American Morning
Democrat stands by 'die quickly' remark
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Freshman U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson refused to back down Wednesday from remarks made on the House floor the night before, in which he said the Republican health care plan calls for sick people to "die quickly."
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/09/30/house.floor.controversy/art.grayson.housetv.jpg caption="Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Florida, made the "die quickly" remark on the House floor Tuesday night."]
In fact, Grayson, a Democrat who represents a central Florida swing district that includes Orlando, made another floor speech in which he apologized to the dead and their families for not acting sooner on health care reform. He then defended both speeches on CNN's "The Situation Room."
"What I mean is they have got no plan," Grayson told Wolf Blitzer. "It's been 24 hours since I said that. Where is the Republican plan? We're all waiting to see something that will take care of the pre-existing conditions, to take care of the 40 million Americans who have no coverage at all.
"That's what I meant when I said that the Republican plan is don't get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly."
Republicans pounced on Grayson's late-night speech and demanded an apology.
Steele calls Tom Friedman a 'nut job' over latest column
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/30/art.steelecnn.jpg caption="Steele appeared on CNN's American Morning Wednesday."]
(CNN) – Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele Wednesday beat back suggestions from some political commentators — most recently from the New York Times' Tom Friedman — that conservative opposition to President Obama is creating a political climate that may foreshadow attempts of violence against the commander in chief.
"Where do these nut jobs come from? Come on, stop this," Steele told CNN's John Roberts on American Morning in direct response to a quote from Friedman's column Wednesday equating the current political environment to that which occurred ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination in 1995.
Public option dead?
There's been a major blow to the public option in the make or break push for health care reform.
Some Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee have joined Republicans – voting to keep a government-run plan out of their bill. Read more
So is the plan dead in the water? Will the president let it die? CNN's Jim Acosta reports.
Sen. Collins hopes to reach a 'yes' on health care reform
The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday rejected two amendments to include a government-run public health insurance option in the only compromise health care bill so far. It's one of the many road blocks the plan has faced and the White House is trying to get some Republicans on board.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/30/collins.susan.art.jpg caption="Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) says so far she hasn't seen a health care bill that accomplishes what she thinks needs to be done."]
Senator Susan Collins of Maine is one of those Republicans whose support is being sought by the White House. She spoke to John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Wednesday. Below is an edited transcript of the interview.
John Roberts: We were talking off camera. You said you don't recall seeing times like these. There is so much going on.
Susan Collins: There is. I can't remember another time when there were more important issues on the table. You've got the two wars, a major decision coming up in Afghanistan, the health care debate, a faltering economy, the need for financial reform, environmental legislation, the cap-and-trade bill. It's just an enormous array of issues, all of which are extremely important.
Roberts: This morning let's take a narrow slice of all of that and talk about health care reform. Are you going to be able to vote for health care reform, do you think?
Collins: John, I want to vote for a health care bill but so far I haven't seen one that accomplishes what I think needs to be done. And that is to really focus on the cost of health care. It's the cost of health care that's the biggest barrier to the uninsured and causes such a struggle for middle income families and small businesses.
Crist stands by prediction Obama could face massive defeat
(CNN) — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is standing by his recent prediction that President Obama may be headed for a massive electoral defeat similar to that which President Carter faced in 1980.
[It] may happen again," Crist told CNN's John Roberts on American Morning Tuesday. "What I think has occurred is that in 1976 the people wanted a change…I think the same thing sort of happened last year in America." Read more
Can Obama fit any more on his plate?
CNN Senior Political Correspondent
WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Obama faces a daunting fall to-do list against the backdrop of an American public losing enthusiasm on a variety of issues.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/09/29/obama.full.plate/art.obama.tues.gi.jpg caption="President Obama's top priorities this fall are health care and financial reform."]
Obama's agenda ranges from dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions to traveling to Copenhagen to pitch Chicago for the 2016 Olympics - a trip the president said two weeks ago he could not take because he was working on health care.
"Health care reform has been his No. 1 priority issue here domestically. He wanted to make sure that if he went, that it wouldn't have an adverse impact on that, so he's going for just a day," said senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.
And health care will still be at the top of the list when the president gets back. This fall, his priorities are health care and financial reform, one Capitol Hill source said.
But health care reform will require a hands-on approach. The Senate Democratic leadership is looking for presidential guidance in creating one bill out of two very different ones - all the while holding onto enough votes to pass it.
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