Vid Added: McCain Raking Obama Over Coals on Process

(More vids at Storyballoon, including Lamar Alexander's call for Obama to swear off any intent to use reconciliation to jam the bill through.)

Pretty good moment. After mentioning the Louisiana Purchase and the Cornhusker Kickback, McCain noted, to Obama's grimacing face, the deal with Phrma, in which Phrma agreed to cut costs $80 billion and run $150 million in ads supporting ObamaCare in exchange for an agreement to limit competition on prices in Medicare and opposition to drug re-importation from Canada.

Obama's answer? "We're not in campaign mode anymore."

He doesn't answer the charges. He just claims that to talk about how corrupt the process is would be unhelpful.

Unhelpful for him, he means.

Obama's Rules of Order: As noted in an update to an earlier thread, Gabe has been keeping track of "rules" Obama keeps setting down in order to secure a rhetorical advantage for himself:

1. Democrats get more time because "I'm the President."

2. Republicans may not criticise my bill. They can only talk about things on which we agree.

3. Republicans may not use the word "Washington" because it tips the scales.

4. Republicans may not use or reference an actual copy of the Senate bill. That's a "prop" and it's unfair.

And add to that 5:

5. We're not in "campaign mode anymore," by which he means McCain cannot mention his dirty dealings.

On the other hand, Democrats are allowed to introduce props -- some guy just showed a three-page Blue Cross pre-existing-condition-exclusion list -- and of course can use their favorite rhetorical tactic of telling a story of, say, Sally Mae Hirshberg, a spry, elfin great-grandmother, 104 years young, recently forced to eat cat food because her health care provider refused to cover her for the 60 cubic centimeter breast implants she so desperately needed.

Cantor... ...is definitely in campaign mode. He's talking up all the increased taxes and how that will cause people to lose their coverage.

Obama just has to sit there and take it with that pissed-off grimace.

posted by Ace at 12:47 PM

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