Hotline After Dark -- The Proof Is In The Pudding

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with health care.

ABC's Tapper spent the day with VP Biden recently, and portions of the interview aired on "Nightline" 3/18 p.m.

Biden, on whether he'll be calling Cong. members regarding health care: "When I'm not with you, I'm going to be in that cabin ... making some phone calls."

Biden, on whether it gives him "any moment of pause that maybe the American people fundamentally don't want" the bill: "No. ... This has been tough from day one. It's been tough for 40 years, all right? We are so close to doing what no one else has ever come close to doing that it doesn't surprise me."

Biden, on what he's telling Cong. members: "I'm telling them two things. A, it does take care of preexisting conditions. B, your rates aren't going to skyrocket. C, the insurance companies aren't going to be running the show like they were before. ... They're going to be rewarded."

After the jump, more from Biden, as well as Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI).

Biden, on whether he hears from "vulnerable" members who are "worried this bill will cost them their job": "Yes. Some of them, they say, well, Joe, look man, you guys haven't messaged this very well, this thing has gone on so long and I don't know. And my response is, hey, man, the proof of the pudding is in the eating" (3/18).

ONCE A DEMOCRAT, ALWAYS A DEMOCRAT

Stupak appeared on "Campbell Brown" 3/18 p.m.

Stupak, on his meeting with Pres. Obama: "We talked that we would like to see health care passed, and we have some differences, and the president assured me he thought we could bridge our differences. And I agreed, but we have to change some language in the legislation."

Stupak: "As of today, I am still voting no, yes. I'm still standing with this principle of protecting the sanctity of life, yes."

Stupak, on whether he'll be "okay" if reform "fails" because of him: "I'm OK because a principle and a belief I'm standing on, which really reflects my district and the vast majority of this country. When I vote on legislation, legislation has to be meritorious and it has to meet certain standards that's reflective of my district and in the best interests of our country. I personally will be OK. Politically, I will probably pay a price. I already have an opponent and things like that, but it goes with the territory."

Stupak, on calls he's been getting from people angry with him: "It has not been pleasant."

Stupak, on whether he'd consider leaving the Dem party: "Me? No, no. I have had plenty of offers. I'm not leaving. I'm a Democrat, maybe a stubborn Democrat, but I'm a Democrat" (CNN, 3/18).

THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Landrieu went "On the Record" 3/18 p.m.

Landrieu, on the characterization of the "Louisiana Purchase": "Not only do I not like it, but it's really a mischaracterization of what happened. ... It is not a special deal for me. It is a fair deal for the people of Louisiana. I'll tell you what happened ... the hurricane hit and the levees broke. And our personal income went up 40 percent, not down, but up 40 percent."

More Landrieu: "It's never happened in the history of the country. It is false and it's not right. ... Because all the extra money that poured into the state. And so the federal government claims we are 40 percent richer. It is laughable, a joke. And so we fixed it, did not fix it secretly. John McCain says it was secret because he didn't know. Just because it is unknown to him doesn't mean it is secret."

Landrieu: "So I publicly announced two weeks before Barack Obama got sworn in and a year ago, publicly announced that we were going to fix this. The governor and I, my Republican governor stood with me at a public news conference and explained why we needed it fix. We make no apologies for it, and it wasn't a special deal" (FNC, 3/18).