Democrats_NN2 in_II Senate_NN1 Reach_NN1 for_IF 60_MC Votes_NN2 on_II Health_NN1 Care_NN1 Overhaul_NN1 WASHINGTON_NP1 --_NN1 The_AT unveiling_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 compromise_NN1 health_NN1 care_NN1 proposal_NN1 has_VHZ Senate_NN1 Democrats_NN2 pondering_VVG a_AT1 daunting_JJ mathematical_JJ challenge_NN1 :_: how_RRQ to_TO keep_VVI all_DB 59_MC Democrats_NN2 united_VVN and_CC attract_VVI at_RR21 least_RR22 one_MC1 Republican_NN1 to_TO pass_VVI an_AT1 overhaul_NN1 measure_VV0 As_RG many_DA2 lawmakers_NN2 on_II Wednesday_NPD1 got_VVD their_APPGE first_MD detailed_JJ look_NN1 at_II a_AT1 Finance_NN1 Committee_NN1 plan_NN1 that_CST was_VBDZ months_NNT2 in_II the_AT making_NN1 ,_, senators_NN2 immediately_RR began_VVD exploring_VVG whether_CSW the_AT plan_NN1 --_NN1 when_CS combined_VVN with_IW elements_NN2 of_IO another_DD1 ,_, more_RGR liberal_JJ one_MC1 --_NN1 could_VM win_VVI enough_DD senators_NN2 to_TO reach_VVI that_DD1 magic_JJ procedural_JJ number_NN1 of_IO 60_MC ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 have_VH0 to_TO meld_VVI a_AT1 couple_NN1 of_IO things_NN2 together_RL and_CC see_VV0 where_RRQ we_PPIS2 are_VBR ,_, "_" said_VVD Senator_NNB Christopher_NP1 J._NP1 Dodd_NP1 ,_, Democrat_NN1 of_IO Connecticut_NP1 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 would_VM n't_XX say_VVI today_RT with_IW absolute_JJ certainty_NN1 that_CST you_PPY could_VM get_VVI to_II 60_MC ,_, but_CCB it_PPH1 would_VM be_VBI just_RR as_RG foolish_JJ to_TO say_VVI you_PPY ca_VM n't_XX get_VVI there_RL either_RR ._. 
This_DD1 is_VBZ the_AT Senate_NN1 ._. "_" 
In_II trying_VVG to_TO reach_VVI critical_JJ mass_NN1 for_IF legislative_JJ success_NN1 ,_, advocates_NN2 of_IO health_NN1 care_NN1 overhaul_NN1 face_VV0 an_AT1 extremely_RR delicate_JJ balancing_NN1 act_NN1 ._. 
With_IW the_AT death_NN1 of_IO Senator_NNB Edward_NP1 M._NN1 Kennedy_NP1 of_IO Massachusetts_NP1 ,_, Democrats_NN2 control_VV0 59_MC seats_NN2 ,_, meaning_VVG they_PPHS2 need_VV0 at_RR21 least_RR22 one_MC1 Republican_NN1 to_TO join_VVI them_PPHO2 if_CS they_PPHS2 are_VBR to_TO proceed_VVI without_IW employing_VVG a_AT1 procedural_JJ shortcut_NN1 that_CST could_VM cause_VVI havoc_NN1 in_II the_AT Senate_NN1 ._. 
And_CC Senate_NN1 Democrats_NN2 have_VH0 substantial_JJ differences_NN2 of_IO their_APPGE own_DA ._. 
More_RGR liberal_JJ members_NN2 like_II Senator_NNB John_NP1 D._NP1 Rockefeller_NP1 IV_MC of_IO West_NP1 Virginia_NP1 and_CC Senator_NNB Bernard_NP1 Sanders_NP1 ,_, independent_JJ of_IO Vermont_NP1 ,_, have_VH0 been_VBN strong_JJ advocates_NN2 of_IO a_AT1 public_JJ insurance_NN1 option_NN1 ;_; many_DA2 of_IO the_AT more_RGR centrist_JJ Democrats_NN2 have_VH0 come_VVN down_RP just_RR as_RG strongly_RR against_II one_PN1 ._. 
Centrists_NN2 are_VBR interested_JJ in_II holding_VVG costs_VVZ down_RP ;_; progressives_NN2 want_VV0 to_TO bring_VVI more_DAR Americans_NN2 under_II the_AT insurance_NN1 umbrella_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 push_NN1 that_CST drives_NN2 costs_VVZ up_RP ._. 
As_II a_AT1 result_NN1 ,_, changes_NN2 intended_VVD to_TO bring_VVI the_AT centrists_NN2 and_CC conservatives_NN2 in_II line_NN1 could_VM drive_VVI away_RL progressives_NN2 ,_, while_CS any_DD move_VV0 to_TO draw_VVI in_II the_AT more_RGR liberal_JJ elements_NN2 could_VM end_VVI up_RP alienating_VVG the_AT centrists_NN2 ._. 
There_EX is_VBZ little_DA1 margin_NN1 for_IF error_NN1 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 continue_VV0 to_TO believe_VVI that_CST you_PPY start_VV0 at_II the_AT center_NN1 and_CC then_RT move_VV0 to_TO collect_VVI additional_JJ support_NN1 on_II both_DB2 ends_NN2 of_IO the_AT political_JJ spectrum_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Senator_NNB Ron_NP1 Wyden_NP1 ,_, an_AT1 Oregon_NP1 Democrat_NN1 and_CC health_NN1 policy_NN1 expert_NN1 whose_DDQGE seat_NN1 on_II the_AT Finance_NN1 Committee_NN1 makes_VVZ him_PPHO1 a_AT1 key_JJ player_NN1 as_CSA that_DD1 panel_NN1 considers_VVZ the_AT new_JJ plan_NN1 from_II Senator_NNB Max_NP1 Baucus_NP1 ,_, the_AT Montana_NP1 Democrat_NN1 who_PNQS leads_VVZ the_AT committee_NN1 ._. 
