A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

W.H. to Reid: Cut deal with Lieberman


Posted: Dec 16, 2009

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.

"There is a weariness and a lot of frustration that one person is holding up the will of 59 others," the official said. “There is still too much anger and confusion at one particular senator’s reversal.”

The White House disputed this account, saying any notion that officials there are trying to push Reid into cutting a deal with Lieberman is inaccurate. White House officials say they are on the same page with Reid, working with him to find the best way to move forward with reform – not pushing him to do something he doesn’t want to do.

“The report is inaccurate,” said Dan Pfeiffer, White House communications director. “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.”

But the source reaffirmed the account, saying that the White House recommended that Reid cut a deal with Lieberman that would allow the health reform bill to pass by Christmas, and that Reid wanted more time before making a final decision.

Also, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin told POLITICO, “The White House is encouraging us to find 60 votes and to preserve some of the most important parts of the bill.”

He added: “I don’t want to go into the specifics – we want Sen. Lieberman’s support.”

Lieberman threw health care reform into doubt Sunday when he told Reid that he would filibuster the bill if it allowed Americans ages 55 to 64 to purchase coverage in Medicare. His comments on CBS’s “Face the Nation” set off a series of private meetings Sunday between the Senate leadership and top White House aides, including Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who encouraged Reid to cut the deal with Lieberman, the official said. The White House declined to comment.

Reid has called a special Democratic caucus meeting for 5:30 p.m. Monday.

If they still hope to pass a bill by Christmas – which is still a top consideration at the moment — Democrats have only limited options:

• Reach an agreement with Lieberman, which would mean stripping out the provisions that have kept progressives on board. This will likely cause problems on the left – maybe even defections – unless the White House steps in to persuade senators such as Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

• Win over Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), but she has also voiced serious reservations about the Medicare expansion, and has resisted pressure from the White House and Senate Democrats to finish the bill by Christmas.

Reconciliation, a procedural maneuver to get around a filibuster, remains on the table, but it’s not a viable option at the moment, the official said. It would push the issue into next year with no guarantee of success.

Democrats are frustrated because they believe Lieberman keeps moving the goal posts. He supported the Medicare buy in the 2000 presidential campaign, and in September reiterated support for the plan in an interview with the Connecticut Post.

Lieberman has denied giving his approval of the Medicare buy-in during the negotiations last week among a group of 10 moderate and liberal senators.

"Contrary to the claims of anonymous aides, Senator Lieberman told Reid on Friday that he had problems with the Medicare provision," Lieberman spokesman Marshall Wittman said in a statement.

"This position was also told to negotiators earlier in the week. Consequently, Senator Lieberman's position came as no surprise to the Democratic leadership. Any contrary charge by aides who cowardly seek to hide under the cloak of anonymity is false and self-serving," he added.

Wittman issued the statement in response to reports that Lieberman, according to anonymous Senate Democratic aides, had initially indicated support for a proposal allowing uninsured individuals as young as 55 to purchase Medicare coverage.

For debate on the Lieberman saga visit The Arena.

;

Similar Messages:


Reid Says Deal NearOct 14, 2013
Where was all the screaming by him and other republicans when it came to spending billions and billions on a fake war and then tons of billions more to 'rebuild' what WE broke? If memory serves, they were chomping at the bit to spend THESE $$ (with democrat's help) but now their fiscal conscience has somehow taken hold?  By their playbook war is a GREAT use of your taxdollar, but spending $$ on infrastructure and the PEOPLE of this contry are not. And if progressives think ...

McConnell-Reid Deal Includes $2 Billion EarmarkOct 16, 2013
for Kentucky Project A proposal to end the government shutdown and avoid default orchestrated by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Leader Harry Reid includes a $2 billion earmark for a Kentucky project. Language in a draft of the McConnell-Reid deal (see page 13, section 123) provided to WFPL News shows a provision that increases funding for the massive Olmsted Dam Lock in Paducah, Ky., from $775 million to nearly $2.9 billion. The dam is considered an important project ...

Remove Mrs Lieberman From Post As Ambassador For A CureDec 15, 2009
Are you aware that the wife of Joe Lieberman - the man who once campaigned to eliminate the filibuster but is now threatening to use it against a public option - is a compensated "Global Ambassador" for Susan G. Komen for the cure?As the world's biggest breast cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the cure has thrown considerable weight behind ensuring that any reform bill that comes out of Congress serves to improve the lives of their dependents. So why is Susan G. Komen for the cure using do ...

Joe Lieberman Warns Obama On Including Congress Mar 18, 2015
nm ...

