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D.C. Dispatches by Derek Wallbank

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    Franken tells Axelrod that Obama needs to do more on health care

    By Derek Wallbank | Published Fri, Feb 5 2010 8:24 am

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Al Franken pointedly told senior White House adviser David Axelrod Wednesday that the Obama administration hasn't done enough to advance health care reform.

    The exchange, first reported by the Huffington Post, occurred at the end of a closed-door question-and-answer session between Senate Democrats and White House officials Wednesday. Sources familiar with the meeting confirmed the exchange.

    Franken asked Axelrod what the plan was going to be going forward, and was there going to be more coming out message-wise. Axelrod's response talked about the importance of health care reform, an answer Franken reportedly didn't find satisfactory. At that point a group of three to five senators jumped in to agree with Franken, the source said.

    Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders confirmed his involvement to the Huffington Post. A White House spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment.

    Franken has advocated for the House passing the Senate's health care bill if senators agree to fix the bill using the reconciliation process, which would require just 51 votes, telling a group of health care activists that he fears it's "now versus never" for health care reform.

    Washington Bureau | Fri, Feb 5 2010 8:24 am | 5 Comments

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    minnpost.com/derekwallbank


    Derek Wallbank is MinnPost's Washington, D.C., correspondent, covering Minnesota's congressional delegation and reporting on developments out of Washington that are important to Minnesota readers. After graduating from Michigan State University, he covered Michigan politics for the Gongwer News Service, a publication aimed at political insiders. Later he became a reporter for the Lansing State Journal, writing about education and politics and founding the Journal's respected politics blog. Most recently he was a researcher and reporter with Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at dwallbank[at]minnpost[dot]com.

    More dispatches by Derek Wallbank