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| Obama firm on healthcare reform | Obama firm on healthcare reform |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama will stick to his agenda including healthcare reforms despite shock defeat in a Massachusetts Senate election, the White House says. | US President Barack Obama will stick to his agenda including healthcare reforms despite shock defeat in a Massachusetts Senate election, the White House says. |
| Senior presidential adviser David Axelrod said there would be a rethink on tactics but the substance of policy would not change. | Senior presidential adviser David Axelrod said there would be a rethink on tactics but the substance of policy would not change. |
| Earlier Republican Scott Brown, who won the seat, said he had tapped into mounting aggravation among voters. | Earlier Republican Scott Brown, who won the seat, said he had tapped into mounting aggravation among voters. |
| Mr Brown will be Massachusetts' first Republican senator since 1972. | Mr Brown will be Massachusetts' first Republican senator since 1972. |
| This is a referendum on the Barack Obama agenda and a way of working in Washington, an arrogant approach to politics Mitt Romney Senior Republican class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7426">Your comments on the result class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8469359.stm">Revolution in Kennedy country class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8461136.stm">Obama approval ratings fall class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/seealso/2010/01/us_republican_scott_brown_has.html">US media on Brown victory class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8470091.stm">Profile: Scott Brown | |
| Mr Axelrod said the administration would take the defeat into account, but would continue to pursue its agenda. | |
| "We'll have to think through this next year from the standpoint of tactics but in substance the mission can't change," he said. | |
| Asked about healthcare, he added: "It's not an option simply to walk away from a problem that's only going to get worse." | |
| The result stunned Democrats and means Republicans now have enough Senate votes to impede the president's plans. | The result stunned Democrats and means Republicans now have enough Senate votes to impede the president's plans. |
| The BBC's Paul Adams, in Boston, says it is a humiliating defeat for the Democrats, and a deeply unwelcome anniversary present for President Obama exactly one year after his inauguration. | The BBC's Paul Adams, in Boston, says it is a humiliating defeat for the Democrats, and a deeply unwelcome anniversary present for President Obama exactly one year after his inauguration. |
| He adds that it is one of the biggest political upsets in years - in a seat held for almost half a century by Edward Kennedy, a Democratic Party colossus, who died last year. | He adds that it is one of the biggest political upsets in years - in a seat held for almost half a century by Edward Kennedy, a Democratic Party colossus, who died last year. |
| Senate Democrats are expected to meet at midday local time (1700 GMT) to decide what to do about healthcare legislation. | |
| 'Voter disenchantment' | 'Voter disenchantment' |
| After his victory, Senator-elect Brown told NBC's Today show he did not think the vote was a referendum on President Obama's first year in power. | |
| MARDELL'S AMERICA This is a calamity for the Democrats, all the more on the very day the president has been in power a year Mark Mardell href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2010/01/what_a_difference_a_year_makes.html">Mark Mardell's America | |
| He said it was a sign of voter disenchantment over partisan gridlock in Washington. | He said it was a sign of voter disenchantment over partisan gridlock in Washington. |
| Mr Brown, 50, also said voters had "enjoyed the message" he pushed while campaigning, including his criticism of Mr Obama's healthcare plans. | Mr Brown, 50, also said voters had "enjoyed the message" he pushed while campaigning, including his criticism of Mr Obama's healthcare plans. |
| "I just focused on what I did, which is to talk about the issues - terror, taxes and the healthcare plan," he told NBC. | "I just focused on what I did, which is to talk about the issues - terror, taxes and the healthcare plan," he told NBC. |
| "We already have 98% of our people insured here already in Massachusetts, so we do not need the plan that's being pushed upon us," he added. | "We already have 98% of our people insured here already in Massachusetts, so we do not need the plan that's being pushed upon us," he added. |
| "We would have lesser care, longer lines and pay higher taxes and it makes no sense." | "We would have lesser care, longer lines and pay higher taxes and it makes no sense." |
| But he denied he was intent on derailing the reforms. | But he denied he was intent on derailing the reforms. |
| "I never said I was going to do everything I can to stop healthcare," he said. | "I never said I was going to do everything I can to stop healthcare," he said. |
| "I believe everybody should have healthcare, it's just a question of how we do it." | "I believe everybody should have healthcare, it's just a question of how we do it." |
| 'Senator Beefcake' | 'Senator Beefcake' |
| The Republican beat Democratic rival and Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley by 52% to 47%. | The Republican beat Democratic rival and Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley by 52% to 47%. |
