Will Moderates Support the Senate Health Care Bill?

By: Lauren Seifert
Topics: Washington Unplugged

On "Washington Unplugged" Thursday, CBS News' Marc Ambinder said that while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has an uphill battle getting the health care he bill introduced last night passed, not all hope is lost

He noted how important the votes of Democratic Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.) , Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), as well Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), are to the bill's chance of passage. "Their biggest stated concern is that the bill will add to the deficit over ten years," Ambinder explained, adding that the White House and Democratic leaders are encouraged because the Reid plan was estimated to decrease the deficit.

"It removes a major obstacle to moderates supporting it," he said. And the White House may have reason to rejoice.

"The White House strategy amounts to three words," CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller said. "Get it passed."

"Unless the White House can get a bill past the Senate it has nothing to reconcile with the House version of health care," Knoller explained so there can be a House- Senate conference to produce a final bill to sign.

The bill faces feirce opposition from Republicans in the Senate and even harsher words from House Republicans.

"The American people have soundly rejected this. And I told you a couple of months ago how popular this was. It's as popular as a garlic milkshake," House Minority Leader John Boehner (R- Ohio) said earlier today about the Senate bill.

Watch the full interview above as well as a debrief with CBS News chief White House correspondent Chip Reid on President Obama's Asia trip.

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Lauren Seifert
Lauren Seifert is an associate producer for CBSNews.com.
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by stn_sage November 19, 2009 7:26 PM EST: Whether they do or not...some of them can 'kiss their jobs goodbye'!; Reply to this comment

by crikeytx46 November 19, 2009 6:24 PM EST

Mary Landrieu's (D-Louisiana) vote is being bought for 100 million (complicated language in the health bill- go figure) but you wouldn't know that unless you went to ABC.com where they actually did some investigative journalism.

Oh and Harry Reid's version of the Senate Health Care bill does infact include a MONTHLY Fee for abortions!!

Now let's shed some more light on this over the top legislation!!!

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by reveal4 November 19, 2009 7:56 PM EST: The Senatre bill requires at least one plan in the exchanges provide abortion coverage. Conservative democrats want to use this bill to outlaw private insurors from including abortion coverage in private insurance plans.