What's the Next Step?

Meredith Jessup | December 19, 2009 1:35 PM

Now that the health care bill will likely pass in the Senate with Reid's 60-vote majority, the next question to consider is this: How do you think Pelosi will buy-off enough pro-life Blue Dogs and pro-public-option progressives to pass the measure through the House?

While the Speaker is trying to figure that one out, Politico is reporting today that Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak, Mich., is working behind the scenes with House GOP leadership to sink the compromise:

An aide to Rep. Bart Stupak (D. Mich.) coordinated opposition to a Senate compromise on the place of abortion in health care legislation this morning with the Republican Senate leadership, the Conference Catholic Bishops, and other anti-abortion groups, according to a chain of frantic emails obtained this morning by POLITICO.

The emails show that Stupak — who has so far remained silent on language accepted by Senator Ben Nelson (D. Neb.) and faces intense pressure from the White House to accept it — is already working behind the scenes to oppose the compromise.

They also demonstrate a previously unseen degree of coordination between Stupak and the office of Republican leader Mitch McConnell.