Boehner: If Pelosi had 216 votes to pass healthcare, 'this bill would be long gone'

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Sunday that Democrats don't have the House votes to pass the healthcare bill.

"If she had 216 votes this bill would be long gone," Boehner said of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on CNN's "State of the Union."

The Democrats "tried to pass it in September, October, November, December, January, February," Boehner said. "Guess what? They don't have the votes."

Boehner again panned the idea that President Barack Obama's healthcare summit had made the bill bipartisan, saying "he may have taken a couple of Republican ideas," but "this bill is nowhere near the middle."

Boehner predicted Sunday that, even though the GOP will be outspent by Dems in midterms elections, things are looking good for the Republican Party in the wake of the healthcare debate.

"I think we have a chance at winning Republican control of the House," Boehner said. "It's a steep climb but it's doable."

Earlier on CNN, White House senior adviser David Axelrod had criticized Republicans for saying Democrats would take a beating in midterm elections if they force the bill through.

"Mitch McConnell, John Boehner have been generous in giving advice to Democrats about how careless this vote is," Axelrod said wryly.

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