Conrad: Dems need GOP backing on health

WASHINGTON, July 26 (UPI) -- Congressional Democrats need Republican support to pass healthcare reform measures, a senior Democratic lawmaker conceded Sunday.

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., speaking on ABC's "This Week" show, said Democratic colleagues who want to enact a reform package that Republicans opposed were engaging in wishful thinking.

"No, (that) is not possible and perhaps not desirable either," Conrad said. "We're probably going to get a better product if we go through the tough business of debate, consideration and analysis of what we're proposing."

But Conrad also took issue with another guest on the program, fellow U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who last week raised Democratic hackles by suggesting that delaying or defeated healthcare reform would be President Barack Obama's "Waterloo."

"Jim, I think has been very clear, he wants to kill it," Conrad said. "And I think that would be a tragedy because we've got a crisis here for the country."

DeMint indicated including a "public option" to compete with private health insurance plans was a deal-breaker for Republicans, saying, "We could have a plan in a few weeks … if the goal is not a government takeover. This is about the most personal service that Americans have."