Sherrod Brown: Rahm's 'Wrong' On Public Option Chances In Senate

[ProSense]

Emanuel bearish on public option's chances in the Senate

By Michael O'Brien

The Senate has been fairly clear that they cannot pass a healthcare bill including a public option, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel asserted Wednesday evening.

Emanuel professed pessimism that healthcare reform would include a strict public (or "government-run") option, though he signaled an expectation that House liberals may still push for the prized reform.

"I think Senate's been clear about the prospect there is," Emanuel told PBS's Charlie Rose when asked if healthcare can pass with the public option. "That doesn't mean in the House they're not going to come to the table and demand it."

The chief of staff argued that the public option would be hammered out in conference between the House and Senate bills. He said that the bill would be likely be passed by the Thanksgiving holiday break in Congress, though.

"Health care will be passed before the members go home for Thanksgiving," he said, rejecting a question about whether the bill would largely resemble the proposal to emerge from the Senate Finance Committee.

"It will not just be on the Senate Finance Committee because the legislative process a place where both bodies get to contribute," he said.

Sherrod Brown: Rahm's 'Wrong' On Public Option Chances In Senate

Rachel Slajda

on the Ed Show tonight, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was "wrong" when he appeared pessimistic about the chances of a public option making it through the Senate.

"We'll get enough votes," Brown said, citing bills that have passed through three House committees and the Senate HELP Committee with a public option.

Emanuel is "wrong, because of this: Not every Democrat right now would prefer the public option in the Senate ... but no Democrat in the end is going to vote against a procedural question to kill the health care bill," he said.

"The 60 Democrats will stay together on procedural questions and then, on final passage, some may vote against it because it's got a public option. But I don't see that," he said. Brown added that at least 50 Democrats in the Senate support the public option.

[polichick]

1. What happened to that famous Chicago-style muscling?? nt

[Hawkowl]

4. He's not from Chicago

He's from Willamette. One of the richest towns in the country. He doesn't know the first thing about Chicago style politics. Pansy assed weasel he is.

[polichick]

5. Oh, I see. When Obama chose him there were posts about how...

...good he'd be at muscling Congress ~ what a disappointment.

[glitch]

6. He is muscling Congress, just not in our direction. nt

[polichick]

7. So, do you think he's against the po? Or that the prez is really against it? nt

[glitch]

11. I definitely think Rahm is against it, but Obama may be open to it if Congress presents it

in a neat package. He says he supports it but his support seems ambivalent to me. I haven't figured him out yet, he's not as predictable as his predecessors.

[polichick]

15. Yeah, I don't know why Obama would choose Rahm if...

...he couldn't trust him to carry out his wishes ~ but they don't always seem as if they're on the same page.

[glitch]

19. Perhaps Rahm is his DLC beard - wouldn't that be nice?

Nah, I can be an optimist but only within reason. Sigh.

[Dr Fate]

23. He is there to "muscle" Liberals & moderates into being more conservativ- er, I mean "centrist."

n/t

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

14. Thank you! He just likes to put up a fake ass Joe Pesci act and people here eat it up. nt

[elleng]

21. Wrong.

Seems someone other than Rahm doesn't know the first thing about Chicago style politics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel

Emanuel was born in Chicago, Illinois to Jewish parents.<4> His father, Benjamin M. Emanuel, a Jerusalem-born pediatrician, was a member of the militant Zionist group Irgun.<6><7> His mother, Marsha Smulevitz, was the daughter of a Chicago union organizer.<1> She worked in the civil rights movement and owned, briefly, a local rock-and-roll club.<6> She is now a psychiatric social worker.<6> The two met in Chicago in the 1950s.<1> . . .

When the family lived in Chicago, Emanuel attended Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, a Conservative Jewish day school.<10> After his family moved to Wilmette, he attended public schools. . .

While still an undergraduate, he joined the congressional campaign of David Robinson of Chicago. . .Emanuel's wife, Amy Rule, converted to Judaism shortly before their wedding.<16> They are members of Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel, a Modern Orthodox congregation in Chicago.<10> They have a son and two daughters; the older two attend the same Conservative day school Emanuel himself attended as a child.<10>

Emanuel is a close friend of fellow Chicagoan David Axelrod, chief strategist for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign. . .Emanuel's family lives on the North Side of Chicago, in the North Center neighborhood.<8>. .

