The American Spectator

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ABC news reports:

Senior Congressional Democrats told ABC News today it is highly unlikely that a health care reform bill will be completed this year, just a week after President Barack Obama declared he was "absolutely confident" he'll be able to sign one by then.

"Getting this done by the by the end of the year is a no-go," a senior Democratic leadership aide told ABC News. Two other key Congressional Democrats also told ABC News the same thing.

The item also notes:

Asked directly by ABC News, "Will you pass health care reform this year?" Reid pointedly did not answer "yes."

Instead, he replied, "We are not going to be bound by any timetables," adding, "We are going to do this as quickly as we can."

If true, this raises several problems for Democrats. For one, if lawmakers go home for December recess, there will be more opportunities for constituents to express their disapproval, raising the chances that moderate Democrats get cold feet. Also, the more it stretches into next year, the more the 2010 midterm elections start becoming a factor.