Gibbs: Obama hasn't talked to Lieberman on healthcare reform bill

President Barack Obama has not been in touch with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) over healthcare legislation, the White House said Monday.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that the president has not reached out to Lieberman, and brushed aside reports on Monday that the administration had instructed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to reach an agreement with Lieberman.

"Not that I'm aware of, no," Gibbs responded to a question about whether Obama had spoken with Lieberman, who said on Sunday that he would not support the latest iteration of a public option compromise in the Senate's bill. That move raised the ire of liberals, who were previously confident the compromise would win Lieberman (and other Democratic centrists') votes.

But Gibbs also dodged a question on whether senior administration officials are pressuring Reid to reach an agreement with Lieberman.

"The president is anxious to see progress, and we'll continue to work with Democrats and Republicans and independents and everyone in between to make that progress," Gibbs said in response to a question about whether the White House is pushing Reid to make a deal.

All 60 Senate Democrats -- including Lieberman -- will meet at the White House on Tuesday to talk health reform, while the Democrats will caucus later this afternoon.

While Obama may not be directly courting Lieberman, many of his top aides are. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, healthcare "czar" Nancy-Ann DeParle, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) all met with Lieberman on Sunday in Reid's office, according to a Senate aide.

Gibbs said that Obama still believed the Senate would act to pass a healthcare bill by Christmas, but that the president had no thoughts as to why Lieberman had become such a stumbling block in the effort for health reform.

"I don't know why the president would try to get into the head and try to speak for the motivations of anyone in a political party," Gibbs explained.

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