Looks Like They Caved To Lieberman...

[WillyT]

<snip>

Washington (CNN) – Two senior Democratic sources tell CNN senate Democrats are headed towards dropping the compromise idea to allow 55 to 64 year-olds to buy into Medicare because of opposition from Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman.

"It’s what the White House wants and there aren’t many other options that allow us to finish by Christmas," said one source.

Senate Democrats had an emergency meeting Monday night to discuss this issue, which threatens to derail health care.

Although a final decision was not made at Monday night’s meeting, a second Democratic source said it’s likely a final decision could be made at meeting Tuesday of all Democrats with the President at the White House.

“I think there is a fundamental understanding of the direction we’re going in, “said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

Before the meeting, liberal senators Tom Harkin of Iowa and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia indicated that the so-called Medicare buy-in would likely be dropped, and while they didn’t like that, they suggested they would support a health care bill anyway.

"If he (Lieberman) is absolutely opposed to it, it looks like we won't have it," said Harkin.

<snip>

Link: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/14/senate-democrats-moving-towards-dropping-medicare-buy-in/

And: http://rawstory.com/2009/12/democrats-cede-health-bill-including-medicare-buyin/

And it was only this morning that there were reports of the WH telling Reid to cut a deal with Lieberman.

Coincedence???

:argh:

:nuke: