While Stewart and Colbert are, as usual, their typical funny selves, they also gave me some interesting insight into what the Republicans are so worried about this televised conference. It has nothing to do with appearing on TV, and everything to do with completely mis-communicating what the Republicans want. Republicans don't want to work with Democrats on a health care bill because they don't want any health care bill. This isn't the typical political game of "delay it until our constituents can get their pork" (as usually happens with filibusters). This is one of the very few cases where Republicans and Democrats truly differ. If the Republicans show up to this conference, it looks like they are endorsing government health care (which would be the political suicide Colbert spoke about). If the Republicans don't show up at all, the Democrats can point out that fact on TV and claim to their constituents that they tried to work with the Republicans (by completely - and intentionally - misunderstanding the Republicans' stance). The trap isn't going to be at the conference, it is holding the televised conference in the first place. It also (finally) allows Obama to claim to have held some debate on health care (after all the stuff has already happened behind the closed doors). Whether you like the Democrats of not, this is a clever political strategy. I just wish our government wasn't so busy playing political games like this.
It's a trap because the Republican talking points on health care do not resonate with anyone except the Republican base- it does not appeal to independents. If the Republicans are able to stall Obama's reform without actually articulating a coherent, party-wide alternative, then they win political points without risking anything themselves. Obama knows this and the Republicans know this; that's why Republicans basically just say "it won't work" without proposing substantive alternatives. Obama called their bluff in a public way and he's forcing them to make proposals, ON THE RECORD, that they will be forced to stand by and negotiate with.
lamparty
Nailed it!