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 A Tendency To Keep The Final Score - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 7/15/09 — Thursday, July 16, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Follow-up, Mara?Q Just a question on health care, and then also about tomorrow. Today the President said something that was a little confusing. He said that the 160 Republican amendments that were adopted in the HELP committee bill was a hopeful sign of bipartisan support for the final product. The final bill got zero Republican votes. Why is that a hopeful sign? I mean, there's not a single Republican who voted for the HELP bill. MR. GIBBS: Well, but, how many -- I wish I knew how many times I've been asked to -- the number of times that Republican ideas were ultimately incorporated in a legislative vehicle that's moving its way through the process -- 160 would be the answer today. Q And they were incorporated in the stimulus, too, and it didn't get you any final votes. MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm happy that you acknowledge the efforts in the stimulus -- Q I'm just wondering why it makes him hopeful. MR. GIBBS: Well, Mara, this is a process. I mean, again, I know that there's a tendency to keep the final score at the -- even, hell, in the midpoint of every day; let's not wait until the end. Let's wait and see what the final product is before we declare that all of the good work of many people is dead. I think the President is encouraged that a process is working; 160 amendments that encompass the ideas of Republicans are now part of a piece of legislation that's making its way through Congress. Q And on one idea that I think you were open to, the idea of taxing sugary soft drinks -- that's one of the ideas that he's open to, is that correct? MR. GIBBS: Again, I don't think we've -- I drank a Diet Coke earlier, I didn't put a deposit down, so maybe that wouldn't count. Again, I think we're watching this process. Q So you haven't made an opinion on that? I'm just wondering how that squares with the pledge -- the promise that he restated on Monday not to raise taxes on people under $250,000 -- because that certainly would. MR. GIBBS: Well, maybe that's why we didn't have him come out foursquare for that. Q All right, thank you. That's actually helpful. (Laughter.) Can you just talk a little bit about -- MR. GIBBS: I'm glad for the minute-by-minute update on my utility at the podium. (Laughter.) Bipartisanship | Congress | Health Care | President Obama | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Bipartisanship, Congress, Health Care, President Obama, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:01:00 PM
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