Conyers to Obama: Get tough over health care

[Bozita]

Source: AP

POSTED: 11:16 A.M. NOV. 9, 2009
Conyers to Obama: Get tough over health care
ASSOCIATED PRESS


Veteran U.S. Rep. John Conyers is urging President Barack Obama to get tough with those senators he says are standing in the way of passing legislation designed to overhaul the nation’s health care system.

The Detroit Democrat said today “the president could take a few pages from Lyndon Johnson’s book ... and start knocking heads together.”

Conyers spoke to reporters in Detroit before heading into a fund-raiser featuring Vice President Joe Biden.

The House passed the far-reaching health care legislation late Saturday night. The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the Senate to begin its debate.

Read more: http://freep.com/article/20091109/NEWS15/91109027/1319/...

[LuckyLib]

1. True. But LBJ had years to find out where all the bodies were buried. Obama

just doesn't have the clout.

[Vincardog]

2. That does not excuse him from his responsibility as the LEADER of the Democratic party

[JDPriestly]

10. "Clout" is not the right word. "Experience" is.

Obama does not have the experience to fight for us. That was evident during the campaign. He has a great personality. He is a wonderful person. But he does not know where the bodies are buried. Rahm Emmanuel does, but Rahm has an agenda that is abhorrent to most of us on DU.

[depakid]

13. More like he lacks the disposition

Obama's entire career has been spent as a conciliator and consensus builder- which works well on the foreign policy front- but will fail at enacting effective public policy at home in dysfunctional institutions like the US Senate.

[JDPriestly]

15. You are so right, Depakid. And Obama + Reid is an awful combination.

Reid does not know how to put his foot down. He is not up to playing rough. It is a tragedy for the American people.

[optimator]

3. we shouldn't elect Senators to be President anymore

there are just certain Leadership traits that legislators lack , that we desperately need.

[nyy1998]

6. Right, cause the last 2 Senators we elected

were terrible at getting stuff done. The last two senators elected were JFK and LBJ(although he was the President by th time first first election came around).

[Jennicut]

11. LOL. And governors are so much better.

[CTD]

4. Yeah, maybe Obama can draft a sternly worded letter - just like Conyers.

If there is one person I wouldn't want to hear the "get tough" refrain from, it's Rep Conyers.

[bc3000]

8. Exactly!!! Great Post!!!

[Captain Hilts]

5. Cowboy up!

[dflprincess]

7. Conyers should have followed his own advice n/t

[OnyxCollie]

9. Hmm... Inherent contempt or statutory contempt?

Thanks, John. Your "get tough" concern is duly noted.

[timzi]

12. Obama = A Monumental Failure On Health Care Reform

An Inconvient Truth

[PSPS]

14. That's the real truth

Obama's fatal mistake was letting it go over the summer recess. By doing that, he relinquished control of the agenda and gave the lunatics and their RW Wurlitzer enough time to drive this into the ditch it's in now.

[dflprincess]

18. Obama's mistake was telling them to get anything passed and to do it fast

maybe he and Congress should have taken the time to think about what they were doing and to listen to all sides, including those who advocate Medicare for All.

[CreekDog]

16. + a brazillion

[w4rma]

17. Let's see what the Big Dawg can do, tomorrow. Maybe Obama won't have to. (nt)