"Rahm, Daschle, Salazar to Senate"

[Clio the Leo]

Rahm, Daschle, Salazar to Senate

White House aides and allies will meet with Senate Democratic leaders this afternoon to discuss how to get a health care bill passed, a senior Democratic aide said.

Those in the strategy session include: Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Legislative Affairs Director Phil Schiliro, health reform czar Nancy Ann DeParle and Sens. Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, Patty Murray, Chris Dodd and Max Baucus.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/1109/heading_for_the_hill_f89189da-e60a-4529-81bb-2b03128784df.html

[derby378]

1. I am not that optimistic about the prognosis...

...but then again, they might surprise me.

[NYC Democrat]

2. uhhh Why Salazar how is he or his department involved in Health Care in anyway.

[Clio the Leo]

5. Here.....

Salazar joined Vice President Joe Biden and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in what Democrats described as an "all hands on deck" strategy to help lock down votes in the Senate's notoriously tricky political terrain.

The move pulls Salazar from his already heavy schedule as head of the Department of Interior, a sign of both the urgency of the health care reform debate for the administration and the calculation that the Colorado Democrat's strong ties with centrists could help move votes.

"You don't send heavy hitters like this until the final stage, and only if you're feeling you can't get it any other way," said Julian Zelizer, an expert on Congress at Princeton University.

Senate Democrats say that while the effort became more public on Wednesday, Salazar has been working for some time behind the scenes, through a series of consultations and discreet meetings with his former colleagues.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_13819871

[vi5]

3. Why am I picturing this:

Rahm: "Yeah guys we really need you to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill...(wink wink....elbow nudge...laughter in the room).....no no, seriously guys...hehehe...Look I'm banging my fist on a table....-snicker-.....we've really got to hold the insurance companies accountable...right Tom (elbow nudge to Daschle).

Daschle: "Hahaha....no right...definitely....COMPREHENSIVE reform. And if it's not going to drive costs down and hold the insurance companies accountable, Max here is going to be really pissed (holds hand to mouth attempting vainly to stifle hysterical laughter)."

Baucus: "Yeah...I'll be coming for you guys if you don't get this done and done well"

Entire room erupts in laughter.

[QC]

4. +10000000000000000

[beltanefauve]

7. That does seem like a stacked deck,

doesn't it?

[WI_DEM]

9. -10000000000000000

[Peacetrain]

6. Wow, the big guns are up now...

[rudy23]

8. Public Option, here we come!

Change you can believe in!

[Lord Helmet]

10. Ugh. I can't see any of those three championing the Public Option.

[niyad]

11. the dino, wolf-killing salazar is in the health care debate? he appeals to centrists?

this is the man to whom, in every message I left him, or in speaking to his aides, I said, "if we had wanted a conservative catholic republican in office, we could have voted for pete coors. the only benefit I see to you is that unused "d" after your name"

this ought to be very interesting.