The Dem Leadership Blame Game

IT’S THE MEDIA’S FAULT

MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID (D-NV): “‘That [August] Is A Deadline That You Created,’ Reid Told A Group Of About 75 Reporters.” (“Senate Dems Blame Media For August Health Deadline,” The Hill, 7/30/09)

IT’S THE REPUBLICANS’ FAULT

MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID (D-NV): “No One Is Harming The Process Of Moving Forward On A Bill Other Than The Republican Leadership.” (“Reid Says GOP Leaders Are Trying To Undermine Health Care Reform,” Roll Call, 7/30/09)

IT’S THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY’S FAULT

SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “They’ve Been Immoral All Along… They Are The Villains In This.” “‘The public option — that’s where the insurance companies are making their attacks — it’s almost immoral what they are doing,’ said Pelosi, addressing reporters outside of her office a few minutes ago. ‘Of course, they’ve been immoral all along,’ she added. ‘They are the villains in this, they have been part of the problem in a major way.’” (“Pelosi Slams Insurers As ‘Immoral’ Villains,” The Politico’s “Glenn Thrush” Blog, 7/30/09)

IT’S THE “LOBBYISTS AND THE SPECIAL INTERESTS’” FAULT

PRESIDENT OBAMA: “Because If Congress Thinks That The American People Don’t Want To See Change, Frankly, The Lobbyists And The Special Interests Will End Up Winning The Day.” (President Obama, Town Hall Meeting, Annandale, VA, 7/1/09)

IT’S SEN. BAUCUS’ FAULT

SEN. JOHN ROCKEFELLER (D-WV): “I’m Not Allowed Into The Meetings, The Real Meetings They Have, What They Call The Coalition Of The Willing. It Is A Really, Really Bad Way To Try And Develop Support And Ideas. So the whole philosophy is, if we can get these three Republicans, we can call it bipartisan, but I don’t think any of you [in the media] are going to think it is particularly bipartisan.” (“Blown Deadline, Blown Chance?” Politico, 7/24/09)

IT’S RAHM EMANUEL’S FAULT

“Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) Blamed Now-White House Chief Of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s Work As Head Of The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). … ‘That may be difficult for Rahm Emanuel, because remember, he recruited most of them,’ Waters said during an interview on MSNBC when asked if the White House could lean on centrist, Blue Dog Democrats to pass reform legislation.” (“Waters Blames Rahm For Recalcitrant Dems On Healthcare,” The Hill, 7/28/09)

IT’S THE BLUE DOGS’ FAULT

REP. HENRY WAXMAN (D-CA) On The Blue Dogs: “We’re Not Going To Let Them Empower Republicans To Control The Committee.” “The frustration bubbled over last Friday after negotiations broke down between the Blue Dogs and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.). Afterward, the chairman complained, ‘We’re not going to let them empower Republicans to control the committee.’” (“Democrats Search For Villains On Health Care,” Politico, 7/28/09)

IT’S PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FAULT

SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-MT): “Basically, The President Is Not Helping Us.” “‘Basically, the president is not helping us,’ said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, after emerging from closed talks on the bill.” (“Democrat: Obama Slowing Down Progress On Health Care Reform,” CNN, 7/16/09)

IT’S THE NAYSAYERS’ AND CYNICS’ FAULT

PRESIDENT OBAMA: “The Naysayers And The Cynics Still Doubt We Can Do This.” (President Obama, Remarks, The White House, 7/15/09)