White House To Reid: Cut A Deal With Lieberman

Politico reported Monday afternoon that the White House is urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to cut a deal with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) to pass health care reform.

The White House is encouraging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to cut a deal with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), which would mean eliminating the proposed Medicare expansion in the health reform bill, according to an official close to the negotiations.

But Reid is described as so frustrated with Lieberman that he is not ready to sacrifice a key element of the health care bill, and first wants to see the Congressional Budget Office cost analysis of the Medicare buy-in. The analysis is expected early this week.

The White House has denied the report. Senior communications adviser Dan Pfeiffer told Greg Sargent:

"The report is inaccurate. The White House is not pushing Senator Reid in any direction. We are working hand in hand with the Senate Leadership to work through the various issues and pass health reform as soon as possible."

Senate Democrats are holding an unusual caucus meeting at the White House on Tuesday.

Lieberman told Reid this weekend that he would vote against the reform legislation in its current form, objecting to a provision that would expand Medicare. Lieberman backed a Medicare buy-in proposal when he ran for vice president in 2000.

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Comments

[Joe The Nerd Ferraro]

08:33 PM on 12/15/2009

i realize this is really off-topic
I am acting like a stupid spammer

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[socialtalker]

06:57 PM on 12/15/2009

it's now apparently clear that the obamas and rahm emmanuel made a deal with the health insurance companies to deliver up millions of new clients for mandatory health insurance with the govt covering the outlay, giving hundreds of billions if not trillions of dollars to the health insurance industry with weak to no real oversights and absolutely NO relevant price controls

[lazercat2008]

06:19 PM on 12/15/2009

About the only thing right and left can agree on is this lieberho is a creep.

[aonemandog]

04:36 PM on 12/15/2009

All Obama seems to want to do is "cut a deal." He did so with big Pharma, he did so with the bankers, etc. When is he going to stand up and fight for something?

[diak0n0s]

06:43 PM on 12/15/2009

He's got lots of Stimulus money to buy Congressmen and women

You folks don't need to worry about some sort of Health "Reform" bill being passed, not matter what's in it.

[S1m0n]

03:48 PM on 12/15/2009

What's with the huge shadow on the president's face? If that was on the cover of the NY Daily News, the HuffPo would be running pieces calling it a racist hatchet job. Why is it different when the owner's name is 'Arianna' rather than 'Rupert'?

[MarieNat]

03:43 PM on 12/15/2009

I wonder about the source of these stories. The WH denies, but there have been a series of stories blaming Rahm for everything from the administration's surprisingly (to some) hawkish foreign policy to their protection of a lot of Bush-era misdeeds to . . . well, the collapse of health care reform. I think it's BS. Rahm has lots of enemies, I think.

[sixx]

02:11 PM on 12/15/2009

Lieberman is looking for a big payday, go without him.

[serindipity803]

10:26 AM on 12/15/2009

Another soap opera script by HP - YAWN!

[NorquistNemesis]

10:16 AM on 12/15/2009

The only "deal" Reid should make is to tell Joe, in no uncertain terms, all of his leadership positions are contingent on his support. Give him a list of things that have already been given away and let him know the last thing to go will be his Chairmanships and seat with the Democratic Caucus.

At least it would show Lieberman transparently caucusing with the Cons instead of continuing his mole role. The thing is, Joe CHOSE to officially leave the Democratic Party. It's well past time for him to experience what that means.

[lazercat2008]

09:15 AM on 12/15/2009

Why cut a deal? Cheney has the Presidency set up now like a dictatorship. Get the whole thing done with executive orders.

[Carole Huber]

08:25 AM on 12/15/2009

Beware Obama of the lesson you are teaching the people who believed your mantra of "Change, we can believe in." There's good reason your popularity has dropped to the lowest of any President at the end of his first term. You are starting to look and smell like the politicians you keep company with, Lieberman and Rahm. You will be the President who brought us "Change we cannot believe in" unless it suits corporate interests. What about your promise to rid Washington of lobbyists' influence. The White House capitulation to Lieberman is shameful.

[ewilder]

09:14 AM on 12/15/2009

We've been had, that's the lesson. progressives need to work for a more progressive congress and forget the White House - it's been bought and paid for.

[Deschris]

08:10 AM on 12/15/2009

Is just me or have all the liberal democrat senators died.Ted Kennedy would have been deeply hurt by this current bill.They better not put his name on it.Shame on you all for such a travesty.

[MadeandBakedintheUSA]

07:40 AM on 12/15/2009

51% of 100 is majority - EXCEPT in AMERICA!

We know so much!

We are so smart!

BRIC

BRAZIL-RUSSIA-INDIA-CHINA

Missing an 'A'

America!

But Americans are too stupid!

We are so far behind- yet still hear the DUMB DOWN from the GOP-

They are in one GEAR- REVERSE!

BRIC has no REVERSE GEAR!

Yet- we are concerned with ABORTION!

40% of public cannot identify 3 branches of gvt- Civically illiterate says Lou Frey R-FL!

Justice O'Connor stated that Americans need CIVICS K-12!

Wonder why?

I don't!

Murdoch/WSJ: Dumb it Down Mr. President!

[Hopeington]

06:17 AM on 12/15/2009

Hmm believe Poitico or the WH.....
Think I'll go with the WH on this.
Why get your knickers in a twist for some BS from Politico because they want to stir the pot of their discontent?

[TheBaffler]

10:43 AM on 12/15/2009

You didn't see the follow-up story where it was confirmed a deal was cut to placate Lieberman? Even after it's actually happened, with the evidence staring you in the face, you deny it?

[DrDemon]

06:02 AM on 12/15/2009

White house to Reid:


We are so timid & weak... so lets just act as usual and give in once again!