Now McCaskill opposes the Stupak amendment

by: Chris Bowers

Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 22:36

"And so, I am not sure that this is going to be enough to kill the bill," McCaskill added. "And frankly, once again, this is another example of having to govern with moderates. We can't just turn our back on the fact that the reason we are in majority, is because states like Indiana, and Arkansas, and Louisiana, and Missouri, and North Carolina, and Virginia sent Democrats to the Senate."

This promoted some pretty quick push baack from bloggers like Joan McCarter and Debra Cooper. It appears that Senator McCaskill was actually listening, given her response over twitter tonight:

Oppose Stupak.Don't think we should change current law which is no public $ for abortions,but amndmt goes too far limitng private funds too

Good job Debcoop!

President Obama has also now come out in opposition to the Stupak amendment, after earlier being non-committal.  So, it is nice to experience the times when elected Democrats actually seem to be listening to anger from the base.

Still, whether they are listening or not, a lot of progressive activists will remain rightly cynical that the language will stay in the bill.  Even as some Democrats threaten to kill the bill if the Stupak amendment is still in the bill after conference committee, it just seems like threats of that sort from conservative Democrats are both more serious and taken more seriously.

Progressives are actually going to have to defeat a bill before their threats are taken seriously.