Research Briefing

Obama’s Hypocrisy On Full Display Yesterday, Warning Dems Who Voted Yes Not To Flip-Flop, While Arm-Twisting Dems Who Voted No To Switch

“White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Said Obama Is Prepared To Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ To Get Health Care Done In The Coming Weeks.” (Jennifer Bendery, “Obama To Congress: Get It Done Already,” Roll Call, 3/4/10)

OBAMA TO DEMS WHO VOTED YES FOR GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE: “FLIP-FLOPPING IS DANGEROUS”

Yesterday, Obama Warned Dems Who Voted ‘Yes’ Not To Flip-Flop Because “Flip-Flopping Is Dangerous In This Business.” “Two senior administration officials said the White House is telling Democrats reconsidering their support for health care reform that they will pay the price for their original vote no matter what happens, so they should reap the political benefits of actually passing a law … And the way the White House and Democratic leaders see it, they have little choice but to vote for it again: Think John Kerry, and his immortal words about an Iraq war appropriations bill – that he was for it before he was against it. ‘Flip-flopping is dangerous in this business,’ said a senior Senate Democratic aide familiar with the strategy.” (Carrie Budoff Brown and Patrick O’Connor, “W.H. Warns Dems: Don’t Flip-Flop,” Politico, 3/3/10)

OBAMA TO DEMS WHO VOTED NO FOR GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE: MAKE LIKE JOHN KERRY

On The Same Day, Obama Was Lobbying Dems Who Voted ‘No’ To Switch. “Obama’s final round of campaigning already appears to be under way: Just hours after Wednesday’s health care speech, the president was set to host a reception to thank lawmakers for their help in restoring statutory pay-as-you-go rules. The bulk of the 31 invitees? Fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats, many of whom are targets for party leaders hoping to switch a handful of ‘no’ votes to the House health care bill last fall to ‘yes’ votes on Obama’s final proposal. In fact, three of nine key Democrats who opposed the House bill but remain on the fence on Obama’s bill will be in attendance: Reps. John Tanner (Tenn.), Frank Kratovil (Md.) and Scott Murphy (N.Y.).” (Jennifer Bendery, “Obama To Congress: Get It Done Already,” Roll Call, 3/4/10)

• And Obama Has No Problem Twisting Arms In Attempt To Get Dems To Flip-Flop. “POTUS #hcr arm-twisting begins at happy hour at the WH where 10 House Dems who voted NO the first time will be attending.” (NBC’s Chuck Todd, Twitter Account, 3/3/10)