Rep Grijalva: "The President supports the Public Option."

[Clio the Leo]

Thank you Raul! We know this isn't an easy decision! :applause:

Rep. Raul Grijalva on The Ed Show Friday night....

... the comments on the public option was that (The President) supported it and that he HAS supported it. While popular opinion of it is strong, that opinion does not hold in the Senate and that's where you have to count the votes....

The opinion of many of us, myself included, was this was an historic vote. If we do not build a building block on health care reform, then it is going to be difficult to get other things done as we move along on the agenda. The question becomes, fundamentally, that if we cant stand tough on the things the American people want, then how are we going to reconcile the future agenda if we cant put the fight up on this one.....

The President gave his personal commitment that he would work on (the public option) later....

Video (interview starts at the 9:45min mark)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35732661#35732661

~ transcript my own ~







ETA: (since I cant make up my mind if the photo above looks too chummy, I'm adding this one where Grijalva looks like more of a bad a** :) )



Let's just hope Miss Jane doesn't ask for his head.....

[panader0]

1. Grijalva is the only good Dem in my state

Gabby Giffords is a blue dog.....
Then there's McCain, Kyl, Hayworth and many other vile 'pubs.
Chris Deschehe is an up and coming Dem from Window Rock, A Navajo veteran, and a liberal running for state AG. I've been plugging this guy for a while.

Snip--


January 29, 2010

Dear Friend,
Today, I am proud to share with you all that Arizona’s esteemed Congressman, Raul Grijalva has announced his endorsement for my candidacy for Secretary of State in 2010.

Contribute to my campaign today!

I would like to share Congressman Grijalva’s kind words with you all:

“Chris Deschene is the kind of leader that makes Arizonans proud of our state. He proves the value of hard work and determination every day, and we need his energy and commitment now more than ever. As we look to renew the promise of a better economy and a fair government for all Arizonans, I ask you to join me in supporting Chris Deschene for Secretary of State."

Congressman Grijalva will be the Chair of my committee for election, and I am honored and privileged to receive his endorsement and his support. There are few people who have done more for our state, and always with the utmost integrity and honor.

Join our campaign today.

The support I have received over the past few weeks has been overwhelming, but we have a long way to go to right the wrongs of our failed government. I look forward to working side by side with Congressman Grijalva, and the concerned constituents he serves, to get our state back on track.

Get involved in our exciting campaign today – we need you!

Sincerely,



Chris Deschene
State Representative, District 2








--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paid for by Deschene for Arizona.

[Bobbieo]

6. Agree with you. He is Tucson's finest

[Clio the Leo]

9. Isn't it funny and he and McCain can be from the same state...

... almost as funny as the fact that Boehner and Sherrod are both from Ohio.

[jenmito]

2. Well, he's obviously a corporate tool-just like Woolsey and the rest of 'em!

And I call on him to resign immediately!!!




:sarcasm:

[firedupdem]

11. I'm sure liar dog lake will get right on it! n/t

[Kalun D]

3. It's All A Dream

Obama doesn't want a public option, the health care lobbyists paid him good money to keep it out.

"Several hospital lobbyists involved in the White House deals said it was understood as a condition of their support that the final legislation would not include a government-run health plan paying-Medicare rates...or controlled by the secretary of health and human services. 'We have an agreement with the White House that I'm very confident will be seen all the way through conference', one of the industry lobbyists, Chip Kahn, director of the Federation of American Hospitals, told a Capitol Hill newsletter...Industry lobbyists say they are not worried 'We trust the White House,' Mr. Kahn said...."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-mogulescu/the-real-reason-obamas-pl_b_473924.html

[Arkana]

4. Well, I await Jane Hamsher's angry call for Rep. Grijalva to kiss her feet

and beg forgiveness.

[Cha]

45. It would be as senseless as any of her other stunts.

[depakid]

5. If Obama supported the public option it would be in the legislation

and I don't buy for even one minute that he'll "revisit it" later.

[krawhitham]

14. You have absolutely no idea how congress works do you

He can not just snap his fingers and make it happen, IT DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUCKING VOTES IN THE SENATE, what can you not fucking understand about that

[depakid]

15. The count was over 50- that's all you need

There's also this little deal called "leadership" or the lack thereof which some folks can't seem to rationalize enough about- nor make enough excuses for.

Face it- the administration never really wanted a public option in the first place- if they had, they would have fought for one- and they would have put it in the legislation they presented to Congress. Of course, that would have put Senators in the position to have to actually stand up and be counted- and held accountable... and as we know from so many other areas, accountability isn't one of this administration's strong points.

[jefferson_dem]

7. Whatever.

I'll reserve judgment until Cenk, Hamsher, and some obscure "single payer" advocacy group chime in.

[Clio the Leo]

8. I'm really surprised that Jane hasn't said anything...

.... considering how mad she is at Woolsey.

Maybe it's because Raul didn't come out and say, "I will vote for the Senate bill"? .... Or maybe she missed the interview.

[Arkana]

10. I'm sure when her buddy Grover comes in and gives it to her

that she will spew her special toxic brand of angry all over FDL.

[denimgirly]

12. Revisit? LOL! Have u been watching? Obama has NO INTENTIONS!

[John Q. Citizen]

13. Yep, there is a sucker born every minute, as some of the posters in this thread demonstrate.

They will always buy the crap if it's Obama selling it.

It amazes me that they don't see just how gullible they are, over and over and over again.


When it was the bush loyalists doing the same self-delusion, they could see it clear as a bell; When it's them doing it, they haven't a clue that they are doing it.

No wonder the corporations keep winning the people keep losing. A large portion of our own people are complete suckers.

[Clio the Leo]

17. Are you counting Grijalva in that number? NT

[Cha]

47. The President is doing a good job while so

many on the internet can only contribute cheap pot shots.

