March 17, 2010 Categories: Healthcare Rahm, vindicated?
Greg Sargent notes a new poll today indicating that liberal voters are totally unified behind passing the health care plan. A mere three percent oppose it. That's a public sentiment that makes it a whole lot easier for even Dennis Kucinich to come along.
But if the bill passes with unified, if grumbly, support on the left, it would seem to vindicate the White House's fundamental approach, which was to take the left for granted as much as possible and focus on courting marginal members of the Senate. The strategy has turned Rahm Emanuel's name into a curse word among some on the left, raised a lot of money for groups like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and produced a real sense of resurgent, independent energy among organized progressives.
At the moment, however, it's unclear if a single member of Congress will oppose the legislation from the left. The base has fallen into line. And if Rahm was right all along that progressives, essentially, could be taken for granted, he's about to go from punching bag to hero in the eyes of many Democrats.
Posted by Ben Smith 12:19 PM