Blue Dogs Stand Firm as Dems Get Panicky

The Democratic leadership is scrambling to make progress on health care reform before Congress breaks for its August recess, but last night's marathon negotiations failed to break the stalemate—and may even have increased the number of issues up for debate.  "We're making progress," Nancy Pelosi said as she left the Capitol. But talks with Blue Dog Democrats aren't moving anywhere, Politico reports.

Yesterday seven right-leaning Dems held a 3½-hour meeting with Rep. Henry Waxman and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, followed by a late-night huddle with House leaders. In the Senate things are little better; liberal members such as Ohio's Sherrod Brown bashed Democrats for a possible withdrawal of a public insurance option. Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, said he'd have a finished bill by next week—but as to whether it would have a public option, he wouldn't say.
(More health care stories.)