In the battle for some kind of health reform, Obama has perhaps one, maybe two weeks to mount the bully pulpit and say it like it is. If he does not, it's all over for him and the Democratic Party.
It is hard to understand how playing nice with the forces of evil can in any way lead to a positive outcome. In our cups, my gathered friends were wondering if they somehow missed some subtle nuance - is the administration attempting some fiendishly subtle tactic that we were unable to comprehend?
Health-care. Obama's has only a limited time-envelope to confront the leadership in House and Senate. President George Bush could get just about everything he wanted with a mere 51 votes. Why on Earth can't Obama and the Democrats get badly needed health-care reform passed with 59?
Perhaps the Democrats in the House and Senate take no interest in recent history. If they did, they would understand that a failure to produces some kind of health care reform will result in the termination of their jobs after the next election. Ask Billy, he knows.
Perhaps some LBJ hardball is called for. The Administration needs to corner one of these Republican Senatorial pinheads, preferably one who's retiring or squirming. Offer them state a highway, or just down and out threaten to reveal a delicious indiscretion. Heavens knows, any individual depraved enough to be a Republican has got to have some nasty bones in the closet.
To Obama and the Democratic Party: Use it or lose it. If you can't pull this off, you are going to be out of office come next election.
If this situation wasn't real it would be hard to believe. It's all too weird.