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Steele: I’m The ‘Cow On The Tracks’ Trying To Block The Health Care Train

Today on Fox News, RNC Chairman Michael Steele railed against Democratic efforts to reform health care and said how proud he was that Republicans have stalled action. “They told us in June that there would be a health care bill on the President’s desk on Aug. 1,” he boasted. “I think our efforts helped change that dynamic.”

But with Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME) supporting the passage of the Senate Finance Committee health bill — and with news that Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) may be willing to break from GOP ranks to support legislation — the Fox News host asked Steele whether the health care “train” had left the station without Republicans on board. Steele then compared himself to a cow:

HOST: Very quickly, Chairman Steele. The feeling in some circles is that this health care train has left the station with President at the wheel, and Republicans better jump on board.

STEELE: Well, I’m the cow on the tracks, and you’re going to have to stop that train to get this cow off the tracks and move forward.

Later during an interview with Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY), another Fox News host laughed about Steele’s analogy, pointing out, “If you look at that analogy, the cow is not much of a match for that train.” Watch it:

Of course, trains often run over cows. If the cow is able to derail the train, a lot of people may get hurt as a trade-off — a fitting metaphor for what will happen if Republicans block health care reform.

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Also during the interview, Steele blasted Democrats’ lack of “bipartisanship” and insisted that he isn’t trying to be an “obstructionist.” “To the contrary, I’m saying, can we all get in a room and have a Rodney King moment and work toward something that addresses the common-sense bottom-up approach voters and certainly the voters of our country — you, me, and others — want to be done,” he added. TPM points out that he appeared to be referring to “King’s famous ‘Can we all get along?’ line following the 1992 Los Angeles race riots sparked by the acquittal of the police officers who beat King.”

(HT: DailyKos)

Transcript:

STEELE: This has now been turned over to Harry Reid, and Harry Reid is going to draft the bill that’s going, in my view, go counter to everything that certainly we’ve been arguing for with Republicans for the last six or seven months, putting in place real reform in terms of portability, the ability to get small business pools in place, tort reform — all those things that are not part of really turning this thing around. I think what we’ve seen here is a vote yesterday for higher taxes, more government spending, higher premiums, and more government control, and I just don’t think that’s where the American people are.

So, you know, everyone can do their little victory lap and talk about bipartisanship, John, I’m not trying to be an obstructionist here. To the contrary, I’m saying, can we all get in a room and have a Rodney King moment and work toward something that addresses the common-sense bottom-up approach voters and certainly the voters of our country — you, me, and others — want to be done. […]

HOST: Very quickly, Chairman Steele. The feeling in some circles is that this health care train has left the station with President at the wheel, and Republicans better jump on board.

STEELE: Well, I’m the cow on the tracks, and you’re going to have to stop that train to get this cow off the tracks and move forward. They told us in June that there would be a health care bill on the President’s desk on Aug. 1. I think our efforts helped change that dynamic, and our efforts this fall will continue to change that dynamic so we can get to real health care reform instead of government-run health care. […]

HOST: Senator, just 30 seconds left, but I do want to ask you — Michael Steele, the RNC chair, was on a few minutes ago with my co-anchor, John, and John said, “It seems the health care reform train has left the station. The President’s at the wheel,” and Michael Steele said, “Well, I’m on the cow on the tracks.” (LAUGHTER) If you look at that analogy, the cow is not much of a match for that train.