Republicans Finding Their Cojones?

GOP Senators Say Bipartisan Health Deal in Jeopardy
President Obama's declared support for a public insurance plan, which would compete with private insurers, is opposed by nearly all Republicans.

President Barack Obama's hopes for a bipartisan health deal seemed in jeopardy Thursday as GOP senators protested his renewed support for a new public health insurance plan, and a key Democratic chairman declared that such a plan would likely be in the Senate's bill.

A public plan that would compete with private insurers is opposed by nearly all Republicans. Obama long has supported it, but he had avoided going into detail about his health goals, leaving the specifics to Congress and emphasizing hopes for a bipartisan bill.

That changed when Obama released a letter Wednesday to two Senate Democrats saying he believed strongly in the need for a new public plan.

"It wasn't helpful, it wasn't helpful," said Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, which is taking a lead role in crafting a health care overhaul. "Words make a difference. And this made a difference."

"Didn't help. It hurt," said Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, top Republican on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Added Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.: "If he wants a bipartisan bill, he has to recognize that a government-run plan doesn't get you to a bipartisan plan." Ensign spoke in an interview following a Senate Finance Committee meeting on the legislation.

The White House spokeswoman for health policy, Linda Douglass, responded: "As the president said in his letter, he remains hopeful that many Republicans will see fit to join with Democrats to enact legislation that will lower health care costs for businesses, families and government."