Senator Lieberman Calls For 'preemptive' Attack On YemenDec 28, 2009
(I personally think this is crazy talk. Al Qaeda is in a LOT of countries, probably including the USA. Does that mean we should launch a "preemptive attack" on ourselves? War mongers cry poor when it comes to healthcare for Americans, but they always seem to have enough money for wars. I have to wonder if any of this has to do with Lieberman having dual citizenship with Israel, and I wonder where his loyalty truly lies.) By Stephen C. WebsterSunday, December 27th, 2009 -- 8:24 pm Speaking on F ...

Senator Lieberman Calls For Obama To Be More Involved In Deficit NegotiationsDec 03, 2012
Sen. Lieberman calls for Obama to be more involved in deficit negotiations By Alexander Bolton - 12/02/12 06:00 AM ET Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), the independent Democrat who has played roles in past Senate compromises, says President Obama needs to get more involved in the fiscal cliff talks. Lieberman, who brought Republican senators on board with the 2009 economic stimulus package and a 2005 deal on judicial nominees, says it’s time for Obama to gather congressional leaders arou ...

Flip-flop: Lieberman Promised 'universal Health Care' In 2006Oct 29, 2009
Political watchdogs and supporters of the public health care option are accusing Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman of hypocrisy for announcing he plans to filibuster the Senate health care reform bill after years of voicing support for health care reform. Since Lieberman's announcement on Tuesday that he would not stop a Republican filibuster of health reform if that health reform included a public option, bloggers have been scrambling to post videos of Lieberman advocating health care ref ...

Reid ApologizesJan 10, 2010
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/09/reid-apology-for-negro-dialect-comment/ ...

What Happened To Sen. Reid?May 11, 2011
I flipped on C-Span and it looked like Sen. Reid has a large bruise under his left eye and his right arm is in a sling. Anyone know? ...

Tea Partiers Vs Reid 10,000 To 100 SmApr 07, 2010
WTG Tea Partiers.  This is priceless.    http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=137361 ...

Harry Reid Is WrongAug 04, 2011
http://factcheck.org/2011/08/reid-wrong-on-bushs-economic-record/ ...

Harry Reid Got LuckyJun 10, 2010
There was noticeable glee among supporters of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Tuesday night. The upset victory of Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle in the Nevada Republican primary ensures that the subsequent months of campaigning will be fought as much over her record as his. By Wednesday morning, the flood of opposition research on Angle had burst wide open. Talking Points Memo reported that Angle once "spoke out strongly against fluoride, the substance known alternately for improving ...

Harry Reid Is A Mormon?Sep 25, 2012
Why is that ignored in most of the media? If Romney's faith is such a big deal, then why not Reid's, a Democrat, who is the highest-ranking Mormon in U.S. elected office? ...

Reid: We Won't Work With RomneyNov 02, 2012
by Ben Shapiro 2 Nov 2012, 10:24 AM PDT Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pledged to stonewall any attempt by Mitt Romney to pass his agenda if elected. “Mitt Romney’s fantasy that Senate Democrats will work with him to pass his ‘severely conservative’ agenda is laughable,” spat Reid. Of course, when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) suggested two years into President Obama’s presidency (after the stimulus package and Obamacare) that Obama’s failures to lead ...

Learned Something About Reid TodayDec 19, 2012
http://freedomslighthouse.net/2012/12/18/democratic-senate-majority-leader-harry-reid-in-2010-extolled-the-virtues-of-guns-i-carried-a-gun-every-place-i-went-but-for-me-guns-are-more-than-that-about-self-defense-video-2010/ ...

Reid Says The ACA Could Be A Train WreckMay 02, 2013
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says he shares colleagues’ concerns that the Affordable Care Act could become a “train wreck” if it’s not implemented properly. Reid warned that people will not be able to choose health insurance plans on government health exchanges if federal authorities lack the resources to set them up and educate the public.  “Max said unless we implement this properly it’s going to be a train wreck, and I agree with him,&r ...

Can Someone Tell Me WHY Democrats, Especially Reid And ObamaSep 29, 2013
are against delaying Obamacare for a year? Watching C-Span and the House has been voting on funding the government again. One part of this bill is the vote on DELAYING the healthcare law until 1/1/2015. What the heck is wrong with that? After all, Obama DELAYED certain aspects of the law until 2015.  Delaying the healthcare law does not repeal it. Delaying the healthcare law doesn't defund it. So, what's wrong with that? Obama and Reid will not negotiate. That's not how ...

Harry Reid Says All The Obamacare Feb 26, 2014
horror stories are untrue.  All of them.  Someone needs to put this old coot out of his misery. ...

