Cooper: Healthcare on 'life support'

A key Blue Dog Democrat said yesterday that healthcare is on "life-support" and stands a good chance of being defeated in the Senate.

Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), a centrist Democrat who's been in the middle of the healthcare deabte, said the compromise pieced together in the House might not last in the upper chamber.

"If you peel back the layers further, you realize it may be difficult for the Senate to vote on anything," Cooper said in an interview with the editorial board of the Tennessean newspaper. "I'd say health reform, despite the House vote, is still on life support."

Cooper has been skeptical of the House bill but ended up voting for it, along with the Stupak amendment.

The Tennessee Democrat denied he'd made any deals in return for his vote, hinting that Nancy Pelosi wasn't his biggest fan.

"It's really not like she's ever done anything for me," Cooper said. "If I've gotten anything, it's the back of her hand."