Hotline After Dark -- Atlas Shrugging At The New House Health Care Bill
"World News" led with Pres. Obama's trip to Dover AFB. "Evening News" led with the economy . "Nightly News" led with Obama's trip to Dover AFB.
The new House health care bill got mixed results from pols and pundits on TV 10/29 p.m.
House Min. Leader John Boehner: "It's 1,990 pages, Speaker Pelosi's health care bill is. It's going to take us a while to read it. So I'm hopeful that the American people will take the time to read this bill, as well, because it's nothing short of a complete government takeover of our health care system" ("On The Record," FNC, 10/29).
Ex-VT Gov./ex-DNC chair Howard Dean, on whether the current bill is the "best" Congress can do with health care: "It's not the best we can do, but it's a very good start. ... This is real reform. That's all I really care about, is real reform. People are going to have a chance to get into a different kind of a system that doesn't take huge profits out and put it in their pockets. ... I think this is going to work well. I think it's a great bill. I think the speaker has a lot of courage and I'm very, very pleased. And I think Senator Reid did a terrific job last week in the same thing" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 10/29).
Columnist S.E. Cupp: "It's longer than 'War and Peace.' It's longer than 'Atlas Shrugged.' And it's longer than 'Les Mis'" ("Hannity," FNC, 10/29).
After the jump, more House bill reax, ex-state House Speaker Marco Rubio talks about third parties and ME Gov. John Baldacci (D) defends gay marriage.
(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX & ABBY LIVINGSTON)
CNN's Cafferty, on the length of the House bill: "A mere 2,000. And you will have 72 hours to read it online. ... Nobody reads 2,000 pages in 72 hours" ("Situation Room," CNN, 10/30).
House Maj. Whip James Clyburn, on why the vote is next week: "As we promised it went up on the Internet today for 72 hours so that everybody can take a look at it. As I understand it, we've have already had eight million hits on this and we'll do a managers amendment probably on Monday or Tuesday and that then will stay up for 72 hours and then we'll vote" ("Situation Room," CNN, 10/29).
DEF NOT A THIRD PARTY ANIMAL
Ex-state House Speaker Marco Rubio was on "Your World" 10/29 p.m.
Rubio, on the push-pull of conservatives in the GOP "They are also tired of apologizing for their principles, particularly -- this is a Republican primary, a closed Republican primary. And Republicans in Florida are tired of being told that they have to somehow become more like Democrats in order to win elections. And this campaign is going to prove that that is not true."
Rubio, on the third party candidates this cycle: "There is some level of frustration among conservatives that even though they are the mainstream of the Republican, oftentimes, there's been this thought process emerging in Republican circles in some places that the way to win elections is to moderate our message and become more like the Democrats."
More Rubio: "That is going to begin to change. You're starting to see that all around. The truth is, that conservative thought, the belief that our government should be limited, that is the mainstream of America. What is outside the mainstream of America is this belief that we should somehow spend money we don't have, that we should print it and borrow it, and this belief that somehow government and presidents create jobs, as opposed to entrepreneurs and small-business men. And the majority of the American people understand that's not true, and it's way outside the mainstream."
Rubio, on whether he'd run as a third party if he lost the primary: "First, you can't do that in Florida. Florida, you can only run once. You can't switch parties once you've been on the ballot once. Second of all, I'm a Republican. The Republican Party is the natural home of the conservative movement. It's where it belongs. It's where it is most effective. ... But that's not inevitable. That has to earned, and that has to be worked on. And that is what this campaign is about" (FNC, 10/29).
DEFENSE OF GAY MARRIAGE
Baldacci appeared on the "Rachel Maddow Show" 10/29 p.m.
Baldacci, on why he changed his mind on gay marriage: "It was an issue where you realized that civil unions were not equal to a civil marriage. And my responsibilities are under the Constitution to represent all people, not one particular faith or another. And it's important that we are there for people who are being discriminated against or could be discriminated against. Our state came into the union as a free state. And I think it's something in our air and our water which we continue to strive to weed out and stand up against discrimination of any kind because we know that it could be us next."
More Baldacci: "And I'm very proud of Maine and way that it stood up, the way that people have campaigned and recognized the inequality. ... I'm just very proud to be governor of a state of people like our state of Maine."
Baldacci, on possible political consequences for the move: "I think the quote is that when history shines on you, you're sure to make sure you're advancing the cause of others and not letting their causes slip backwards. When this presented itself to me, it was difficult. It wasn't something that I was used to, but I promised people I would keep an open mind. I'd look into the issue and I would be able to determine if it, in fact, was something that we needed to do for our state and for our citizens."
Baldacci, on how confident he is that the ballot measure is going to pass: "We're giving it 100 percent effort and we've got some
really dedicated people doing it. I'm very proud of them. ... We're going to run right up until election night at 8:00 and do everything we can do to make sure that Maine stands firm and is there for each other" (MSNBC, 10/29).