From the ArcaMax Publishing, News & Features Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/newsheadlines/s-642875-649744
WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The politically powerful AARP will endorse the
U.S. House of Representatives' healthcare reform legislation, ABC News
reported.
The 40 million-member seniors lobbying group is expected to announce
its support publicly Thursday or Friday, ABC said.
"Big victory," one Democratic source told the U.S. network, in what
many would call an understatement.
ABC quoted unnamed Democratic sources as saying House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, D-Calif., and others have been lobbying the group for weeks to
try to persuade it to support the healthcare legislation, expected to
cost more than $1 trillion.
AARP officials met Tuesday with Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of
staff, and took a proposed endorsement of the legislation back to
their board of directors.
The group has walked a fine line on healthcare reform.
By September, 60,000 members had quit, reportedly over what they
perceived to be the group's backing of Democratic Party-led healthcare
reforms they feared could lead to cuts in Medicare funding.
At the time, such fears prompted a message from Barry Rand, AARP's
chief executive officer, and its president, Jennie Chin Hansen.
"To be clear: AARP has not endorsed any comprehensive healthcare
reform bill, but we are fighting for a solution that improves
healthcare for our members," they wrote.