Obama faces bruising battle with his own party as radical healthcare bill passes major hurdle

By David Gardner
Last updated at 1:37 AM on 23rd November 2009

President Obama faced stiff opposition from two female senators

President Obama is facing a bruising battle with moderates in his own party after the Democrats narrowly avoided a humiliating setback in their bid to overhaul America’s healthcare system.
Two women senators took party leaders right down to the wire before finally agreeing to back the bill.
The strictly partisan 60-39 vote allowed the Democrats to squeak through a key procedural hurdle to clear the way for a full debate on the £513 billion health reforms in the US Senate.
The Democrats needed at least 60 votes to overcome a Republican-led 'filibuster' – a delaying tactic designed to block consideration of the landmark bill indefinitely.
The White House said last night that President Obama was ‘gratified’ by the vote.
The healthcare plan has been the centrepiece of his domestic agenda since coming to power in January and its success or failure in Congress is likely to define his first term as President.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said:  ‘It brings us one step closer to ending the insurance company abuses, reining in spiralling health care costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance, and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it.'
The bill will extend health insurance to 31 million Americans who are uninsured. But it still faces a rocky road through Congress.
Fears over claims that the new law would effectively nationalise the US health system and subsidise abortions have raised the hackles of centrist Democrats as well as Republicans eager to inflict a body blow on the president.
Democrat congressional leaders, who got a healthcare bill through the House of Representatives a fortnight ago, are struggling to move legislation through the Senate by Christmas.
Both houses must agree on a bill before it can be delivered to Mr Obama to sign into law.
The Senate Democrats only prevailed on Saturday night after tense day of brinkmanship by senators Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu.

The Senate on Capitol Hill where senators voted whether to move to debate on the health care reform legislation

Both finally agreed to vote with their Democrat colleagues and two independents only after winning key concessions in the bill.
Senator Landrieu won millions more government money for her home state of Louisiana and Senator Lincoln demanded the removal of the ‘nationalisation’ clause.
Both represent traditionally right-wing Republican states where Mr Obama’s health reforms are unpopular.
They maintained yesterday that their vote at the weekend did not necessarily mean they would be backing the bill after the full Senate debate, which is likely to take up much of next month.
Senator Lincoln said Saturday’s vote would ‘mark the beginning of consideration of this bill by the US Senate, not the end.’
One of the most controversial issues will be a provision for a government-run insurance plan that would compete with traditional private insurance companies.
The House plan included the so-called public option, but it was cut from the Senate bill at Senator Lincoln’s insistence.
Democrats are also nervous over Republican claims that government funding for health insurance will mean state subsidisation for abortions, a hot button issue in the US.
The White House is increasingly wary of any further delays to the passage of the reforms, worrying that they would push it into an election year with Democrats afraid of a voter backlash for a plan that draws decidedly mixed reviews in the polls.
The Senate drama came as it was revealed that Mr Obama is considering setting a provisional target for cutting America’s greenhouse gas emissions.
US officials are said to be seeking agreement from Congress on a figure before next month’s UN global warming summit in Copenhagen.
With China, the US is responsible for 40 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gasses and is the only major developed nation yet to table an emission target.
By agreeing to a provisional target of reducing greenhouse gases by 14-20 per cent over the next decade, Mr Obama would resurrect hopes for a global climate change agreement in Copenhagen.