Don't You Just Love Harry Reid?Mar 27, 2014
He just keeps digging the hole deeper a/k/a foot-in-mouth disease for the reason why he should not be re-elected to office. Now he insults everyone who has trouble accessing and signing up for Obamacare.  If he is up for election this year and if he is re-elected, then I think those who vote for him need to see a psychiatrist. This is not a matter of Democrat or Republican...this is a matter of QUALIFICATIONS.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAtgsizDWV0   ...

Why Is Harry Reid From (NV) So Concerned With Apr 18, 2014
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/04/16/why-is-us-senator-harry-reid-so-concerned-with-local-nevada-rancher/   http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/on-the-record/2014/04/17/embattled-nevada-ranchers-wife-whole-war-about-control-and-unlimited-power-federal-govern GET READY FOR OUR OWN DOMESTIC CIVIL WAR WITH OUR GOVERNMENT JUST LIKE WHAT IS STARTING IN NEVADA.  IT IS A SHAME THAT FEDS GO TO NEVADA OVER COWS, YET OUR GOVERNMENT WILL NOT HELP OUT IN BENGHAZI.  GET READY FOR WW3 WI ...

Tax Cuts Passed 277-148 And Reid/OmnibusDec 17, 2010
They worked late into the night to pass it. It will cost $858 billion but it gives everyone a "breather" for a while. Reid pulled the Omnibus bill off the table; i.e., just died. John McCain, Tom Coburn, and Jim DeMint were the reason because they wanted the bill read page per page. Guess Reid didn't want the people to know what was really in the bill.  I had forgotten some of the crap in there but thankfully, the John Murtha Foundation (biggest crook in PA) will not be funded, n ...

McConnell Wages War On Reid's OmnibusDec 16, 2010
You know, I don't understand how Nevada could have voted Reid back in. Now he's threatening to keep everyone in session until this spending bill passes. I can't believe the gall of this guy. Evidently he didn't hear the people speak this election. I know partly why he's in a hurry to ram this through....because there's an amendment in it for $1 billion (I think, can't remember) to start funding the health care act and, of course, the obvious reason...becau ...

Harry Reid Starting To Shriek.Sep 16, 2016
When that old reprobate begins to sound off, you know Hillary's in trouble. ...

Reid Still Trying To Change The Fillibuster RulesNov 27, 2012
Why aren't they working on the "fiscal cliff" issues? Doesn't he think that's important? Evidently, he's one who wants to go over the "fiscal cliff." If so, let's remember that come January 1 and remember who didn't care.      Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid confirmed Monday he will push to change Senate rules and curtail some Republican filibusters next year, setting up a major test of collegiality and power politics in ...

Reid Has The Clout But Wouldn't ProduceDec 27, 2012
Reid's blaming the Republicans for the fiscal cliff, but he's the one in charge. How can the Republicans block something that's not even drafted? "As of Monday, the federal government has operated without a formal budget for three and a half years. "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid 'last adopted a budget on April 29th, 2009,' according to a Monday press release from the Senate Budget Committee’s Republican staff. “'A budget requires only 51 vote ...

Non-partisan Opinions Of Harry Reid Mar 01, 2014
link ...

Harry Reid And Joe Biden's Own Rules Can Be UsedFeb 02, 2017
"For cabinet nominees you need 60 and for judicial nominees you need 60, until Harry Reid came along in 2013 and blew up the-60-vote rule, and this is called “the nuclear option,” and Harry Reid decreed — because he ran the Senate, Senate majority leader. He ran it. He was able to ramrod rules changes through. So beginning in 2013, 60 votes were no longer need to affirm presidential appointments, nominations, or judges for every court except the Supreme Court. All you needed was 51 vote ...

Harry Reid Blocks Kate's LawNov 07, 2015
The Steinle family is devastated. I wonder if BO will do the right thing and sign it into law anyway. Thank God Harry is on his way out! He is the biggest obstructionist in the history of this country. ...

REID Proposes Public Option - Various FormsOct 26, 2009
This is a great way to see the various options - I prefer the trigger option myself.  Give the industry some time to prove they can be competitive, but then trigger the safety net when/if they don't (provided for all). http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/26/health.care/index.html     ...

Harry Reid On GOP Budget Cuts: Let's Have A VoteMar 08, 2011
This is one article: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is promising an up-or-down vote on the $61 billion in budget cuts passed by House Republicans — just to show that version of the spending bill is “dead” – even if the upper chamber has to debate until 1 a.m. to prove the point. “I hope we have a vote on this today,” said Reid to reporters. “If not, we’re going to go through all this procedural process. They cannot stop us from having a vote o ...