Passing Obama’s Stimulus Bill | Obama: The Price of Hope

Obama needs just two Republican senators

Obama needs just two Republican senators to defy their party he turns to the

to defy their party he turns to the

to defy their party he turns to the veteran leader of the Senate Democrats

veteran leader of the Senate Democrats

veteran leader of the Senate Democrats none of the Republicans who wanted to do

none of the Republicans who wanted to do

none of the Republicans who wanted to do something help wanted to be the 60th

something help wanted to be the 60th

something help wanted to be the 60th vote so I had to get 61 votes on

vote so I had to get 61 votes on

vote so I had to get 61 votes on everything and it was very hard the only

everything and it was very hard the only

everything and it was very hard the only ones I had any hope of getting Specter

ones I had any hope of getting Specter

ones I had any hope of getting Specter from Pennsylvania and then I had the two

from Pennsylvania and then I had the two

from Pennsylvania and then I had the two senators from Maine Maine senator Susan

senators from Maine Maine senator Susan

senators from Maine Maine senator Susan Collins a Republican read identifies as

Collins a Republican read identifies as

Collins a Republican read identifies as vulnerable is invited to the Oval Office

vulnerable is invited to the Oval Office

vulnerable is invited to the Oval Office I was shocked when I walked in expecting

I was shocked when I walked in expecting

I was shocked when I walked in expecting to see the economic advisors other staff

to see the economic advisors other staff

to see the economic advisors other staff taking notes and and instead it was just

taking notes and and instead it was just

taking notes and and instead it was just the president and me I told him I

the president and me I told him I

the president and me I told him I thought the package was too big he told

thought the package was too big he told

thought the package was too big he told me that his economists were telling him

me that his economists were telling him

me that his economists were telling him that a smaller package would not do the

that a smaller package would not do the

that a smaller package would not do the trick it would not boost the economies

trick it would not boost the economies

trick it would not boost the economies sufficient late Senator Collins agrees

sufficient late Senator Collins agrees

sufficient late Senator Collins agrees to meet behind closed doors with a group

to meet behind closed doors with a group

to meet behind closed doors with a group of 17 other senators

when senators from both parties meet

when senators from both parties meet outside the control of the leadership

outside the control of the leadership

outside the control of the leadership it’s called a gang this gang of 18 came

it’s called a gang this gang of 18 came

it’s called a gang this gang of 18 came together with the primary focus of

together with the primary focus of

together with the primary focus of wanting to reduce the cost by at least a

wanting to reduce the cost by at least a

wanting to reduce the cost by at least a hundred billion Obama reluctantly agrees

hundred billion Obama reluctantly agrees

hundred billion Obama reluctantly agrees to the cuts because it looks as though

to the cuts because it looks as though

to the cuts because it looks as though this will buy him the votes he needs but

this will buy him the votes he needs but

this will buy him the votes he needs but the Republican leadership leans hard on

the Republican leadership leans hard on

the Republican leadership leans hard on Republican members at the gang of 18

Republican members at the gang of 18

Republican members at the gang of 18 although we had a number of Republicans

although we had a number of Republicans

although we had a number of Republicans who joined those first few meetings

who joined those first few meetings

who joined those first few meetings gradually the numbers diminished greatly

gradually the numbers diminished greatly

gradually the numbers diminished greatly I didn’t know if we could get this done

I didn’t know if we could get this done

I didn’t know if we could get this done and I told the president then I had to

and I told the president then I had to

and I told the president then I had to wait till his helicopter landed to get

wait till his helicopter landed to get

wait till his helicopter landed to get him the bad news saying I’m not sure I

him the bad news saying I’m not sure I

him the bad news saying I’m not sure I can get this done I received this phone

can get this done I received this phone

can get this done I received this phone call from Harry Reid to come over to his

call from Harry Reid to come over to his

call from Harry Reid to come over to his office and I really debated whether or

office and I really debated whether or

office and I really debated whether or not to go I went into the room and the

not to go I went into the room and the

not to go I went into the room and the room was already filled with Democratic

room was already filled with Democratic

room was already filled with Democratic leadership Collins from Maine objects to

leadership Collins from Maine objects to

leadership Collins from Maine objects to a 16 billion dollar program for school

a 16 billion dollar program for school

a 16 billion dollar program for school construction I knew that that would

construction I knew that that would

construction I knew that that would create huge opposition on my side of the

create huge opposition on my side of the

create huge opposition on my side of the aisle because we’d be redefining the

aisle because we’d be redefining the

aisle because we’d be redefining the federal role in education and then the

federal role in education and then the

federal role in education and then the conversation kind of shifted over to

conversation kind of shifted over to

conversation kind of shifted over to health clinics and there was a

health clinics and there was a

health clinics and there was a suggestion made that we could take some

suggestion made that we could take some

suggestion made that we could take some of those resources and put them into

of those resources and put them into

of those resources and put them into constructing community health clinics

constructing community health clinics

constructing community health clinics even in the state of Maine and she lit

even in the state of Maine and she lit

even in the state of Maine and she lit up and showed some real interest

up and showed some real interest

up and showed some real interest on this vote the yeas are 61 the nays

on this vote the yeas are 61 the nays

on this vote the yeas are 61 the nays are 36 three-fifths of the Senators duly

are 36 three-fifths of the Senators duly

are 36 three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in the

chosen and sworn having voted in the

chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative the motion is agreed to