House Democrats (even some "Blue Dogs") Receptive to Obama’s Budget Pitch

[jefferson_dem]

House Democrats Receptive to Obama’s Budget Pitch
By Edward Epstein, Bennett Roth and Alan K. Ota, CQ Staff

House Democrats normally dine on carry-out pizza when they caucus, but on Monday evening their special meeting with President Obama was held in the auditorium of the new Capitol Visitors Center, where food isn’t allowed.

So when he was asked what members had to eat at their caucus with the president, a hungry Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., said simply, “Hope.”

Obama, who leaves Tuesday morning for the G20 international economic summit in London, drove over from the White House to make a pitch for his $3.6 trillion budget, which the House is expected to pass this week on a largely party-line vote. He told the Democrats that adopting his budget (H Con Res 85) — with its big investments in health care, education, energy and the environment — is vital to getting the nation’s economy moving again.

“If we don’t pass the budget, it will empower those critics who don’t want to see anything getting done,” he said, according to a person who took notes during the hour-long session with the 150 or so caucus members who attended.

His pitch, similar to the one he made last week to Senate Democrats, found a receptive audience across the party’s ideological spectrum.

Rep. Mike Ross , D-Ark., a longtime member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog caucus, said he appreciated the president’s commitment to long-term fiscal stability. “Given the times we’re in, he’s doing the best he can,” said Ross.

<SNIP>

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003088194

[Jennicut]

1. Good! He needs to keep up pressure on these Blue Dogs, we need that budget passed.

Please.

[Kdillard]

2. It's not the House I am worried about.