Sen. Joe Lieberman has reached a private understanding with Majority Leader Harry Reid that he will not block a final vote on healthcare reform, according to two sources briefed on the matter.
The unpredictable Democrat-turned-Independent last week publicly stated he would join Republicans in filibustering the Democratic legislation after Reid (D-Nev.) announced he had included a government-run health insurance plan in the bill.
But sources said Reid’s staff is telling liberal interest groups that Lieberman (Conn.) has assured Reid he will vote with Democrats in the necessary procedural vote to end debate, perhaps with intentions to change the bill.
I guess I can always hope that Lieberman was just posturing because he wanted something in private. I can’t imagine Lieberman giving in so soon because he loves being in the spotlight. I won’t be convinced until Lieberman backs off the cliff he put himself on in public. On Sunday Lieberman was still lying about the public option and he was saying things like this:
Lieberman says he’d rather get “nothing” done on health reform than pass a public option, pledging to filibuster any legislation containing a public option.
I would use the power I have as— as a single Senator to stop a final vote.
Yes, that’s Lieberman vowing to kill health reform if it had a public option all by himself if he had to.