Nebraska’s Ben Nelson: An undecided man in the middle

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WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson still isn’t on board a massive healthcare bill even after a one-on-one meeting with President Obama.

Nelson told reporters from his home state of Nebraska today that Obama made a strong case for passing the legislation during a private White House session Tuesday but he still has many concerns about the bill. They include federal funds for abortion, funds for Medicare, cuts in payments to nursing homes and controlling healthcare costs.

Nelson is the only known potential holdout among the 60 senators who are members of the Democratic Party’s caucus. He dismissed rumors about threats or promised help in exchange for his vote for the bill, saying: “My vote is not for sale — period.”

-- Associated Press