Harry Reid's office is telling people Reid and Lieberman have a "private understanding" regarding cloture on health care:
Take it for what it's worth.The unpredictable Democrat-turned-Independent last week publicly stated he would join Republicans in filibustering the Democratic legislation after Reid (D-Nev.) announced he had included a government-run health insurance plan in the bill."At the end of the day Sen. Lieberman will vote to cut off debate," said Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager of Healthcare for America Now. "He'll do what he has to do. He's making a lot of noise."
But sources said Reid's staff is telling liberal interest groups that Lieberman (Conn.) has assured Reid he will vote with Democrats in the necessary procedural vote to end debate, perhaps with intentions to change the bill.
UPDATE: Lieberman's office: "Senator Lieberman's clear position is that he will vote for the motion to proceed to the health-care bill because he supports health-care reform that will control costs and insure people who don't have it now, but will oppose cloture on a final bill if it contains a public option."
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