Healthcare summit: Alexander bats leadoff

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The Republicans have tapped Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee to make the opening case for the GOP approach.

It’s a smart move on several levels. Alexander, a former presidential candidate, has been a governor and a former Cabinet secretary. Alexander has a plain-spun speaking style, someone who sounds less officious than Republican leaders Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky or Rep. John Boehner of Ohio. Perhaps more important, Alexander is a fresh face in the debate, someone who hasn’t dominated the airwaves over the last eight months.

To the extent that Americans have healthcare overhaul fatigue syndrome (HCOFS), he may be someone they don’t reflexively tune out. He has a reputation of being a senator who works across the aisle. His votes to confirm controversial nominees Harold Koh to the State Department and Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court are examples.

But he’s opposed the Democratic healthcare bill from the start and to no one’s surprise, he’s already thrown down a marker on reconciliation. He’s arguing that the Senate isn’t meant to be governed by simple majority rule. “We’ll have to renounce jamming [the bill] through in a partisan way,” he said. “The only thing bipartisan will be the opposition to the bill.”

He also, as expected, called upon Congress to start the process over “to earn the trust of the American people.” According to Wikipedia, Alexander is a classical and concert pianist, which could be helpful if things get slow.

-- James Oliphant