GOP senators won't boycott Obama's healthcare summit, leader says

[UpInArms]

Source: LA Times

Reporting from Washington - Senate Republicans relented Sunday and said they would attend President Obama's bipartisan healthcare summit this week after all, but the chamber's GOP leader is far from resigned to the Democrats' idea of cooperation on the hot-button issue.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he and his members wouldn't boycott the president's meeting set for Thursday and that he'd come ready to participate "in good faith."

<snip>

The decision expands the summit's attendance list beyond Democratic lawmakers, whom Obama has summoned to the presidential guest house for a bipartisan meeting with whichever Republican leaders will join them. House Republicans haven't said yet whether they'll go.

Whether the summit at Blair House actually offers the opportunity to break through the healthcare logjam, it certainly holds potential for public posturing about who is trying to fix the problem and who is stalling or worsening the situation. The meeting will be broadcast live in its entirety on C-SPAN.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-health-summit22-2010feb22,0,7345901.story

[onehandle]

1. I, for one, was really worried.

Not, really.

[Pirate Smile]

6. Me too.

OMG It is HCR Summit Week!!!

6-8 hours straight of HC policy wonk mixed with cut-throat politics. :bounce: :evilgrin:

[tishaLA]

2. I was wishing they would. the optics would have been great

but I'm sure the President will make them look petty in person and that will be just as satisfying.

[Arkana]

3. They can't.

Not without looking like the cowards they are.

[Cha]

7. Right..they have no choice.

[Lil Missy]

4. Whew!

:eyes:

[Guilded Lilly]

5. Good faith?

Fear of the truth being exposed is more like it.

I don't care if they don't show their obstructionist faces for the next two and a half years.
Take your damn *ball* and go wherever you call home these days. The rules of the game have changed.

[mindwalker_i]

16. Yeah, no kidding

Republicans acting in good faith is about as likely as spontaneous proton decay.

[liberal N proud]

8. Darn, I was hoping they would

It would be the political stunt that would do them in and wake up the President and the public to their campaign against the President.

[The Wielding Truth]

9. They need to just get out of our way. They have nothing to offer except political posturing.

[RedCloud]

10. Still it could be political suicide to crush the public option

Especially as more of the public become aware of what the public option is!

[craigmatic]

11. either way they're still going to lose

[SlingBlade]

12. "GOP senators won't boycott Obama's healthcare summit." Ahh ..

I don't really think they'll have to boy's, Do you ? :)

[eagertolearn]

13. This is exactly what I was afraid of now that we are moving forward

with possibly passing a public option with reconciliation the repugs will say we will agree to a small portion of the bills passed by the House and Obama will be happy that they are agreeing with something (bipartisan bill) and pass it without a public option. This is not good news!

[WCGreen]

17. You could very well turn out to be right...

although I am, I guess, far less cynical than you seem to be, I still think your assessment is, at the very least, likely.

[AlbertCat]

14. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he and his members wouldn't boycott the....

Boycott it... don't boycott it.... what difference does if make, Party of No?

[FarLeftFist]

15. Obama should get them all together in one room and say...

To our republican senators, we called this meeting b/c we have spoken with all of your spouses and after a long heart-felt talk with them they confessed and confirmed that not one of you had even bothered to read the HC bill. We are all very disappointed in you for lying to us and America. You owe us and America an apology, and don't let this happen again. If I catch you doing that again you WILL be punished. Now get to your room and don't come out until you have thought about what you have done.

[Demeter]

21. I'd Get Them in One Room for a Mass Arrest

I'm sure there's ample cause for indictments, too. Legitimate cause.

[Kablooie]

18. Of course not. They are going to try to prevent it from succeeding. That's their only goal.

[JDPriestly]

19. I expect them to attend, throw tantrums and then leave in a huff.

[Kablooie]

20. I expect them to try an confuse issues so much that nothing gets done.

[customerserviceguy]

22. Everyone invited will show up

The President has to kick the ball of the failure of HCR somewhere, and since there are Rethuglicans who want the "credit" for killing it, he'll have some ready takers.

Yes, they'll look like the party of no to us, but to the people in their districts who have had HCR demonized on talk radio, they'll be heroic.

Everybody gets what they want, except those who feel that even incremental progress on HCR is good enough.

[chelsea0011]

23. They expected to show up crying all the way

They may need pacifiers.

[Change Happens]

24. Yes BUT, will they walk out?

I am taking bets...I say they will!!!