[HughMoran]

23. 88 posts in 6 days, 80 of which denigrate, attack of promote threads attacking Obama

You've jumped right in here - as if you're an old pro... :think:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

34. And just what are YOUR intentions, pray tell? (nt)

[MadHound]

16. Ah that mythical time, "later".

Another way of simple saying "never". Another sucker falls for it, sad.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

18. The fierce urgency of later

[JTFrog]

19. K&R!

Love that bottom pic!

[mmonk]

20. The problem is enough elected Democrats said they were for

a public option until it came time to vote and majority votes in the Senate less than 60 are not unprecedented. It is nearly impossible to get over 60 members of the Senate to belong to one party and secondly, much of the process was dishonest and limited. If the intent was to do adjustments to the present system without much structural reform, they should have said so before now. Sorry if I'm not all warm and fuzzy. It's better than nothing but worse than we deserve.

[AllentownJake]

21. He also has endorsed Blanche Lincoln

I mean, if he really supported it, you think Blanche would have signed her name to be on board with it before an endorsement.

Mixed messages from El'Presidente here.

[mmonk]

22. +1000

[HughMoran]

24. Yes, it's always a good idea for the Democratic President to kick people to the curb

It would be unprecedented for a sitting President to not promote a currently elected Senator of his own Party. What you're saying makes sense from our perspective (I hate Blanche), but it would be political suicide if he started picking fights within the Party at this time. This is politics 101.

[AllentownJake]

25. I think the President can play a little hardball with Blanche right now

He doesn't have to endorse her opponent, but he can stay quiet a little longer till she decides to play ball.

Of course I stopped believing a word that comes out of his mouth till I see what he does after the innauguration.

[HughMoran]

26. Point is, he kinda needs the votes of a few of the right-wing Dems at this time

If he attacks one, he attacks all. A little honey at this time will do him good - he surely has plenty of time to decide how much he will support her after the Healthcare reconciliation vote (there maybe other votes where he needs these ass-holes too.)

[AllentownJake]

27. They need him, more than he needs them.

Honestly, after this past year, if I had to buy a car, Barack Obama is the last person I'm calling to help me negotiate with the car dealer.

Bush, very evil, seems pretty smart right now, at least when it comes to getting a twisted agenda through the US congress.

[HughMoran]

28. Bush did easy things like cut taxes

He ran for the hills when they tried to reform SS, so you're not being fair. I wish you would stop being so biased - I know you've chosen a team and it's addicting to have a group that agrees on certain things unquestioningly, but I think you're more pragmatic than you're letting on...

[AllentownJake]

29. I haven't chosen any "team"

I see an impending financial catastophre brought on by fraudulent balance sheet accounging in the financial and government sector.

This, is more of a passing amusement, because even if it passes, it isn't going to matter in a year.

However, watching people debate over it, does make me chuckle a little bit.

[HughMoran]

30. Yeah ya have

You may be using them to in order to promote your message, but the bile has been spewed and there is no turning back...

[AllentownJake]

31. I have no clue what the hell you are talking about.

My main concern is the financial crisis and it being cleaned up. Seeing that more people have lost health care over that little situation than will be covered by shitty insurance under this bill.

This HCR debate has been silly from the beginning because I was told that Health Insurance was the main cause of this problem, the solution is to give more money to Health Insurance companies and no matter how you splice it, logically, that can't compute in my small brain.

This makes as much sense as fucking for virgianity.

[HughMoran]

32. ...so you comment on the PO thread, but not my "Economists Divided" thread?

Ummmm - ok!

(I'll let you off easy on the "no clue" thing - you have to live with that.)

[AllentownJake]

33. I'm sorry

I'll get to your little thread soon...:evilgrin:

[vaberella]

35. If God came down & said Obama supported the PO, people would ask, "Rahm twisted your arm, right?"

People want to believe what they want and if Obama doesn't follow their exact guidelines as being supportive of anything they want...then Obama doesn't support it. End of story.

[AllentownJake]

36. If God wants to talk to mankind

I hope he has more important priorities than the Public Option.

:rofl:

[Dr.Phool]

37. He'd tell Pat Robertson to let us know.

[Sebastian Doyle]

50. The difference there is

God wouldn't have put up with the bullshit from Baucus/Nelson/Landrieu/Lincoln/Lieberdouche/Stupak/etc.

There would have been frogs & locusts raining down all over DLC/BlueBalledCoward headquarters by now.

[Dr.Phool]

38. Supports it so much, he won't ask for it.

Talk about a deadbeat dad.

[Faryn Balyncd]

39. Supports it so much he's pushing a mandate that will kill a public plan FOREVER.

:kick:

[Change Happens]

40. I know in my heart that he does in his heart!!!

[democracy1st]

41. kick

[Cha]

42. Health Care Reform..like the President

said..none of this is going to be easy. Keep your eye on the prize.

[paulk]

51. the prize IS health care reform

not insurance reform, which is what the current legislation addresses...

[Raineyb]

43. The President has a funny way of showing his support.

Denying he ran on a public option, no insistence on it, the ease with which it was pushed aside for political expediency and the lack of fight for it, I can't imagine why anyone would think the President couldn't give a damn about it one way or another.

[GreenArrow]

44. The President supports passing a bill.

That's the bottom line. Some bill. Any bill. A bill with or without a "public option." Must...pass...bill...And they've got a real stinkeroo lined up for us.

[Cha]

48. The President has a congress full of assholes who

don't want anything and this is a foundation to build on regardless of what cheapass shots those on the internet can come up with.

[ShortnFiery]

46. The President is not a member of the Senate. We don't have 51 votes PERIOD. eom

[Cha]

49. Yeah, and I believe Raul over that

distorter anyday.

[Cha]

52. Damn Straight.