VOL. 3 NO. 164 POLITItuesday, december 1, 2009 CO www..cOm Dems ‘Nervous’ About Afghan Plan Murtha says Americans lack patience for any ‘achievable victory’ By david roGers “I am still very nervous about this war effort. Obama has chosen a mili- whole thing,” Murtha told POLITICO. “If tary forum, West Point, for his nation- Democratic Rep. John Murtha — just you had 10 years, it might work; if you ally televised speech Tuesday night, but back from a fact-finding trip to Afghani- had five, you could make a difference. Congress is the real test and a better re- stan — said Monday that he never got a But you don’t have that long.” flection of the unease among everyday aP clear definition of what constitutes an A top Democrat on military matters, Americans. JOHN SHINKLE — Protesters voiced opposition to the “achievable victory” for the the Pennsylvania lawmaker captures Murtha, who chairs the defense ap- POLITICO health care bill in Salem, Ore. and fears that American commanders the skepticism facing the White House propriations panel in the House, is Rep. John are assuming more time for the war ef- as President prepares to Murtha (D-Pa.) Health Bill fort than voters at home will allow. commit up to 35,000 more troops to the See AfghANistAN on Page 24 HeaLtH care Financing senate Debate Vexes Kicks off With Democrats As the Senate puts the finishing Plenty of bite touches on its health care reform package, big problems already By Carrie Budoff Brown loom for the final negotiations with the A historic debate on health care opened in the PiT Boss House. Senate on Monday on a fiercely partisan note, as By Jeanne And chief Democrats and Republicans traded shots over the Cummings among $848 billion bill and the breakdown of trust between them will the parties. be how to pay for it. If viewers tuned in for an elevated exchange about To be sure, abortion and a pub- the state of American health care, what they re- lic option will grab plenty of head- ceived was a healthy dose of street-level lines and lead to lots of rhetoric sniping. on each side. But reconciling JOHN SHINKLE — POLITICO Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called those issues could seem easy Former Vice President critiqued President Barack Obama’s foreign policy. on his colleagues to “avoid the temptation to drown when compared with the yawning in distractions and distortions.” differences between negotiators But within minutes, Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) ac- over a funding mechanism. cused Reid of engaging in a “stunt” by catching the Thus far, the White House, Cheney Slams Obama House and Senate have each em- See heAlth cAre on Page 13 braced a different financing plan for its proposal — and each one is an anathema to the other players For Projecting ‘Weakness’ and their allies among powerful gate-crashers get interest groups. ‘I am worried,’ says outspoken former veep How the Democrats resolve the invitation from hill financing question could ultimate- By Mike allen ghanistan strategy “has consequences ly prove to be the most important and JiM vandehei for your forces in the field.” By Glenn Thrush decision they make, because it “I begin to get nervous when I see the will resonate far beyond any final MCLEAN, Va. — On the eve of the commander in chief making decisions The White House would love for Gate-crashergate action on health care. unveiling of the nation’s new Afghani- apparently for what I would describe as to die quickly and quietly, but Congress is keeping “It’s going to shape perceptions stan policy, former Vice President Dick small ‘p’ political reasons, where he’s the story alive and raising new questions about the of the party going into 2010 and Cheney slammed President Barack trying to balance off different compet- president’s personal homeland security. 2012, particularly if the choices Obama for projecting “weakness” to ad- ing groups in society,” Cheney said. After a steady weekend drum- are perceived as ideological in versaries and warned that more worka- “Every time he delays, defers, de- beat from the GOP over the disqui- some way,” said Anne Kim, direc- day Afghans will side with the Taliban if bates, changes his position, it begins eting state dinner exploits of Tareq tor of the economic program at they think the United States is heading to raise questions: Is the commander in and Michaele Salahi, on Monday, a Third Way, a moderate Democrat- for the exits. chief really behind what they’ve been Democrat — House Homeland Se- ic think tank. In a 90-minute interview at his sub- asked to do?” curity Committee Chairman Ben- When the White House urban Washington house, Cheney said nie Thompson — summoned the launched the health care debate the president’s “agonizing” about Af- See cheNey on Page 21 JOHN SHINKLE — POLITICO couple and Secret Service Direc- last winter, it proposed paying for Rep. Bennie tor Mark Sullivan to testify before a health care overhaul by reduc- Thompson his committee Thursday. ing the charitable tax deduction “I see the commander in chief making decisions apparently White House officials are an- available to families making more for what I would describe as small ‘p’ political reasons.” noyed by the move but haven’t tried to intervene, ac- than $250,000 a year. cording to people familiar with the situation. With — Former Vice President Dick Cheney See Pit boss on Page 16 See crAshers on Page 16 iNside POLITICO 44 HEALTH CARE POLITICS SHENANIGANS Post-crash, social office faces heat The White House defends the The GOP is close to enlisting a Rep. Jared Rep. Polis shares his love for Rules, as party season gets set to sizzle. reform plan’s cost containment. challenger to Rep. Bart Gordon. Polis Crocs and the environment. Page 3 Page 11 Page 23 JOHN SHINKLE Page 31 — POLITICO