Gibbs: We're Still Pushing For Bipartisanship, But Obama Agrees With Rahm

[ProSense]

Gibbs: We're Still Pushing For Bipartisanship, But Obama Agrees With Rahm

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs continued to push back against this morning's stories that the administration has given up on getting bipartisanship, even while saying President Obama agrees with the statement that set off those stories.

"Many (Republicans) want to see health care reform," Gibbs said. He also said the three Republicans working on negotiations in the Senate Finance Committee -- Sens. Chuck Grassley (IA), Olympia Snowe (ME) and Mike Enzi (WY) -- "are working in good faith," Gibbs said. "I have no reason to believe they're not."

But Gibbs suggested President Obama agrees with the statement that set off speculation about the death of bipartisanship. Chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said, "The Republican leadership has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama's health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day."

Gibbs was asked whether Obama agrees.

"Let's just say I haven't seen anything that would persuade me otherwise," he said.

Gibbs also said that reports of fighting within the Democratic party over the reform bill is mostly "contrived" by the media.

Note: MSM lies.

[PM Martin]

1. What is with the Rahm Emanuel?

He seems to a be an opportunist/corporatist servant.

What's his story?

[rudy23]

7. Seems like they're trying to define themselves as against the GOP AND Progressives

I hope I'm wrong, but so far it seems to be part of the Obama admin's fantasy that they can forge a coalition from the center. This would allow them to serve their corporate masters, and appear to be a "change" from the party of George W Bush.

[ProSense]

8. Had to introduce this bit of nonsense, huh?

This would allow them to serve their corporate masters, and appear to be a "change" from the party of George W Bush.

What BS.

[rudy23]

9. Well you tell me why the insurance company gave so much to the Obama admin.

Until I see a strong push for a public option from them, I'll back off from my skepticism. All I need to see is how the Obama admin is handling Wall St., and Goldman Sachs in particular. In that case, aren't they doing what the Bush admin did in letting Goldman call its own shots?

Instead what I'm seeing is a bunch of staffers going uncharacteristically "off message" to show they will back off from the public option. Also, the article in the WaPo that quoted an Obama senior aide as blaming the left for their selfish stubbornness in insisting on a public option.

I hope I'm wrong, but until I see differently, the Obama admin looks like they're on the side of insurance companies, and not "the left of the left."

[ProSense]

10. "the Obama admin looks like they're on the side of insurance companies" Right, because

this is exactly what insurance companies want.

[rudy23]

12. When that bill comes up for vote, I'll gladly eat crow.

Until then, it looks like they're setting us---"the left of the left" up for disappointment. I hope I'm wrong. I hoped I was wrong about Geithner, warrantless wiretapping, gay rights, and Guantanamo, too.

[Teaser]

17. we're all on our tiptoes waiting for you

yawn.

[glitch]

15. Doubling down on "The Third Way" nt

:puke:

[rudy23]

22. Yep. Get ready, fellow Democrats. This is just the beginning.

I'm afraid all that "bipartisanship" talk was to soften us up for the attack on "the left of the left" (i.e. most of us) coming from this admin that we're already starting to see.

[tavalon]

13. leave off the servent part and add slimy chicago mafioso type and it would be closer to the truth

Rahm really only serves at the pleasure of himself. He is one self interested prick.

[undeterred]

2. Dem and Repub Bipartisanship

[DebbieCDC]

3. Grassley's "working in good faith"????

Uh, Gibbs is out of the loop here

[jenmito]

14. Uh, YOU'RE the one out of the loop...

he's just SAYING that so the WH can claim they did everything they could before resorting to reconciliation.

[JaneQPublic]

18. Ding Ding Ding Ding!

We have a winner!

[jenmito]

21. Thank you!

:D

[Dawgs]

4. Chuck Grassley (IA) -- "are working in good faith,"... "I have no reason to believe they are not"

And, this guy calls himself the press secretary. WOW!!

:eyes:

[ProSense]

6. It's exactly what he needs to say

"I have no reason to believe they are not"

[Eric J in MN]

5. The Republicans in Congress want to make the bill as lousy as possible...

...so that the public dislikes it.

Then the Republicans will vote against it.

[jenmito]

11. K&R.

You nailed it. :D

[quiet.american]

16. This is what frustrates me -- Grassley has proved to the nth degree he's not to be trusted.

I know politics is politics, but damn, I would love to hear Barney Frank answer that question.

[Cha]

19. There are lots of republicans who voted

for Obama and they're trying to keep this civil even if they're up against the most indecent bunch of snivling republicon politicians in history except for when bushxcheney were in.

Edit~ They don't want to make this an "us against them thing". Pukes are painting their ownselves in a corner.

[Cha]

20. And, just got this new website from the White House.."Setting The Record Straight"

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/settingtherecord

Cha --

It feels like a new lie about health insurance reform crops up each day. Government taking over all health care? Not true. Euthanasia for seniors? Couldn't be more false. Rationing of care? Reform will stop rationing, not increase it.

These lies create fear and anger, and we're seeing the results around the country. Frightened crowds have flooded town halls, and the office of a Georgia representative was defaced with a swastika.

It's time to set the record straight -- and, more importantly, expose the special interests and partisan attack organizations behind the lies and misinformation.

That's why we created our new "Setting the Record Straight" site. Check out the site today and then spread the word to your friends.

As the site makes clear, these lies are no accident. They're part of a deliberate plot by the special interests who profit from the status quo to kill any reform at all. While Americans watch their paychecks dwindle, their coverage disappear, and their businesses struggle, special interests are trying to scare folks into opposing reform.

Our "Setting the Record Straight" site has all the info you need to fight back, as well as easy ways to get involved in the fight for health insurance reform. We'll be updating it often with new information debunking health care lies, so stop by regularly.

As we learned during the campaign, lies like these can spread like wildfire through viral emails and from friend to friend. The best way to stop them is to arm yourself with the facts -- and make sure your friends and family know the truth.

Check out the site, and share it with everyone you know:

http://my.barackobama.com/record

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- Reminder: President Obama is holding a live strategy meeting on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time for all Organizing for America supporters. Click here to RSVP and submit a question for President Obama.

[Cha]

23. Kick

:kick: