Ben Nelson Says He Doesn't Enjoy The Spotlight

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), the last health care holdout in the Senate Democratic caucus, said Sunday that he does not enjoy being the center of attention.

"I couldn't create the opportunity to be the 60th vote. It happened," Nelson said during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union." John King asked Nelson to respond to critics who've said that he is enjoying the spotlight in his position of leverage "a little too much."

"To them I would say, look, if you think it's fun having both sides on an issue mad at you when you're trying to do something in good faith, just think, it's like going home and getting bit by the family dog," said Nelson. "Who enjoys that?"

Of the atmosphere in the Senate, Nelson said, "the high intensity here is as harsh and as unforgiving and unrelenting as I have ever seen it in my nine years."

Nelson withheld his support from the Senate's health insurance reform legislation until Friday, when he was able to extract concessions regarding abortion coverage. Neither antiabortion nor pro-choice groups say they like the compromise, which will allow states to disallow plans that offer abortion coverage to participate in the "exchanges" that will be set up in 2014.

"I don't take my marching orders from a party or a group or any other entity," Nelson said. "And as in this case, I put together what I thought was appropriate, and I'm sorry that both sides didn't enjoy it. And that's the way it works. I'm an independent type of person. I'm not a lone eagle. I do consult. I do get input. But at the end of the day, I make my own decision about what to do."

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), the second-to-last holdout, openly relished his starring role, which he used to compel Senate leadership to sacrifice a public insurance plan and a provision that would have allowed people as young as 55 to buy in to Medicare.

"My wife said to me, 'Why do you always end up being the point person here?'" Lieberman told the New York Times last week, reportedly grinning widely.

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Comments

[2garen]

11:32 AM on 12/22/2009

And what part of good faith is selling out this country?

[Indie2008]

11:15 AM on 12/22/2009

And I don't like cherry pie!

[valcon]

08:49 AM on 12/22/2009

Ha! Cockroaches usually don't. lol.

[Shozen]

05:39 AM on 12/22/2009

The spotlight does tend to bring out one's flaws.

[foreverleft]

01:16 AM on 12/22/2009

Ben Nelson achieved full funding for recipients of a program that the right, however occasionally, only panders to.

What in the world has become of this country.

[termgirl]

12:34 AM on 12/22/2009

Fine. Crawl in a hole and stay there.

[swift goat pet for truth]

10:22 PM on 12/21/2009

I hope MoveOn gets all over him.

[rosiebond007]

08:55 PM on 12/21/2009

Oh sure !

More fibs from this guy !

He is a complete woman hater - reducing us to serfs again.

[cminca]

05:29 PM on 12/21/2009

Because like every other rat he prefers doing his destructive work in the dark.

[rbchilds]

11:41 AM on 12/21/2009

Does anyone else see Senator Nelson's and Senator Landrieu's act as a bribe? Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu and Harry Reid should be brought up on charges. Bribery, a form of pecuniary corruption, is an act implying money or gift given that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in discharge of a public or legal duty. The bribe is the gift bestowed to influence the recipient's conduct. It may be any money, good, right in action, property, preferment, privilege, emolument, object of value, advantage, or merely a promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action, vote, or influence of a person in an official or public capacity.

Considering that Senator Nelson will at sometime be covered by Medicare, he essentially gave up his vote for the promise of reducing his future payments into the system. This act was quid pro quo, he benefits in the future (through lower Medicare Cost and possible re-election), Reid gets what he wants now.

Considering that Senator Landrieu changed her vote due to receiving $100 Million for her state is bribery. Again quid pro quo. Her actions changed when influenced by the bribe.

Just saying, we have no government, but instead a corrupt organization that is bought and sold at taxpayers expense.

[contrary2]

12:36 PM on 12/21/2009

Seems to me Nelson is a bribee ...Obama is the briber.

[socaldanielle]

11:49 PM on 12/22/2009

No, actually that makes Ben Nelson an extortionist and Obama a "moderate". Both despicable. Ben Nelson has a long history of being an obstructionist and a collaborator. He voted in line with Bush throughout that 8 year stretch, announced that he would undermine any effort to block the horrendous judicial appointments made by the Bush administration, promised to undermine any attempt to filibuster on several issues and now, spit in the eye of 51% of the American people. Doesn't like the limelight - BS. I only hope the women of Nebraska show up and toss this bag of uniformed hot air out of office.

[MMJones]

10:59 AM on 12/21/2009

Is that you, Nelson, preening in the mirror, straightening your toupe? Methinks you protest too much...

[tenndemo]

10:58 AM on 12/21/2009

Then, shut up.

[babyboomerorig]

10:36 AM on 12/21/2009

Ben Nelson.....you're a product of the insurance industry. Now, you come to the Senate thinking that you're still in that holier-than-thou industry.

You have no business even having a vote concerning the health care of this country's citizens. Seems like you're double-dipping. Unethical, to say the least.

[jdeplummer]

09:38 AM on 12/21/2009

coward like a dog that poops in the house and then wants to hide under the dining table.
come here you bad dog

[liveinhope23]

09:38 AM on 12/21/2009

Cockroaches just hate the light.