Dem Leaders: HRC Would Help Craft Obama Health Care Plan

DENVER -- Two leading Democrats -- Rep. Rahm Emanuel and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle -- said today that Hillary Clinton would play a key role in crafting health care policy if Barack Obama is elected.

"She has an expertise in health care," Emanuel, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said during a lunch and panel discussion at the Ritz sponsored by National Journal. "And she knows both the opportunities and pitfalls, and you want that experience."

Daschle said Clinton would certainly have a seat at the table. "Absolutely, with exclamation point," he said. "There’s no question."

Atlantic Media political director Ron Brownstein moderated the conversation, which explored more broadly how Obama would govern. Obama's policy director, Heather Higginbottom, and Bruce Reed, president of the Democratic Leadership Council also participated.

Higginbottom said Obama's top three legislative priorities would be Iraq, health care and the nation's energy crisis. And Daschle, a senior adviser to the Obama campaign, echoed that agenda.

"If there is good news, it is the realization that those are the three pressing issues, regardless of who you ask," Daschle said.

Brownstein asked Emanuel what a President Obama would have to do during his first year in office to avoid a Republican Party resurrection in 2010 that might look similar to the GOP's sweep in 1994 following President Clinton's botched attempt at passing health care legislation. The Illinois congressmen said Obama would have to navigate health care reform through Congress -- "or a significant down payment on it" -- pass a middle class tax cut and pursue an energy policy that both parties could embrace.

Daschle added that Obama might have to disaggregate his comprehensive health care and energy proposals to pass them piece by piece.

Meanwhile, Emanuel said one of his priorities for the early days of an Obama term is to pass a Children's Health Insurance Plan.

From a stylistic perspective, Daschle suggested Obama would make good on his promise to elevate the political dialogue and conduct policy discussions from a post-partisan perspective. He said one of Obama's strengths is his ability to listen to all sides in a policy discussion. A favorite Obama phrase, Daschle noted, is that "the best way to persuade is with your ears."

A riff, of course, on the candidate's most prominent feature.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)