John Podesta, President of the influential Center for American Progress, and head of President Barack Obama’s transition effort, says that Sen. Joe Lieberman’s filibuster threat likely has Senate Democrats pulling their files on passing health care reform through the 51-vote reconciliation process off the shelves.
“I suspect musty folders on reconciliation got dusted off this morning,” Podesta told USA Today‘s Susan Page. “If you don’t have Lieberman and you don’t have Nelson, the question is whether you can get Snowe and Collins.”
Podesta is, of course, referring to Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME).
The Democrats will be discussing this question–how to get 60 votes for a health care bill without Lieberman’s support–at a 5:30 p.m. caucus meeting tonight. Emotion’s are expected to be very raw.
