Dennis Kucinich to vote for Obama’s health care bill
Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a fierce critic on the health care reform bill on the Democrats’ left, relented Wednesday and said he would vote for this.
The Ohio Democrat’s choice brings House Speaker Nancy Pelosi one member closer on the 216 votes she must pass reform.
But Kucinich isn’t doing it gladly, and his capitulation comes only after intense pressure from Pelosi and President Obama, who visited to Ohio with Kucinich earlier this week.
“I have taken this fight farther than many in Congress have been willing to take it,” Kucinich said, arguing that he owed it to his constituents to push for any single-payer health-care system that ends the ability of insurance companies.
But, he said, “In the past week, it’s become clear that the vote on the final health bill will be very close.”
And he doesn’t need to be one who scuttles reform, even if he doesn’t think it’s suitable.
“I know I have to make a decision on the bill not as I’d like to see it, but as it is,” he said.
“After careful discussions with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, my wife Elizabeth and close friends, I’ve decided to cast my vote in favor.”
He insisted he wouldn’t stop there, though, and pledged to hold pushing for more robust reforms.
“I’ve taken a detour through supporting this bill,” he said.
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Health Care Bill Vote
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: The press is on to convince moderate Democrats to assistance health care reform — but it really is liberal groups who are doing a few of the loudest noise about the eve on the vote.
MoveOn.org these days sent an e-mail to its members, asking for pledges of service for “progressive main challengers” to Democrats who vote against President Obama’s initiative.
“Health care reform is in significant hazard in the Home of Representatives: having a handful of conservative Democrats wavering, we will not however have the votes to pass the last bill,” the e-mail reads. “So we’re asking just about every MoveOn member: will you pledge to assistance progressive primary challengers to Property Democrats who facet with Republicans to kill wellness caution reform?”
“With the huge vote happening as early as this Friday, conservative Democrats have to know the stakes if they choose to facet with Major Insurance cover over the voters on well being treatment reform. Our pledge will send that message loud and obvious. We’ll publicize the quantity pledged, and make certain the media and every single wavering representative know about it.”
Also, a coalition of liberal groups — Progressive Adjust Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, and Credo Action — right now is launching a TV advertisement in Residence Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s hometown of San Francisco, pressing her to reverse course and include things like a “public option” in the health care bill set for passage in Congress.
“The Senate has the votes. The public method is in Pelosi’s hands,” the ad states.
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