Live Blogging The Apocalypse
11:39 PM EDT
What does this mean???
Roll Call is reporting that presumed Yes vote Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) is now a NO.
As their whip efforts narrow to just a handful of Members, House Democratic leaders are facing an unlikely problem vote: Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.).
Sanchez was nowhere to be found on Saturday — she was in Florida on a fundraising jaunt, two Democratic sources said — and while leaders expected her to return for the Sunday vote on final passage, they weren’t assured. What’s more, leaders now list the Orange County Democrat as a “no” vote.
Sanchez is from a D+5 district. Hmmmmm………
8:55 PM: It looks like the whole Executive Order thing might be even more of a sham than I even thought before. The USCCB as well as other pro-life orgs are coming out against it mainly because it holds no water. Check this out from Critical Condition blog:
Boehner’s office is pointing out that pro-life Dems are going to have a hard time finding cover from major pro-life groups:
US Conference of Catholic Bishops: “No regulation, policy letter from HRSA, or other executive action can withstand a statutory mandate, construed by federal courts applying a constitutional decision on abortion.”
National Right to Life Committee: “If the [Senate] bill is signed into law, these statutory requirements and defects are not subject to correction or nullification by the chief executive or his appointees, whether by Executive Order, regulation, or otherwise.”
Check out the rest here.
8:44 PM: Kathryn Lopez says of the idea that Obama would write an Executive Order prohibiting abortion funding:
“I hear Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) has signed off on the idea. That’s an iron-clad guarantee it’s no real alternative for any member who calls himself “pro-life.”
Mind you, executive orders can be removed at the drop of a hat. I don’t trust this. At all.
7 PM EDT: Ace is reporting that Zack Space (D-OH) Goes From A November Yes To No Tomorrow. Jim Matheson (D-UT)-No Stays No. (Matheson is the guy whose brother Obama nominated for a federal judgeship after meeting with him to flip his vote. You can imagine that nomination will die a quick death now. How’d you like to be sitting at that Thanksgiving table between those two brothers.) But back to the point, some of the guys at Ace of Spades have been as pessimistic as me but they’re saying right now it’s not time to give up.
6:03 PM EDT: John Hawkins who typically has a good read on all things political says: “Despite what you may be hearing from Fox, which has strangely had a more optimistic count for Democrats than even liberal websites, Pelosi DOES NOT have the votes yet.” Check out his piece here. I really really want to believe him…then I read that Stupak’s group of 12 has now been whittled down to six.
4:26 PM EDT: The Politico reports that Rep. Chris Carney says he’ll vote yes. That may or may not be news as many believed him to be going that way for a while now. But what is noteworthy is that in his statement he said “[t]his bill also continues the longstanding ban on public funding for abortion.” Come on. Stop with the lies. Just for a while. You can have your victory but please just for one moment just admit that this bill funds abortion. It does. That’s it. Anyone who does even a little research understands this. It’s amazing to watch the obfuscation from everyone from Obama to Bob Casey Jr. to the liberal nuns, and now Carney. And the media carries their water.
3:47 PM EDT: Fox News reporter Major Garrett tweeted that he believes Pelosi has the votes. I hope he’s wrong. But I believe he’s right mainly because the Dems have shown they’re willing to do anything…and I mean anything to make this happen.
2:38 PM EDT
WHOA!!!!!
Washington Post is reporting that the Dems are dropping “Deem and Pass”
House Democratic leaders say they will take a separate vote on the Senate health care bill, rejecting an earlier, much-criticized strategy that would have permitted them to “deem” the measure passed without an explicit vote.
12:28 PM EDT
Say What?!?!?!
at NRO Will Stupak Be Silenced by Executive Order?
“There are whispers that the Majority are working on an executive order with Stupak-like language in an attempt to pacify pro-life Democrats.”
Is this even possible?
11:15 AM EDT
Lots happening this morning — unfortunately I don’t have any idea what it all means.
First, the Stupak presser has been cancelled/postponed as rumors that any deal to insert the Stupak language has fallen through. Rumor has it that pro-choice women revolted but let’s face it, there was never any real chance of getting the Senate to go along.
NRO confirms that Stupak has had it.
Two pro-life GOP members close to Stupak tell NRO that any Stupak deals are off. They just spoke with him and they said he’s finished with Pelosi. They rejected his enrollment corrections proposal.
What is clear is that Pelosi would not have been trying to cut a deal with Stupak if she had the votes. What is unclear is if now that the deal is over, does that leave Pelosi short or does it mean she has enough and doesn’t need Stupak anymore? Lots of questions, very few answers. Stay tuned….