I guess it goes to show you can't burn both sides of the bridge without paying consequences. Stupak pissed of liberals by grandstanding about abortion in the health care bill (even though the bill already outlawed federal funding for abortion) and he pissed of right wingers simply because he voted for health insurance reform. Now Stupak can't get liberals to vote for him and he can't get conservatives to vote for him. Still, I'm glad this dirt bag is hitting the road.
Under Fire for Abortion Deal, Stupak to Retire
Representative Bart Stupak of Michigan, who played a central role with fellow anti-abortion Democrats in negotiating a compromise in the final hours of debate that allowed the health care overhaul bill to pass, said on Friday that he would not seek re-election.
Mr. Stupak, a nine-term incumbent, has been under intense pressure from anti-abortion groups and others since the health care bill passed last month. At his request, President Obama signed an executive order outlining the prohibitions against the use of federal funds for abortion. But anti-abortion groups dismissed the executive order and pledged to defeat Mr. Stupak, whom they had once championed.
“The Tea Party did not run me out,” Mr. Stupak said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “If you know me and my personality, I would welcome the challenge.”
In conversations over the last week, party officials said, Mr. Stupak told Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Obama and other party leaders that he was leaning against running in November. They urged Mr. Stupak to reconsider, officials said, because leaving his seat open would create an opportunity for Republicans to gain ground in their bid to win control of the House.
His decision to not seek re-election sent a fresh wave of anxiety through the Democratic Party, narrowing their margin for error as they fight with Republicans for control of the House in the midterm elections.
“Obviously, we would have preferred that he run — he’s a popular incumbent and a good man,” David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the president, said in an interview on Friday. “But there are large numbers of incumbents retiring on both sides, and my understanding is that he’s been planning this for some time. People have to live their lives. We understand that.”
Senior Democratic officials said there were signs that Mr. Stupak was considering the step even as he negotiated the health care compromise with anti-abortion Democrats. He had not raised much money, and had done little campaigning, even though he faced a Democratic primary challenge.
Republicans in Michigan and Washington seized on the departure of Mr. Stupak as an opportunity to improve their chances for control of the House.
“Bart Stupak is the first casualty of the Obamacare vote,” said Ron Weiser, the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. “Caving to pressure from Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, Stupak ignored his district and betrayed his principles.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee issued a statement moments after the news of Mr. Stupak’s decision began to circulate: “Red Alert: Former pro-life Democrat throws in the towel rather than running on health care sellout.”
Mr. Stupak, a leader of the Congressional Pro-life Caucus, put himself at the center of a debate over provisions in the big health care legislation regarding insurance coverage for abortions.
In the fall, Mr. Stupak pulled off what at the time seemed a remarkable political feat, forcing Ms. Pelosi, who is a fierce champion of abortion rights, and other liberal Democrats to allow a vote on an amendment inserting tight restrictions on abortion coverage into the House health care bill. His name became capitol shorthand for the amendment.
With Republican support, the amendment was approved, immediately creating a challenge for Democrats in the Senate. Negotiations there between two abortion foes, Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, and a supporter of abortion rights, Senator Barbara Boxer of California, produced compromise language for the Senate bill, but when it returned to the House, Mr. Stupak insisted that the Senate language was not good enough, infuriating all sides. Whether they were for or against abortion rights, many Democrats seemed to become anti-Stupak.
Mr. Stupak sided with Catholic bishops who opposed the health bill because of the Senate language, rather than Catholic nuns who supported it, and then said the bishops were wrong not to accept Mr. Obama’s executive order as a compromise.
He was speaking in the House debate about the executive order and his decision to support the health-care bill when Representative Randy Neugebauer, Republican of Texas, shouted “baby killer,” a major breach of decorum and a sign of how heated and polarized the debate had become. Mr. Neugebauer said the next day that his outburst referred to the bill and not to Mr. Stupak personally.
In the aftermath, all sides in the abortion debate continued to criticize Mr. Stupak, but the loudest outcry was from ardent opponents of abortion, who had been his biggest backers. He was stripped of a pro-life award and lost the support of many right-to-life groups.
Representative Bart Stupak of Michigan, who played a central role with fellow anti-abortion Democrats in negotiating a compromise in the final hours of debate that allowed the health care overhaul bill to pass, said on Friday that he would not seek re-election.
Mr. Stupak, a nine-term incumbent, has been under intense pressure from anti-abortion groups and others since the health care bill passed last month. At his request, President Obama signed an executive order outlining the prohibitions against the use of federal funds for abortion. But anti-abortion groups dismissed the executive order and pledged to defeat Mr. Stupak, whom they had once championed.
“The Tea Party did not run me out,” Mr. Stupak said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “If you know me and my personality, I would welcome the challenge.”
In conversations over the last week, party officials said, Mr. Stupak told Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Obama and other party leaders that he was leaning against running in November. They urged Mr. Stupak to reconsider, officials said, because leaving his seat open would create an opportunity for Republicans to gain ground in their bid to win control of the House.
His decision to not seek re-election sent a fresh wave of anxiety through the Democratic Party, narrowing their margin for error as they fight with Republicans for control of the House in the midterm elections.
“Obviously, we would have preferred that he run — he’s a popular incumbent and a good man,” David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the president, said in an interview on Friday. “But there are large numbers of incumbents retiring on both sides, and my understanding is that he’s been planning this for some time. People have to live their lives. We understand that.”
Senior Democratic officials said there were signs that Mr. Stupak was considering the step even as he negotiated the health care compromise with anti-abortion Democrats. He had not raised much money, and had done little campaigning, even though he faced a Democratic primary challenge.
Republicans in Michigan and Washington seized on the departure of Mr. Stupak as an opportunity to improve their chances for control of the House.
“Bart Stupak is the first casualty of the Obamacare vote,” said Ron Weiser, the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. “Caving to pressure from Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, Stupak ignored his district and betrayed his principles.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee issued a statement moments after the news of Mr. Stupak’s decision began to circulate: “Red Alert: Former pro-life Democrat throws in the towel rather than running on health care sellout.”
Mr. Stupak, a leader of the Congressional Pro-life Caucus, put himself at the center of a debate over provisions in the big health care legislation regarding insurance coverage for abortions.
In the fall, Mr. Stupak pulled off what at the time seemed a remarkable political feat, forcing Ms. Pelosi, who is a fierce champion of abortion rights, and other liberal Democrats to allow a vote on an amendment inserting tight restrictions on abortion coverage into the House health care bill. His name became capitol shorthand for the amendment.
With Republican support, the amendment was approved, immediately creating a challenge for Democrats in the Senate. Negotiations there between two abortion foes, Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, and a supporter of abortion rights, Senator Barbara Boxer of California, produced compromise language for the Senate bill, but when it returned to the House, Mr. Stupak insisted that the Senate language was not good enough, infuriating all sides. Whether they were for or against abortion rights, many Democrats seemed to become anti-Stupak.
Mr. Stupak sided with Catholic bishops who opposed the health bill because of the Senate language, rather than Catholic nuns who supported it, and then said the bishops were wrong not to accept Mr. Obama’s executive order as a compromise.
He was speaking in the House debate about the executive order and his decision to support the health-care bill when Representative Randy Neugebauer, Republican of Texas, shouted “baby killer,” a major breach of decorum and a sign of how heated and polarized the debate had become. Mr. Neugebauer said the next day that his outburst referred to the bill and not to Mr. Stupak personally.
In the aftermath, all sides in the abortion debate continued to criticize Mr. Stupak, but the loudest outcry was from ardent opponents of abortion, who had been his biggest backers. He was stripped of a pro-life award and lost the support of many right-to-life groups.
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