White House Didn't Have MA-Sen Health Care Contingency Plan

[Mass]

I am sorry, but if this is true, this is stupid. More likely, Axelrod is feeding BS to the media.

This administration started healthcare with 58 Democrats in the Senate. They added Specter and finally, Franken was elected. None of these two seats were a sure thing when they started to talk about healthcare.

There were now 60 Democrats, at least 7 or 8 are Democrats from states having a Republican governor. Anything happening to them (a serious accident, death, ...) and they would be replaced by a Republican Senator and the 60 vote supermajority would have been ended. Coakley losing was certainly not the only possibility to get 50 Dems in the Senate.

So, yes, Martha Coakley is largely responsible for losing the seat, but saying you just never thought of how to pass this plan without 60 senators is pure malpractice, if true.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/white-house-didnt-have-ma-sen-health-care-contingency-plan.php?ref=fpa

[DrToast]

1. Not sure I agree with your read on his comment

He's not say they NEVER thought about another path. Obviously they were trying to get Snowe's vote (and other Republican votes) at one point.

[Cali_Democrat]

2. Health care reform couldn't get through even with 60 votes so this is pointless. nt

[boppers]

3. "never thought" isn't the same as "wasn't much discussion".

"never thought" appears nowhere in the referenced article.

[karynnj]

4. I agree

Not to mention, Ben Nelson could have created havoc even had Coakley won. He was quoted as saying that he would have demanded the Stupak language to get his final cloture vote.

Not to mention, Pelosi's plan seems viable.

Even if the HW did have no plan B, saying so is beyond dumb.