Waxman: Obama's summit performance has made reconciliation easier

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/83851-waxman-obamas-summit-performance-has-made-reconciliation-easier

Waxman: Obama's summit performance has made reconciliation easier
By Jared Allen - 02/25/10 08:08 PM ET


House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on Thursday night said he believes that the White House healthcare summit has made reconciliation an easier sell to the American people.

Waxman, one of the key House healthcare negotiators, said that President Barack Obama was “tremendous” during the Thursday bipartisan summit.

“He showed enormous command of the substance and the process,” Waxman said.

And while the six-hour summit may have appeared to produce little tangible results or movement on healthcare legislation, Waxman said that he believes the President was successful in showing why using budget reconciliation rules to pass changes to the Senate healthcare bill with only 51 Senate votes.

“I think one of the results of today’s meeting is that the American people fully understand that this bill needs to go forward with a majority,” Waxman said. “I don’t think too many people are going to quibble if it involves reconciliation.”

he had told the republican(s) "no campaigning".

disparaging Waxman.