The Blue Dogs will remind you that without them the Democrats would not have a majority in the House. Now 52 members strong, the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition is threatening to block President Obama's plans for health care reform, unless their demands are met.
They want to "bend the curve," as they call it, of health care costs - something they say the current leading proposals in the House don't do. When I sat down for a lengthy interview with the Blue Dogs' point man on Health Care, Arkansas Democrat Mike Ross, I was surprised to learn one thing. He's been talking regularly with former President Clinton, who tried and failed to reform health care.
Ross and Clinton go way back. Not only does Ross represent Hope, Arkansas - the former President's home town. Ross was also Clinton's legislative assistant decades ago. He may be standing in the way of current Democratic proposals on health care in the House. But considering his history with Mr. Clinton, it's hard to see Ross dealing a fatal blow to reform.
