Two original "NO" votes - Baird (WA) and Altmire (PA) - might be warming to health care reform bill.

[jefferson_dem]

Asked by Crowley whether he would vote against a final bill after determining it did not met his personal criteria even if that vote meant that one of the president’s top domestic agenda items would not pass, Baird did not hesitate: “Yes.”

But Baird quickly sought to clarify. The retiring Democrat said it would be “a tragedy” if some type of health care reform was not enacted. “And so that’s the choice. I don’t think this bill is what I would like to see us do if I ran the universe, as it were, but I don’t get to do that so the status quo is unsustainable.”

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/07/retiring-dem-gop-doesnt-want-to-dance-on-health-care/?fbid=B63NQ7tPGZw

* A bit more health care movement: Rep Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania, who voted No the first time, strongly suggested on Fox News today that he’s leaning towards Yes on the Senate bill.

“I need to see the reconciliation package, but there’s no question in my mind the Senate bill was much stronger than House bill on cost containment,” Altmire said. He insisted he wasn’t leaning towards Yes, but added: “I think we have a much better product to work with.”

* But: Rep John Adler of New Jersey, also a former No, suggested he’s likely to stay a No. “I’m not sure the bills coming through the House and Senate really address health care reform,” he said.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/sunday-roundup-12/