Clyburn in toughest fight

WASHINGTON -- The looming vote for final passage of the historic health care bill is the stiffest challenge House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has faced in his three-plus years as the lawmaker responsible for counting heads and ensuring passage of major legislation.

The South Carolina Democrat has spent the past week in endless meetings and conversations with key factions of Democrats in the House of Representatives, among them black, Hispanic and the fiscally conservative "Blue Dog" lawmakers.

The forthcoming health care vote puts Clyburn, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, in the tough position of securing enough Democratic support to gain final passage of a historic initiative that will help define the legacy of President Barack Obama. Thirty-nine Democrats voted against the original House health care measure in November, 24 of them Blue Dogs.

The outcome, he said, could be tighter than the 220-215 vote by which the House passed the original health care bill.

"I need 216 votes to pass this bill," Clyburn said. "I think I'm going to get 216 votes. It could be closer than last time. All I want is 216 votes."

A month after Obama took office in January 2009, the House passed his $862 billion economic stimulus plan. Clyburn lost just seven Democrats in the 246-183 vote.

"The stimulus vote was nothing compared to this," Clyburn said.

Obama, who's set a Thursday deadline for final passage of his top legislative priority, postponed a trip to Asia by three days to pressure or cajole wavering Democrats.

Clyburn expressed doubt that the House would vote by Thursday. He said lawmakers might have to stay in Washington right up to Easter Sunday, wrangling over their differences, and he wasn't certain the vote would take place by then.

Clyburn was frustrated by news reports focusing on the Democratic votes he might lose from the November tally -- starting with anti-abortion Democrats upset that abortion-funding limits have been loosened since then.

Clyburn said those vote-switchers -- perhaps between five and 10 -- would be more than offset by new supporters lured by other changes.