Anthony Weiner has a gift for saying memorable things.
Last month he was asked to withdraw his remarks -twice- for referring to the Republican Party as a “wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance industry” he attempted to correct the perceived insult by saying “Ok ok, I withdraw, let me rephrase… I have never met a single Republican in my entire life that was not a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance industry.”
On March 10 he spoke to Don Imus about the implosion of fellow New York Democratic house member Eric Massa on Glenn Beck.
“It’s very clear from these interviews that this guy is one taco short of a happy meal. They are always coming down on the guys that are having tickle fights with their staffers. It just seems so unfair to stereotype…” he then went on to empathize with Massa’s story about getting yelled at in the showers at the House gym by a naked Rahm Emanuel. “I have very few hard and fast rules. One of them is not to have sword fights in the morning with Rahm Emanuel.”
On March 12 his remarks cast aspersions on the Senate. Those remarks place him at the center of the attempt to pass health care through reconciliation.
In dueling Sunday morning talk show appearances. David Axelrod, the president’s top political strategist and John Boehner the house minority leader took turns assuring the American public their side was going to win the historic legislative battle.
While Axelrod conceded that the forces arrayed against reform were fully mobilized saying “The lobbyists for the insurance industry have landed on Capitol Hill like locusts, and they are going to be doing everything they can in the next week to try and muscle people” He claimed to welcome Republican opposition: “I say… Make my day. I’m ready.”
He also pushed back against Republican claims that using reconciliation was some how an unfair tactic saying: “Enough game-playing; enough maneuvering… Let’s have an up or down vote.”
Despite Axelrod’s bravura, on NBC, the House Democratic Whip James Clyburn, was forced to admit that “as of this morning” the democratic leadership did yet have enough support to pass the necessary bills.
A fact that Republicans were pleased to point out.
Speaking on CNN Boehner said “Guess what? They don’t have the votes.”
While the White House seems to have decided that it is time for an all out effort, the house minority leader is counting on help from unusual quarters: left leaning democrats.
This is because the Senate Parliamentarian, Alan Frumin ruled on March 11 that the original Senate bill must be signed into law before reconciliation can be used to pass an acceptable amended bill. House Democrats and many observers found the original Senate bill to be a boondoggle and potentially a huge giveaway to the insurance industry because of its requirements that all adults seek health coverage or face tax penalties.
Commenting on the ruling on March 12 Weiner said “At the end of the day, members of the House are being asked to trust an untrustworthy body.”
He is understandably nervous because in the last year the house has passed 290 bills upon which the Senate has failed to act.
With out his support and that of other “public option” house members there is little hope the Senate measure will make it to the president’s desk.
But Weiner is ultimately a pragmatist and a team player so it is likely that if they manage to convince the “Stupak 6” (who object that there is not enough assurance in the language of the Senate bill that abortion will not be federally funded), the Democratic leadership will probably overcome this particular obstacle.