Health Care Victory is Sweet But Stinks

Getting a health care reform bill through the Senate is a historic victory for the Democrats but it's one you have to hold your nose to appreciate, writes David S. Broder. This should have been a proud moment for the Senate, but it instead degenerated into "a travesty of low-grade political theater" full of partisan anger and backroom deals, Broder writes in the Washington Post.

The taint of dirty politics attached to the bill is reflected in opinion polls showing falling support, writes Broder, who urges President Obama to reach out to Republicans and persuade Democrats to rescind some of the sweeteners they used to buy votes. "The country would welcome even a few signs that this legislation has bipartisan support," Broder writes. "Then we could applaud its final passage and take our thumbs from our noses."