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 The 19-term veteran, a perennial target in a GOP-shifting state,
is among many in the president's party who have recited to
constituents Obama's assurance that they could keep insurance
coverage they liked under the 2010 overhaul. That has proved untrue
for several million Americans, igniting a public uproar that has
forced Obama to reverse himself on part of the law and sent many
Democrats scrambling into political self-preservation mode ahead of
next year's midterm elections.
On Friday, Rahall was among 39 Democrats who, despite an Obama veto
threat, voted for a GOP measure that would let insurers continue
selling policies to individuals that fall short of the health care
law's requirements. It was approved 261-157.
"I'm concerned about my integrity with voters who have returned me
here 38 years. They know me enough to know I wouldn't purposely
mislead them," Rahall said this week. "They have that confidence in
me, and I want them to continue to have that confidence in me."
Republicans are emboldened by Obama's reversal and the Democrats'
scramble for cover. They are already compiling lists of dozens of
Senate and House Democrats like Rahall who, in video clips and
written statements, have parroted Obama's pledge that voters'
existing coverage would not be annulled.
"There's nothing more damaging than when your word is devalued and
people think they were misled," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., who
heads the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House
GOP's campaign arm. "And especially damaging is when it actually
affects you and your family. So in terms of degree of impact, this
is off the Richter scale."
Top Democrats, who need to gain 17 seats to retake the House
majority, scoff that next November's elections are far off. They say
by then, the health care law will be to their advantage because it
will be working well.
Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., who leads the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee, said his party will focus the campaign on the
economy, Democratic efforts to fix it and the GOP's preference for
cutting Medicare and granting tax breaks to the wealthy.
The Republican emphasis on the health care law's problems "from a
partisan perspective gins up the Republican base. But it alienates
independent and moderate voters," said Israel, who said those voters
"are more interested in solutions."
Other Democrats agree that plenty can change in a year but concede
that the issue poses problems.
Martin Frost, a former Texas Democratic congressman who headed the
House Democratic campaign committee, said many people still may lose
their coverage because state officials have ample power over
insurers. And he said the Obama administration cannot allow
additional foul-ups.
"If I were still in Congress, I'd be concerned," Frost said.
Sensing an edge, the GOP plans to cut commercials featuring
Democrats' promises that people could keep their health insurance.
They are already emailing press releases to reporters attacking
Democrats on the issue.
"With Obamacare proving to be a total disaster — from the botched
website to the broken promises — it's no surprise that Barber is now
desperate to hide his support," said one GOP release distributed in
the district of freshman Rep. Ron Barber, D-Ariz.
Republicans are aiming similar attacks against Democrats challenging
GOP incumbents, urging reporters to ask them their views on the
health care law.
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America Rising, a GOP political action committee that compiles
research on opposition candidates, is collecting video of Democrats'
comments on the law. And some conservative groups are already
running television spots, with Americans for Prosperity airing ads
attacking Rahall and Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., while defending Rep.
Dan Benishek, R-Mich., for opposing the law.
"It forces thousands to lose the plans they love and the doctors
they know," says the 30-second spot running on television and radio
in Rahall's West Virginia district.
Barber, the Arizona Democrat, also voted for the Republican bill. He
said he believes that eventually, people will be able to keep the
plans they want and the government's troubled health care website
will be fixed.
"If that gets resolved satisfactorily, I think it will be less of an
issue than it is today. That's why you have to take the long view,"
said Barber.
Though Democrats opposed the House GOP bill 153-39, Friday's vote
underscored the pressure they feel over canceled policies.
The health care law let insurers cancel some existing coverage that
lacked the improved features now required. More than 4 million
policyholders have received termination letters from their carriers,
according to an Associated Press tally.
Feeling public heat, Obama on Thursday took administrative action to
let insurers continue current plans for a year. He took the blame
for the confusion, saying, "That's on me," not congressional
Democrats. House Democratic leaders told reporters later that day
that they had nothing to apologize for.
Even so, most House Democrats felt Obama's action was not enough and
demanded a vote on a Democratic proposal. "They want to be on record," said Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa. "Members
are not judged by administrative fixes. Members are judged by their
voting records."
Top Democrats finally proposed their own plan. But that was not
until rank-and-file lawmakers threatened to back the GOP bill, which
Democrats said would weaken the law because it would let insurers
issue new substandard policies, not just renew old ones.
A similar dynamic is in play in the Senate.
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., backed by colleagues who like her face
competitive re-elections next year, has proposed legislation
requiring insurers to renew policies canceled because of the law.
Not eager to breathe life into a challenge to the health care
overhaul, leaders have not decided whether they will allow a vote on
Landrieu's bill.
[Associated
Press; ALAN FRAM]
Associated Press writers
Henry C. Jackson and Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.
Copyright 2013 The Associated
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