Gov. Dean: Dems "In Trouble" on Healthcare.

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Monday November 23, 2009 · 10:53 AM PST

2009/11/23 · 10:53

Governor Howard Dean today expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the health care bill is going. In an interview with the Huffington Post, he said that the Democratic leadership is in "deep trouble":

Former DNC Chair Howard Dean told the Huffington Post on Monday that Senate Democratic leadership was "in deep trouble" on health care, even after Majority Leader Harry Reid cobbled together over the weekend the 60 votes needed to get legislation to the floor. The problem was as much about politics as policy.

"I think if you passed the Senate bill tomorrow it would be OK. But then the problem is they don't have any defense for their members in 2010," Dean said, noting that the public option would not become operational until 2014. "On the other hand, if they drop the public option [to placate moderate members], I think they lose seats."

Dean continues:

"So this is really tough. I didn't anticipate being in this position. I thought it would pass. Maybe Harry has some magic up his sleeve. But I don't see how he gets those four votes [Sens. Joseph Lieberman (Conn.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.)] without compromising the bill," Dean concluded.

Huffington Post

So we can kiss the already weakened public option good-bye. It's going to be a mediocre or shitty bill, but probably an improvement to what we have now. That's my view, not necessarily Gov. Dean's view.

But Gov. Dean does identify the real future:

"If you have members refusing to vote for Reid on procedural issues you will have a revolt in the party," Dean said. "What is the point of having a 60-vote margin? This is going to be death for the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] and the [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee]. Why would anyone donate to them if they're supporting candidates who defeat the Democratic agenda?"

Huffington Post

I, for one, will do all I can do defeat Blanche Lincoln even if she votes for the bill without the PO in the end. The death of the PO is her responsibility.

This is the first time I have seen Gov. Dean so pessimistic on the bill.

Update I: Howard Dean on msnbc.

From Scarce in the comments.

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