, funny how they want to "hold on to American values" when it comes to actually HELPing Americans with something vital like health care. But when it comes to encroaching on our freedoms, they had no compunction about "American values" when they overwhelmingly and stupidly voted for the Patriot Act (Pretense). I think they value our ability to rip one another off more than our values of freedom, liberty, etc.

[ToastMan]

Explain why. I'd like to read your opinion. Thx

[kalithiotis]

Did you vote for him?.....If not why should he give a damn about what you have to say?

[coveark]

I emailed my Rep D Mike Ross and told him he was an @$$ and look out in the next election.

Lets keep telling our senators at every turn what we expect from them !!

[UNCLEJOE]

I believe that the President realizes that this vote was not about health care but about reelecting Obama for the second term. If this bill fails to pass in the Senate, the Republicans will focus on Obama's failures with the economy, the Afghan War and the failure to pass the health care bill. Obama has kept a low profile because he did not want the Republicans to use Obama as a socialist advocating affordable and government subsidized health care for 97% of Americans. Obama is looking toward the Senators who he has to smooze with to get the non filibuster 60 votes to pass in the Senate. I believe his mother's anxiety over medical bills is still with him. Obama is playing it cool.

As much as I disagree with the bank bailouts and his Afghan Surge, I am all the more a supporter of Obama. Look at the historical mess Buh left to him?

[Roses]

Very well said.....I agree with you completely.

[Binkycat]

I agree -- would love for someone to explain to me what the Republican health care plan is. I seriously think alot of this retort IS NOT about health care but more about a man of color in the Oval Office.

[Eris23Skidoo]

Their plan is to retake congress. That's the sum total of their plan.

[BillN]

We need to be in the republican's face at every moment about this, reminding them of the opportunity they had from 1994 to 2006, to fix these social problems themselves.

The fact that they didn't should be a clear indicator to everyone with common sense, that republicans do not care about ordinary working class Americans. They care only about furthering the agendas of their corporate masters, and their filthy rich enablers. The knowledge that they spent literally millions of dollars fighting this legislation speaks volumes to this fact.

In my home state, signs have been strategically placed on the lawns of abandoned homes (those with the "For Sale" signs and the foreclosure notices on the windows) that say, "Republicans Did This" in bold print, and in smaller print below, "...remember this when you vote in 2010."

We need to keep this message going in a loud and clear fashion so that all voters are constantly reminded of this fact.

The right-wing fringe in this country are counting on the rest of us to forget, over time, everything their party did to tear down this country during their "contract with America" period. They believe that they will, once again, be able to sway the low-information voter into voting them back into control of our government.

That must never happen again.

[klbrz]

Good stuff. But I have wondered why he doesn't discuss his mother's experience more. It's a perfect and very personal example of what's wrong with our health care situation (ironically, it happened not long after the Clintons were trying their hands at this very battle), and I would be willing to bet most people don't know about it. Perhaps he doesn't want to use or seem to be taking political advantage of her memory, but I doubt she would mind; and as he has said, the Rs will attack no matter what.

[coveark]

I had mentioned on one comment and what I got back was doubt that it ever happened.

Perhaps it is just too personal and sad.......­.....writi­ng is much more emotionally distant then speaking..­..........­...I think she would be so proud of him.............she put so much into him that has been a blessing to us as a people.

[ExFatoFides]

I am asking God to help me not be hateful. This health care debate has lead me to the most acrimonious - partisan and angry part of what I consider a Progressive mindset. I live with a conservative who had no facts about the health care bill, but because he is culturally a member of the Christian Right he was convinced that storm-troopers would descend on emergency rooms all across America.

This is not a perfect bill, some think its terrible. This country has a monkey on its back. I have Hope, but I have no innovative ideas about what we are going to do about this "moral majority". A third of them want the world to end so the rapture can begin, another third are jealous of the future, and another third plays the former two-thirds.

[coveark]

I do not envy your position..­..........­.....

I felt that I was a lone progressive in a land of dunderheads but have found that I was wrong.....­..........­.......

The thing is as I have advised others....­......foll­ow your heart , your mind and your spirit....­..........­.....this is where the still small voice is and you know what is the correct way.

I cannot understand why those who try to holler others down do not seem to realize that they are simply being told by others what to think or believe.

Youcannot expect your preacher, teacher, mate , parents whatever, to think for you.........they will if you let them.

You have to do and think what is right for you and it sounds like your thinking is right on........­..........­.....

