WASHINGTON — With congressional Republicans defying him on health care, President Barack Obama is trolling for prominent GOP officials and independents outside Washington who will publicly endorse his plans as the legislative fight moves toward a crucial phase.
Tuesday, the White House rolled out its latest trophy, a letter from California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger saying he shares many of the same health care goals as the president, from “slowing the growth in costs” to “enhancing the quality of care.” The day before, the White House had contacted Schwarzenegger’s office and asked if he would make a public declaration, according to the governor’s aides. Schwarzenegger agreed.
White House officials have also asked New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent, to state his views publicly, and the mayor has complied.
And another Republican, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who served as secretary of health and human services in the George W. Bush administration, declared in a statement distributed by the White House on Monday that “failure to reach an agreement on health care reform this year is not an acceptable option.”
Neither Schwarzenegger’s nor Bloomberg’s general views on health care were a secret. But the timing of their latest statements served a potentially important political function for the White House: Expressions of support from prominent Republicans offered cover to any wavering lawmakers worried about a backlash back home if they voted for the bill.
