Jan 17 2010
MTP: White House Internally Admits MA Election Slipping Away
Mark Halperin on Meet The Press (MTP) this morning just stated that the White House was quietly admitting to itself that Ted Kennedy’s seat is slipping away. As I suspected Obama’s trip is to try and limit the loss. Halperin also tried to claim the MA Special Election would not be any judgement on Obama’s policy. Pure WH spin (with Podesta acting as the set piece foil).
Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) — Even if Democrats lose the Jan. 19 special election to pick a new Massachusetts senator, Congress may still pass a health-care overhaul by using a process called reconciliation, a top House Democrat said.
That procedure requires 51 votes rather than the 60 needed to prevent Republicans from blocking votes on President Barack Obama’s top legislative priorities. That supermajority is at risk as the Massachusetts race has tightened.
“Even before Massachusetts and that race was on the radar screen, we prepared for the process of using reconciliation,†said Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aPg2UfFaCh9c&pos=9
Van Hollen has very incomplete grasp of how hard it would be to use reconciliation. He may have been senate staffer but you don’t hear senators saying they are going that route. It steps on the prerogatives of chairmen and would likely be shot down internally by dems as having too many unintended consequences.
The spin of MTP is to lower expectation and line up BO as savior = it was a pure spin visit with take-away ” Martha was doomed” if she loses and “BO saved the day” if she wins
The reason few out side the beltway look at shows like MTP is they are vehicles spin. Compared to the internet, MTP leaves you dumber than when you started.
Intrade is looking much worse than earlier!! Now 50-50!!!
Anything going on???
Looks like people who were holding contracts way outside the 45-55 range to recoup losses. Suspect it will go back out a bit by this afternoon
Reconciliation? Bring it on. I predict not a SINGLE so-called blue dog is gonna bite on that one after witnessing this race. The public will be VOLCANIC. Is Joe Lieberman endorsing Scott Brown today?
Dan Riehl says that Joe Lieberman is not going to endorse anyone in the MA race.
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