Prez’s tweet nothings
Wooing GOPers for O’Care repeal
President Trump hasn’t given up on the GOP’s latest attempt to repeal ObamaCare, even as Republican officials despaired that a deal is unlikely.
Trump launched a public persuasion effort Saturday to talk two reluctant GOP senators into getting on board with the bill — sponsored by w South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham and Louisiana’s Bill Cassidy — after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) declared his opposition in a potential death blow.
The president aimed a pair of sweet-talking tweets at Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both of whom got shout-outs earlier in Trump’s Friday stump speech for Alabama Sen. Luther Strange in Huntsville.
“I know Rand Paul and I think he may find a way to get there for the good of the Party!” Trump tweeted optimistically.
Paul, who pushed a previous Senate repeal proposal, meanwhile said Friday that he “won’t be bribed or bullied” into supporting the Graham-Cassidy bill after Trump labeled him “the Republican who saved ObamaCare.”
Murkowski, who remains undecided, also got a presidential tweet: “Alaska had a 200% plus increase in premiums under ObamaCare, worst in the country,” the president posted. “Deductibles high, people angry! Lisa M comes through.”
At least one supporter of the bill has not given up hope.
“I’ve seen things resurrected a number of times,’’ said Michigan GOP congressman Tim Walberg, adding he hopes Graham can still persuade McCain to vote “yes.’’
But gloomy GOP insiders at the party’s leadership conference at Mackinac Island, Mich., held out little hope. One congressional insider spoke of fears a “snowball effect” would follow McCain’s an- nounced “no” vote on Friday, giving on-the-fence senators like Murkowski, Susan Collins of Maine, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Rob Portman of Ohio the political cover they need to also reject the bill.
Republicans have until Sept. 30 to push repeal through the Senate under rules letting the bill pass along party lines with just 50 senators in favor and a tie breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence.
Afterwards, any ObamaCare repeal will need 60 votes — and the support of Democrats. With just 52 GOP senators, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can afford to lose only two votes.