Read this and weep for America:
"The White House is encouraging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to cut a deal with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), which would mean eliminating the proposed Medicare expansion in the health reform bill, according to an official close to the negotiations.
But Reid is described as so frustrated with Lieberman that he is not ready to sacrifice a key element of the health care bill, and first wants to see the Congressional Budget Office cost analysis of the Medicare buy-in. The analysis is expected early this week.
"There is a weariness and a lot of frustration that one person is holding up the will of 59 others," the official said. "There is still too much anger and confusion at one particular senator’s reversal."
Even Harry reid is demonstrating more balls than President Obama. Harry Reid!
I am not a wild-eyed liberal, or Naderite. I am a pragmatic, moderate Democrat who supported Obama in the primaries precisely because I thought he would be a pragmatic President, who put practical solutions ahead of partisan or ideological concerns. I cdid expect, however, that "pragmatic" mean proposing solutions that actually helped people and dealt with our problems.
I truly bought the bullshit.
Intead, we have a President who's so fucking chickenshit, he is willing to pass an absolutely atrocious, terrible "health care reform" bill that has been stripped of anything that would make it worth passing. Just so he can claim a "victory," and protect his skinny-behind.
What a crock.
I'm sick of it. What in the hell did we vote for in the last election? George W. Bush or John McCain could have passed this exact same piece of shit "health care reform" bill.
My advice to Barack: Srap the whole damn thing and take a stand on principle for once in your goddamned Presidency.
UPDATE: Talkingpoints Memo confirms the Politico story.
I stand by my diary/rant.