Burr says Republicans are game for White House summit

Sen. Richard Burr just appeared on the conservative Bill LuMaye show and sketched out Republican talking points for the White House health care summit.

He said Republicans spent two hours strategizing today. First they are going to demand that President Obama reveal all of the details of the merged House and Senate health care bills. Apparently members of the conference committee had an agreement before it was derailed by the Massachusetts election. So Republicans will buy some time by insisting that the merged bill be posted online for 72 hours before the summit convenes.

Burr said Republicans have not been officially invited to the White House. When the invitation is made he says they will negotiate debate rules. They certainly don’t want Obama up on a stage and behind a podium looking as authoritative as he did at the Republican House retreat.

Republicans will then focus on Medicare cuts in the bill and the comparative effectiveness provisions. It looks like “rationing” will be the word of the day. Burr also says that Republicans will attend the summit even though Obama is unwilling to scrap the health care bills that have now passed five committees and both chambers of Congress.