I think those waiting for the rapture, Armageddon, etc will end their days waiting...­.......tha­t is how it has always been.

Your explanation of the "MORAL MAJORITY" was interestin­g.........­..........­....I do not think they are moral.

[IDIOTA]

The president's speech on race in 2008 was the greatest political speech I've heard in my life. It was fresh, powerful, thoughtful and eloquent. But he is not so eloquent in explaining his position on health care. For example, why is a public option a "sliver" of heath care reform? Oh, wait -- I know the answer.

[StormWarrior]

Thank you President Obama.

[IDIOTA]

I'm not impressed with the President's last minute efforts to rally his party to vote for garbage.

[diogeron]

Well, I AM impressed since this is the first time health care reform to provide universal coverage has passed the House or Senate in the 200 plus years since this nation has been in existence. That's no mean feat, especially given the $ and lobbying power of the insurance lobby, not to mention the fact that one party chose to side 100% with the insurance lobby.

[kimk3]

Except that this isn't reform, not is it universal. It is forcing us to pay for private health insurance, with co-pays (as high as they want), high deductibles, denial of services. -- even if they can't deny for pre-existing conditions. This is a coup d'etat for the medical industrial complex who will make trillions and we will not get any better health care than we have now. And probably worse, since prices for everything will go up.

[TKI]

time and place for everything--when at the poll, you fight as hell; but, when on the throne, you govern

[Americanium]

Is this from his lessons learned file??

I hope so.......

For a very long time I was sending the same message to the President. Hugging the GOP with bipartisan entreaties will not immune you from their attacks and you ignored it until the little plant had grown into a giant oak.

I hope that you have learned that lesson..Mr President.

[GiannaX]

The President wears "a velvet glove around a steel fist".

[IDIOTA]

I guess it makes the fisting easier

[Citizen-Jane]

LOL

[mizani]

You and Ann Coulter sure are obsessed with fisting.

[Winston120]

Will the real Obama please stand up?

For a guy who crtiicized lack of transparency in DC it is ironic (a nice word) that he is mostly having critical conversations "in private" and "off the record".

What a weak character. We elected this weak, "i'll jump on the winning side" consensus builder.

[ClearingtheAir2010]

Just because the President doesn't have a helmet-cam strapped to his head doesn't mean he isn't be transparent.

If you read the article, then you are now informed as to what was said.

What else do you want? Maybe you should have wiretapped the chambers.

[me1cagen]

No, I think deliberations on C-Span (LIKE HE PROMISSED) and posting the bill for review online ala HR 3200 (LIKE HE PROMISSED) would have been sufficient

[rosiebond007]

Au contrare mademoiselle - this man has VISION which is why he is more difficult for most people to understand.

We need healthcare reform - we are the laughing stock of the rest of the world for our VERY POOR HEALTHCARE.

Nolw is the time - be a part of it.

[marxmarv]

I want nothing to do with his center-right vision.

[logologic]

Your response is laughable! One of Obama's main goals was to pass a health-care bill like this. It took amazing strength to do that -- not the petty weakness you describe. Like so many birthers, tea baggers and Repuglicans, you construe pathetic straw-man arguments to make your points.

The case you cite: the man gave a pep-talk to the Democratic caucus on the day of an important bill. That does not make him weak of character. Your vision is so myopic that you can't see the giant events around you!

[jupiterII]

If using logic and subtle but firm strength to slowly cause capitulation is now viewed as weak then many Americans need a massive history lesson. This era of "No Fear", Fox style saber rattling must end and silent powerful negotiation must once again overcome emotional outbursts of total macho illogic. That kind of governing is exactly what the educated public voted against when voting for Obama. We have much work to do to ever begin to actually become the nation our constitution outlines.

[beproductive]

Oh, please. Do you think that's what transparency means? That there are no private conversations among like-minded people to develop strategy? Come on.

[me1cagen]

That's pretty much exactly what it means, but clearly you lost the key point that it is business as usual, regardless of who is there and what is being legislated. EXCEPT, he was voted for by people who thought they were actually going to get what they voted for.

[vandegrasse]

Let's give credit where credit is due. Nancy Pelosi is the one who fought trench warfare and brought this baby kicking and screaming into the world! Bravo Nancy!

[marxmarv]

With multiple birth defects so profound we'll all be supporting it at great expense throughout its life, no thanks to right-wing D partisans. Two-party dupes.