For all the disappointment of the health care bill being watered down to nothing, I did find one thing that was simply priceless.
For the past year the republicans have been the party of NO. They have obstructed, prayed for the failure of this bill and the president with preachers on the air, have threatened to filibuster every bill coming down the pike without 60 votes, no matter how insignificant the bill is, and in general behaved like bratty, immature children.
Senator DeMint admitted that the failure of the bill to pass would be Obama's Waterloo and they did every dirty trick in the book, with the help of a few conservadems, to try to make that happen.
No president since Teddy Roosevelt has been able to push any kind of health bill through. the closest was Medicare in the 1960s.
The republicans worked hard with the lobbyists and the astroturf, fake grassroots groups, like the ones Dick Armey is so involved in.
They rolled out their Town Hall crazies in time for the August break and the congress to meet with their constituents and explain health care. Funny how Sarah Palin just happened to tex about made up death panels and the rightwing ran with it so it would be picked up by the mainstream press (who sit around dying for any crumb from Palin to broadcast from all corners and talk about endlessly for weeks). Yes, the rightwing knows our media well and made sure it was Palin who put out that little ditty right as Town Halls were getting underway.
The last minute effort to derail the bill came with the betrayal by Lieberman and Nelson. These two cared nothing about making the failure Obama's Waterloo. They could care less if they caused the failure of this president.
They cared only for what they wanted or else.
And the republicans licked their chops in glee. Again they would win, severely weaken the president and even damage him far worse then they did Clinton back in the 90s.
If Obama won what no president ever could, regardless of party or strength, he would be far more powerful then when he took office. they could not happen and Obama cannot grow in power and therefore make getting more progressive bills through congress. And be more acceptable to the American people.
So, it was with great relish today to see Mitch the Turtle come out to make his statement to the press.
After Harry Reid and the democrats proclaimed the 60th vote, Ol' Mich came out.
Even with health care watered down, it was so wonderful to see the Obama triumph when Mitch stood before those cameras looking ill. The green pallor in his face with a shell shocked look around his eyes. He knew he lost. The republicans hope for great victories, for the failure of Obama, for comeback was over.
Obama won and he knew it. And he knew this was a crushing blow.
So, lets view the man as he faces the cameras knowing full well he lost and Obama won today.