links for 2010-03-04

Magellan Data and Mapping (R)
2/25/10; 612 likely Republican primary voters, 4% margin of error
ModE: Automated phone
(/Magellan release)

California
2010 Senate: Republican Primary
33% Campbell, 20% Fiorina, 11% DeVore (chart)

The White House may renege on passing fixes to the Senate's healthcare bill once the House has passed it, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) claimed Thursday.

Gregg, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, suggested that President Barack Obama may back off making changes to the Senate bill through the reconciliation process, which the White House and the Senate have said they would use to make changes to the Senate bill in order to placate House members.

"They're using reconciliation to pass the great big bill," Gregg said during an appearance on CNBC. "Once they pass the great big bill, I wouldn't be surprised if the White House didn't care if reconciliation passed. I mean, why would they?"
"In my opinion, reconciliation is an exercise for buying votes, which, once they have the votes they really don't need it," he said.
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Indeed why bother?

Watch it all

Passing the healthcare proposals before Congress will "hang out to dry" every Democratic incumbent running for reelection this fall, Howard Dean said Thursday.

Dean, a physician by training who's a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), said that Democrats in Congress — and President Barack Obama — would do themselves more harm than good by passing the current healthcare bill.

"The plan, as it comes from the Senate, hangs out every Democrat who's running for office to dry — including the president, in 2012, because it makes him defend a plan that isn't in effect essentially yet," Dean said during an appearance on the liberal Bill Press Radio Show.
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Absolutely correct. Dems will OWN IT

At least nine of the 39 Democrats who voted "nay" when the House passed sweeping overhaul legislation 220-215 in November are now undecided or withholding judgment until they see President Barack Obama's final product, according to the Associated Press. See a breakdown of the November vote and a preview of what the vote is likely to be next time. Click on column headers to sort.