VOL. 3 NO. 125 POLITIThursday, September 24, 2009CO www.politico.com HEALTH CARE What about ... ACORN Seeks Pelosi Tries To Herd Comeback From Rep. Dan Maffei Sen. Rep. Conflicted In 2008, Maffei won his Appointed by Gov. David Won a 2009 special Video Debacle upstate seat Paterson, Gillibrand has election by 726 votes to 55 percent-42 percent. weak poll ratings. fill Gillibrand’s seat. Group sues filmmakers, begins Caucus quiet effort to lobby Congress By Pa t r i c k O’Co n n o r New York Dems By Ja k e Sh e r m a n It’s Whac-a-Mole time for A week after undercover videotapes made it the Speaker Nancy Pelosi. butt of a national joke, the Association of Commu- The second one faction retreats, Ask for Help nity Organizations for Reform Now is launching a another surfaces with contradic- three-pronged effort to rebuild its reputation and try tory complaints. Down-ballot candidates urged the to hold on to the millions of dollars in funding it gets The conservative Blue Dogs each year from the federal government. won’t accept a public option tied White House to give Paterson a push First, ACORN’s top officials have been on a me- to Medicare. Liberals won’t ac- dia apology tour and have dismissed the wayward cept one that’s not. By Al e x Is e n s t a d t running statewide for the first time employees in the infamous pimp video as bad apples Freshmen don’t support the in 2010 and more than a half-dozen who shouldn’t diminish the important work the so-called millionaire’s tax. Ways The White House asked New vulnerable House Democrats — in- group does in housing and low-income assistance. and Means Committee Chairman York Gov. David Paterson to step cluding five freshmen. Then on Wednesday afternoon, ACORN went on the thinks that’s the aside at least in part because the According to interviews with legal offensive, suing conservative filmmakers James best way to pay for health care. administration was asked to inter- New York Democrats, the request O’Keefe and Hannah Giles for secretly videotaping in And no one wants to do any- vene by members of Congress and for intervention came from both Al- their office. thing until the slow-moving Sen- state legislators who raised serious bany and Washington, where Pater- ate goes first. alarms about a potential Paterson son’s precarious political standing See acorn on Page 19 With all the attention focused drag on the ticket in 2010. unnerved many officeholders who on the Senate Finance Committee The issue is no small matter in are worried about the prospect of markup this week, Pelosi put her a state with an appointed senator running in a midterm election with rank and file on notice Wednes- a deeply unpopular incumbent at day, telling Democrats in a closed- the top of the ballot. door session in the Capitol base- ment that she “hopes” to unveil See paterson on Page 13 a combined House health care

See health care on Page 24 Senators

President AP Eye 2010 Barack Obama ACORN members in L.A. protest the high cost of housing. and New York Prognosis Gov. David Paterson Dems Race to Stop By Ma n u Ra j u AP For all the talk about co-ops, Medicare Fee Hike Medicare Advantage and deliv- ery system reform, the Senate By Da v i d Ro g e r s Finance Committee markup on health care reform may really be House Democrats proposed Wednesday to freeze about something else: the 2010 Medicare Part B premiums for the coming year rath- elections. er than risk what would be an October surprise for Democrats and Republicans health care reform — threatened cuts in Social Secu- alike see the deliberations as an rity checks for millions of elderly. opportunity to score points for Wrangling among House chairmen derailed ef- midterms — either broad, global forts to wrap the legislation into a must-pass stop- points that may help sway se- gap spending bill for the new fiscal year that begins niors, a critical voting bloc, or Oct. 1. But Democrats are encouraged by Republican smaller points that could make a reaction thus far, and House Ways and Means Com- difference for some of the com- mittee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) said a free- mittee members up for reelection standing bill could be voted on as early as Thursday this cycle. and sent to the Senate. “If I were up in 2010, I’d be very The origins of the crisis have little to do with the cognizant of how my vote on this current health care reform debate, but the timing

See 2010 on Page 18 See medicare on Page 18

inside DEFENSE POLITICS IDEAS CLICK Michael Navy says carrier groups of old Paul’s disciples now preach his Ex-McCain adviser says health Steel Some Michaels and Davids must steel can adapt to modern-day wars. gospel in their own campaigns. reform panacea is across the aisle. for confusion as they wade into D.C. Page 15 Page 21 Page 27 John Shinkle Page 31 — POLITICO