Deadlines Everywhere

Congress put out the word that they don't expect to have Obamacare done before the August recess, but this again is another shot across the bow of the White House about Eric Holder (emphasis mine):

President Barack Obama's overhaul of the nation's health systems is unlikely to be completed by the White House's August deadline, lawmakers said Sunday as Congress turns its attention to other priorities.

Democrats and Republicans alike said the administration's sweeping health care proposals are moving forward on Capitol Hill but cautioned against rushing into a spending plan that could costs trillions of dollars over the next decade. Obama's health and human services secretary said she remains optimistic Congress would send the White House legislation before the year ends.

"I think everything is on the table and discussions are under way," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said.

But the White House's strategy to leave the legislative back-and-forth to Congress has produced varying and sometimes contradictory versions of health care legislation _ along with delays. As the Senate turns its attention to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings, the focus will turn away from Obama's top domestic priority.

The administration's Democratic partners in Congress hinted they would not deliver legislation before leaving town for an August recess. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said Obama should be pleased with lawmakers' progress; Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said "there really is plenty of time."

And Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., insisted that lawmakers would have the overhaul in place before leaving town in August. He does not, however, expect Obama to sign it before lawmakers return to their home states.

The delay would be a blow to the White House and to Democrats' electoral prospects.

So...the Sotomayor hearing is supposed to delay health care reform until the end of the year? Hardly. Seems pretty damn clear to me that the unspoken warning here is "Well, suddenly, we've got all this stuff to do here in Congress and we just don't know if we can get to Obamacare...it would be a shame if we never got around to taking it up because there was something else on our plates to deal with."

That something else of course would be Holder's investigation into torture and other unfinished Bush business. Note that these are Democrats hinting broadly at the delay, not Republicans. The implication is the same as in the Newsweek article. Holder's trial balloon is coming back with bullet holes all over it and a note attached saying "Obamacare or Torturegate. Choose." Clearly if Congress is busy with the DoJ, they just won't have time for health care reform, and after all it'll be Obama's fault if that happens. What a shame that would be, the article implies.

Yeah. Another warning from the Village for Obama to seep six Holder's investigation. Will he listen to it?