Pelosi: Democrats Will Listen to Massachusetts
Updated: 11:57 a.m.In the wake of the stunning Democratic defeat in the race to replace Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) pledged Wednesday to heed the message voters sent, while driving forward with a suddenly imperiled push for health care reform.Without spelling out the path forward on the bill, the top House Democrat made clear that party leaders would absorb the results of last night’s election, in which Republican state Sen. Scott Brown clinched a come-from-behind win that will end Senate Democrats’ filibuster-proof majority and force leaders to scramble to save what only days ago seemed a sure bet for landmark legislative achievement.“Heeding the particular concerns of the voters of Massachusetts, we heard, we will heed, we will move forward with their considerations in mind. But we will move forward,— Pelosi said Wednesday morning in a speech to the U.S. Conference of Mayors.The Speaker indicated voter unrest about government spending contributed to the Democratic implosion in the Bay State, among the most Democratic in the nation. Pelosi said: “Clearly, the election results last night spell out that we have not been as clear about our deficit reduction measures. … And that will change.—But pointing to President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech delivered a year ago Wednesday — and his call for “action, swift and bold— — Pelosi said Democrats have committed “to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans as a right, not a privilege, and we will do just that.—