Dems Call a 'Timeout' on Health Care Reform

And suddenly, "there's no rush" to get health care reform passed. So says Harry Reid in comments echoed up and down the party line today. Democrats essentially called a halt to President Obama's No. 1 priority now that Scott Brown's win in Massachusetts has gummed up the works. Coming just a day ahead of the State of the Union, the comments make it unlikely that Obama will lay out a specific path forward tomorrow.

“It’s a timeout,” Dianne Feinstein tells the New York Times. “The leadership is re-evaluating. They asked us to keep our powder dry.” All kinds of legislative maneuvering, from budget reconciliation to fast-track approval, have been bandied about, but nothing looks promising at the moment. “Frankly, we’re trying to figure out what is possible,” said House majority leader Steny Hoyer. (More health care reform stories.)