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Profiles in Courage: The Phantom Signatures

Washington, Mar 20 -

If a letter gets written in Congress but nobody signs it, does it really mean anything? That’s a question House Democrats need to be asking themselves right now.



You see, Speaker Pelosi’s crowd wants assurances from its Senate counterparts that the Senate will actually pass the reconciliation bill that House Democrats hope to pass tomorrow. So, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would get the necessary 51 Senators to sign a letter promising exactly that.



So far so good, right? But what happens when the alleged signatures are written in invisible ink?

“Reid promised to release the contents – but not the signatories – of a letter Saturday aimed at reassuring House members that the Senate will act on the reconciliation bill.” (Politico, 3/20/10)

“Jim Manley, Reid’s spokesman, said the majority leader will release the letter after meeting with the House Democratic caucus Saturday afternoon. Asked whether Reid has been able to round up 51 signatures, Manley was coy. ‘We will have done what the House has requested,’ Manley said.” (Politico, 3/20/10)