Liberal Dem Changes to Yes Vote on Health Care Overhaul

Though he seemed to have more negative than positive things to say about the bill, liberal Rep Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has announced his intention on Tuesday to vote for health care overhaul legislation. He was a no vote on a different bill that passed the House in November and told Fox two weeks ago that he remained in firm opposition to the bill. “I have doubts about this bill. I don’t think it’s a step toward anything. This is not the bill I want to support, however… if my vote is to be counted now let it counted in favor of comprehensive health care reform.”

Kucinich said that a recent visit to his northern Ohio district by President Barack Obama -- along with a flight aboard Air Force One to and from the event – helped him reach a final decision, though he admitted he was hesitant to take the trip at first. “I thought proper attire (for the flight) would include a parachute.”

In addition to the Presidential appeal, Kucinich said he was finally able to support the legislation as a way to keep the fight alive to reform health care further down the road, and thanks to an old saying that he kept hearing in his home district. “This is a defining moment for whether we’ll have any opportunity to move off of square one on health care and even though I don’t like the bill I think we can move to the more comprehensive approach…. I keep hearing over and over that something is better than nothing. You can argue with that if you want but it’s a common folk wisdom that I kept hearing.”

Asked if his vote would be a catalyst for other progressives who initially voted against health care reform, Kucinich sounded optimistic, “If I can vote for this bill there aren’t many who can’t support it.”