Dem dodges questions on Grayson

Democrats this morning are struggling to distance themselves from Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), who said during floor debate on Tuesday, "The Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick." 

"As far as Mr. Grayson is concerned, he has to answer for himself," an uncomfortable Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) told MSNBC, adding that this morning's fallout was an inappropriate distraction from the healthcare debate. "If he wants to apologize, he can do that."

"I see not so much 'die quickly,' but I see a lot of people in my community dying slowly because they don't have healthcare and don't have insurance," he explained.

Republicans, however, are livid at the remark -- and Democrats' lukewarm reaction to it. Many are clamoring Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to sanction Grayson, much as they rebuked Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) earlier this month for his "You lie!" outburst.

As Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) stressed on Twitter, "Will Pelosi hold vote to reprimand #Grayson? http://bit.ly/4pGUWN Or was JWilson reprimand just partisan politics after all? #tcot"