Waxman: GOP "rooting against" USA

[Ardent15]

Henry Waxman, who has had an eventful couple of weeks to say the least, is slamming the House GOP — saying their opposition to climate change legislation and the stimulus indicates they're cheering against the good 'ol U S of A.

UPDATED with full quote:

"It appears that the Republican party leadership in the Congress has made a decision that they want to deny President Obama success — which means, in my mind, they are rooting against the country as well," the powerful House Energy and Commerce chairman told WAMU-NPR host Diane Rehm this morning in an hourlong appearance promoting his new book, "The Waxman Report."

The full interview

Still, he said that one House Republican leader, speaking to him after the climate-change squeaker, predicted that "a lot" of GOPers would vote for the (presumably) weakened bill when it emerged from the Senate.

Waxman — an ardent supporter of the "public option" in upcoming health care reform legislation — also took several shots at Senate Democrats who are seeking compromise to head of opposition to the public plan in their own ranks.

When asked about Sen. Kent Conrad's effort to create a a "co-op" system — he quipped, "I don't know what it means."

And he repeatedly referred to a plan put forward by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), which doesn't include a public option, as "radical," even though Wyden says he's open to the option.

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<http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0709/Waxman_GOP_rooting_against_USA.html>