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James Clyburn responds to Mike Pence's assertion that the Democrats shut the Republicans out of the health care debate. That's all you hear out of these people is start over. After a year of having them participate and getting absolutely no votes as Rep. Clyburn just pointed out, do they honestly think anyone believes they'd behave any better the next time around?

I've got to give it to them though. They've got their lies and they're sticking to them, reality be damned. And most of the media is happy to go along for the ride without bothering to call them out for it, Ed Schultz being one of the exceptions. We're sure as hell never going to get that kind of messaging discipline out of the Democratic caucus with the Blue Dogs, ConservaDems and old Joementum Lie-berlips in there mucking up the works.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, I think the president needs to really talk to the base tonight, solidify the base, because there`s a lot of folks out there in the middle class that have seen a lot of things go to Wall Street. Now, with that in mind, to present to the American people that the Republicans have been obstructionists, they`re getting their backup when they hear that.

Earlier today, on Dylan Ratigan`s show, I made a comment about just that, and it drew this response from Congressman Pence...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PENCE: I`ve got to tell you, that was the one thing -- and THE ED SHOW is popular. It`s not my cup of TV, but he`s good radio and good TV. But look, Ed just said the president ought to consider shutting Republicans out.

Ed, news flash. House Democrats in this administration have shut Republicans out of the entire process in the House and in the Senate for the last year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: I tell you, those Republicans are amazing. I didn`t say they should shut out the Republicans. I just said that you should move on without them. If they want to get in the process, that`s fine.

But Congressman Clyburn, he said that, "House Democrats in this administration have shut Republicans out of the entire process in the House."

Is that true?

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James Clyburn with the understatement of the day on the racist remarks of South Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer.

(h/t Down with Tyranny for the graphic.)

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I've been asking members of Congress if they would forego their August recess to make sure health care won't get left behind. Why shouldn't republicans and democrats work instead of taking a holiday? Since I asked President Obama if he should demand that Congress stay in DC to work on health care in August the media has picked it up too and now we're getting statements from Congress saying they would work instead of taking a holiday.

I asked Blue America's Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) if he would give up the August recess to make sure legislation gets done. Here's his reply:

"I'm committed to passing health care reform and I'm extremely concerned that the window of opportunity is starting to close. Anything that can speed up Senate deliberation is valuable. And if keeping the Senate in session in August can move the bill forward, I'm absolutely committed to being here."

Sen. Merkley is committed to reforming health care and he now joins the list of members who have said they will work in August. Thanks so much Senator.

Senator Wyden
Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Rep. James Clyburn
Sen. Jeff Merkley

♫♪Vacation, all I ever wanted...Vacation, had to get away♫♪ I'm sure that there is some wistful whistling in the halls of Congress, however we're going to be amping up the pressure--bolstered by Nancy Pelosi and James Clyburn--to demand that Congress forgo their August recess to keep working on health care reform. Health care reform will be one of the topics of discussion this Sunday morning. Unfortunately, another topic will clearly be Henry Louis Gates' arrest, because the media will never pass up a shiny distraction in lieu of what really matters, like honest discussion of health care reform.

Instead, we'll have Mitch "Luntz's BFF" McConnell providing a lying counterpoint to Nancy Pelosi on State of the Union, and Sen. Jim "Hissy Fit" DeMint shouting over Sen. Kent Conrad on This Week. If that doesn't strike your fancy, David "Can't Carry Cronkite's Jockstrap" Gregory will be interviewing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about her recent travels to India and Thailand, but you know he won't be able to keep himself from asking about some imagined insurrection by Clinton against Obama. Oh look, David, another bright shiny thing to distract you instead of the real life issues Americans deserve to know about.

ABC's "This Week" - Sens. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Jim DeMint, R-S.C.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - David Axelrod, White House senior adviser; Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn.; Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

NBC's "The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Howard Fineman, Michele Norris, Michael Duffy, Ceci Connolly. Topics: Was President Obama right to enter the fray over the Professor Gates arrest? What does the Libby pardon debate say about the Bush-Cheney relationship? Meter Questions: Will a handful of Senate Republicans vote for the final health care bill?
YES: 11 NO: 1; Will Obama sign a health care reform law this year? YES: 12 NO: 0.

CNN's "State of the Union/Reliable Sources" - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Axelrod.

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - Trouble brewing in Iran: President Ahmadinejad defies the Supreme Leader in an unprecedented act, and Moussavi -- the candidate who might have actually won the June presidential elections -- announces he will create a large-scale social movement to oppose the government in power. Fareed has the rare opportunity to speak with someone on the ground in Tehran about what is really happening there.

"Fox News Sunday" - White House press secretary Robert Gibbs; Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.

So, what's catching your eye this morning?

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(The above audio is the shortened version of the BLogger Conference call. You can find the full version here.)

I'm glad Congress is starting to heed our words and beginning to speak out against taking a vacation while health care takes a back seat to their barbecues and softball games.. Recess is for children at school playing on their swings and has no place in this debate. Rep. Clyburn is the newest member to say that Congress should not stop until a bill drops.

(Majority) Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told colleagues during a "contentious" closed-door session Thursday that they should postpone the August break until they pass a sweeping health care reform bill.

The Democratic whip says he told his colleagues they will be criticized in the press for leaving town without passing a bill. "I think it will affect our standing with the American people if we don't do this as a party," Clyburn said afterward.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) were both in attendance during the 90-minute session, but Clyburn would not say what their reactions were. The South Carolina Democrat thinks his colleagues will have more opportunities to work through disputes than they will if they leave town.

We salute Clyburn for taking the correct steps in trying to work this thing out and not be afraid what all Americans are thing. Recess, recess?

Americans are hearing our plea to make Congress work through August.

As Mr. Obama took questions from his audience in Shaker Heights, he was asked whether he intended to call on Democratic leaders in Congress to cancel their August recess to try to reach a compromise on health care. For now, he said, he had no plans to do so.

Keep up the heat. The more Americans put pressure on their precious month long play time the more willing they will be to get the legislation done.
We've just started making this a priority so the list has just begun.

Senator Wyden
Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Rep. James Clyburn

That's three more than we had before I asked the question. Great start.
You can use HCAN's tools to find info so you can contact your own representative. Please contact them and tell them no August recess without a health care bill.
UPDATE: Meanwhile the Blue Dogs are trying their best to kill health care in the HOUSE.

The negotiations between House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and seven conservative Democrats on his panel fell apart Friday afternoon after the chairman told reporters he could move the bill to the floor without a committee vote.

Arkansas Rep. Mike Ross, the top negotiator for conservative Democrats in the Blue Dog Coalition, told reporters Friday that the negotiations "pretty much fell apart this afternoon."

In a meeting with Blue Dogs Friday, Waxman rescinded two previous concessions to help cut health care costs over time and ensure the government-sponsored health care won't impede on the private market. Asked how this leaves the negotiations, Ross said it "leaves the chairman with not enough votes to get it out of committee."