| WHAT NEXT FOR OBAMA AGENDA? Obama's bid to reform healthcare and pass climate bill now in doubtOn healthcare, Democrats in House could pass bill already passed by SenateOr rush a compromise bill through before Brown can take his seatBut that could spark a political backlash on Democrats, even if both houses could agree it so soonOn climate, cap-and-trade bill passed by the House faces even more difficulties in Senate Q&A: Effect on Obama's agenda Q&A: US healthcare reform | |
| Dubbed Senator Beefcake in the US media, Mr Brown is a lawyer and former model who posed almost naked for Cosmopolitan magazine in the 1980s while in law school. | Dubbed Senator Beefcake in the US media, Mr Brown is a lawyer and former model who posed almost naked for Cosmopolitan magazine in the 1980s while in law school. |
| The Republican former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, told Fox News the vote was a referendum on President Obama, and a verdict on "an arrogant approach to politics in this country". | The Republican former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, told Fox News the vote was a referendum on President Obama, and a verdict on "an arrogant approach to politics in this country". |
| The party's chairman, Michael Steele, said Americans were breathing a "sign of relief" over healthcare. | The party's chairman, Michael Steele, said Americans were breathing a "sign of relief" over healthcare. |
| "People across the country are saying: 'Slow it down,'" he said, quoted by the Associated Press. | "People across the country are saying: 'Slow it down,'" he said, quoted by the Associated Press. |
| The Republican win has robbed the Democrats of their filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate. | The Republican win has robbed the Democrats of their filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate. |
| After conceding the election in a telephone call to Mr Brown, Ms Coakley told her supporters she was "heartbroken at the result". | After conceding the election in a telephone call to Mr Brown, Ms Coakley told her supporters she was "heartbroken at the result". |
| Sen Robert Menendez, head of the Senate Democrats' campaign committee, said he had "no interest in sugar-coating" the result. | Sen Robert Menendez, head of the Senate Democrats' campaign committee, said he had "no interest in sugar-coating" the result. |
| "There is a lot of anxiety in the country right now," he added. "Americans are understandably impatient." | "There is a lot of anxiety in the country right now," he added. "Americans are understandably impatient." |
| The US ambassador to the UK, Louis Susman, a senior Democrat, told the BBC: "I think the healthcare bill has been totally misrepresented. | The US ambassador to the UK, Louis Susman, a senior Democrat, told the BBC: "I think the healthcare bill has been totally misrepresented. |
| "I think that the Democratic candidate may not have presented as well as we would have liked." | "I think that the Democratic candidate may not have presented as well as we would have liked." |
| Lacklustre | Lacklustre |
| President Obama had campaigned personally on behalf of Ms Coakley. | President Obama had campaigned personally on behalf of Ms Coakley. |
| Analysts say the race should have been an easy win for her. Just weeks ago, she had a double-digit lead in polls and seemed destined to win. | Analysts say the race should have been an easy win for her. Just weeks ago, she had a double-digit lead in polls and seemed destined to win. |
| But a lacklustre campaign allowed her Republican opponent to seize on voter discontent and overtake her in the final stretch. | But a lacklustre campaign allowed her Republican opponent to seize on voter discontent and overtake her in the final stretch. |
| Voters flocked to the polls through the snow and rain that fell all day on Tuesday. | Voters flocked to the polls through the snow and rain that fell all day on Tuesday. |
| Ms Coakley said she had received a telephone call from President Obama, who told her: "We can't win them all." | Ms Coakley said she had received a telephone call from President Obama, who told her: "We can't win them all." |
| White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president had called to congratulate Mr Brown and say he was looking forward to working with him. | White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president had called to congratulate Mr Brown and say he was looking forward to working with him. |
| Correspondents say the vote does not bode well for the Democrats ahead of November's congressional elections, and that if they cannot hang on to a party stronghold such as Massachusetts they could be vulnerable almost anywhere. | Correspondents say the vote does not bode well for the Democrats ahead of November's congressional elections, and that if they cannot hang on to a party stronghold such as Massachusetts they could be vulnerable almost anywhere. |
| The result comes amid opinion polls showing nearly half of Americans think President Obama is not delivering on his major campaign promises. | The result comes amid opinion polls showing nearly half of Americans think President Obama is not delivering on his major campaign promises. |
| It was the third major loss for Democrats in state-wide elections since he became president: Republicans won governors' seats in Virginia and New Jersey in November. | It was the third major loss for Democrats in state-wide elections since he became president: Republicans won governors' seats in Virginia and New Jersey in November. |