After working in investment banking, in 2002 Emanuel pursued the U.S. House seat in the 5th District of Illinois previously held by Rod Blagojevich, who chose not to run for re-election, but instead successfully ran for Governor of Illinois.

His strongest opponent of the seven other candidates in the 2002 Democratic primary — the real contest in this heavily Democratic district — was former Illinois State Representative Nancy Kaszak, who had unsuccessfully opposed Blagojevich in the 1996 primary. The most controversial moment of the primary election came when Edward Moskal, president of the Polish American Congress, a political action committee endorsing Kaszak, called Emanuel a "millionaire carpetbagger who knows nothing" about "our heritage". Moskal also charged that Emanuel had dual citizenship with Israel and had served in the Israeli Army.<34> Emanuel did not serve in the Israeli army, but was a civilian volunteer assisting the Israel Defense Forces for a short time during the 1991 Gulf War, repairing truck brakes in one of Israel's northern bases with Sar-El.<35><36> Emanuel brought together a coalition of Chicago clergy to denounce the incident. He recalled, "One of the proudest moments of my life was seeing people of my district from all backgrounds demonstrate our common values by coming together in response to this obvious attempt to divide them."<10> Moskal's comments were denounced as anti-Semitic by Kaszak.<34>

Emanuel won the primary and defeated Republican candidate Mark Augusti in the general election.

[GoCubsGo]

25. "Chicago style politics". LOL!!

Just another right-wing meme used to try to smear President Obama and Illinois politicians associated with him. As a Chicago native who had relatives involved in "Chicago-style politics", I assure you that they are no different than the politics of any city in this country. Here in the South, they call them "good ol' boys," and the GOP runs the "machine," rather than the Democrats.

[Dr Fate]

22. LOL! He only uses this "muscle" against his "far left" boogie men- not fellow conservatives.

When they say that Rahm is a "tough guy"- they mean that he can get tought against Liberals, anti-war moderates. pro reform moderates, etc.

There is no need for "arm twisting" against conservatives when you AGREE with conservatives.

[tularetom]

2. You know what? Obama should get rid of that douchebag quick

Notice how tough he talks when he's dealing with real Democrats and how wimpy he gets around the R's?

He's a worthless POS.

[ProSense]

3. This is an improvement for Rahm, he's saying that a public option will pass in

conference by Thanksgiving. Still, I agree with Senator Brown, there is no reason the Senate can't pass a bill with a public option.

[Clio the Leo]

8. Rahm is still doing his job......

.... the WH cant come out and say the bill will have a PO now any more than they could a month ago. Those opposed to it would bolt if they felt they had no choice in the matter.

[Cha]

13. I wondered if there was

any strategy going on with this? You know, just to drive some people crazy?

[Clio the Leo]

17. Well, when you're trying to sell something.....

.... the trick is to make the other person THINK they have options, that you're not gonna just ram what you want on them. That strategy NEVER works.

[Cha]

18. Precisely, especially something as uber

important as real Health Care Reform in the US.

[jgraz]

9. "Rahm's wrong" should be our operational hypothesis

This guy's right about as often as Bill Kristol.

[grantcart]

10. This is all a charade

Its the last sentence that is the key - 60 votes for procedure = vote for cloture and atleast 50 votes for the public option.

All of the President's speeches and all of the activities we are watching are aimed at only one thing 60 votes on the procedural question.

[hileeopnyn8d]

12. Right

essentially Sherrod Brown and Rahm said the same thing, didn't they?

[joeycola]

24. and what is that?

[ProSense]

16. Of course it is.

After the Medicare bill vote today, it's clear the Finance Committee process is also a charade. Kerry withdrew the mandate amendment today, basically saying he's going to introduce it on the floor. They need to wrap that process up and get on with it. Screw the Finance Committee. It's time to get the HELP bill to the floor for a vote.

[Corey_Baker08]

20. Im Proud To Say Sherrod Brown is My Senator & I have Even Met him Personally on the Campaign Trail..

I really can't wait until current SOS Jennifer Brunner becomes the Junior Senator from this great state!!!

jenniferbrunner.com to donate or volunteer!!!