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The patient’s in intensive care now. The vitals are certainly faint. But do not rule out the miracle recoveries that are possible in Washington. A dose of reconciliation. A few stiff meds to bring the fever down. And all of a sudden health care reform is in the recovery room.

There’s lots of high-fiving today from reform opponents. Republican leaders are giving themselves A-pluses for their performance at Blair House. The Party of No is now proudly the Party of Hell No.

But how ’bout this possibility on the Obamacare death watch? Republican adamancy at the summit played neatly into a Democratic strategy: Make ’em look intransigent. Let the president say, “We tried.” Then vote a bill through the House and the Senate without an ounce of Republican help. Majorities are handy that way.

If the Dems were gonna do this, they should have done it nine months ago. They would have saved themselves a whole lot of trouble and some pounding at the polls.

But here they are, and time is short. Wouldn’t that be cheerier for them than a funeral?

Ellis Henican is a Fox News contributor and amNY and Newsday contributor.