Juggling_VVG the_AT individual_JJ party_NN1 demands_NN2 can_VM be_VBI dizzying_JJ ._. 
Another_DD1 Finance_NN1 Committee_NN1 member_NN1 ,_, Senator_NNB Bill_NP1 Nelson_NP1 of_IO Florida_NP1 ,_, is_VBZ digging_VVG in_RP against_II potential_JJ Medicare_NP1 cuts_VVZ ._. 
Senator_NNB Bob_NP1 Casey_NP1 of_IO Pennsylvania_NP1 wants_VVZ to_TO make_VVI sure_JJ the_AT plan_NN1 does_VDZ enough_RR for_IF poor_JJ children_NN2 ,_, while_CS Senator_NNB Evan_NP1 Bayh_NN1 of_IO Indiana_NP1 is_VBZ worried_VVN about_II health_NN1 costs_VVZ for_IF small_JJ businesses_NN2 and_CC middle-class_JJ families_NN2 ._. 
And_CC Senator_NNB Ben_NP1 Nelson_NP1 of_IO Nebraska_NP1 ,_, typically_RR one_MC1 of_IO the_AT hardest_JJT votes_NN2 for_IF Democratic_JJ leaders_NN2 to_II corral_NN1 ,_, is_VBZ looming_VVG as_II a_AT1 particularly_RR tough_JJ sell_NN1 ._. 
"_" At_II the_AT end_NN1 of_IO the_AT day_NNT1 ,_, I_PPIS1 want_VV0 to_TO see_VVI everything_PN1 before_CS I_PPIS1 commit_VV0 to_II anything_PN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Mr._NNB Nelson_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS added_VVD that_CST he_PPHS1 would_VM have_VHI trouble_NN1 backing_VVG a_AT1 bill_NN1 that_CST did_VDD not_XX have_VHI some_DD Republican_NN1 support_NN1 ._. 
Yet_RR winning_VVG over_RP just_RR one_MC1 Republican_NN1 will_VM take_VVI extraordinary_JJ effort_NN1 ,_, partly_RR because_II21 of_II22 the_AT intense_JJ pressure_NN1 from_II colleagues_NN2 to_TO deny_VVI Democrats_NN2 a_AT1 legislative_JJ victory_NN1 ._. 
Senator_NNB Olympia_NP1 J._NP1 Snowe_NP1 of_IO Maine_NP1 ,_, the_AT Republican_NN1 viewed_VVN as_II the_AT most_RGT likely_JJ to_II back_NN1 the_AT proposal_NN1 ,_, did_VDD not_XX endorse_VVI the_AT plan_NN1 on_II Wednesday_NPD1 ,_, though_CS she_PPHS1 is_VBZ talking_VVG to_II Democrats_NN2 ._. 
Other_JJ Republicans_NN2 considered_VVD potential_JJ allies_NN2 under_II the_AT right_JJ circumstances_NN2 have_VH0 their_APPGE own_DA reservations_NN2 ._. 
Senator_NNB Susan_NP1 Collins_NP1 ,_, another_DD1 Maine_NP1 moderate_VV0 who_PNQS has_VHZ joined_VVN with_IW Democrats_NN2 in_II the_AT past_NN1 ,_, has_VHZ not_XX seen_VVN enough_DD emphasis_NN1 on_II cutting_VVG health_NN1 care_NN1 costs_VVZ over_RP all_DB ._. 
Senator_NNB George_NP1 V._II Voinovich_NP1 of_IO Ohio_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS is_VBZ retiring_JJ and_CC thus_RR may_VM face_VVI fewer_DAR political_JJ constraints_NN2 ,_, said_VVD he_PPHS1 feared_VVD the_AT expansion_NN1 of_IO coverage_NN1 for_IF the_AT poor_JJ could_VM bankrupt_VVI states_NN2 ._. 
"_" To_TO be_VBI candid_JJ ,_, I_PPIS1 do_VD0 n't_XX know_VVI how_RRQ you_PPY pay_VV0 for_IF it_PPH1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
Given_VVN the_AT steep_JJ climb_NN1 toward_II 60_MC ,_, Senate_NN1 Democratic_JJ leaders_NN2 have_VH0 begun_VVN to_TO make_VVI another_DD1 argument_NN1 to_II lawmakers_NN2 ._. 
They_PPHS2 are_VBR pressing_JJ colleagues_NN2 to_TO vote_VVI with_IW the_AT party_NN1 on_II procedural_JJ matters_NN2 related_VVN to_II health_NN1 care_NN1 legislation_NN1 and_CC against_II any_DD filibuster_NN1 --_NN1 a_AT1 60-vote_JJ issue_NN1 --_NN1 even_CS21 if_CS22 they_PPHS2 intend_VV0 to_TO oppose_VVI the_AT measure_NN1 in_II the_AT end_NN1 when_CS simple_JJ majority_NN1 rules_NN2 ._. 
Senators_NN2 are_VBR usually_RR reluctant_JJ to_TO clear_VVI the_AT way_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 bill_NN1 they_PPHS2 might_VM vote_VVI against_II since_CS they_PPHS2 relinquish_VV0 their_APPGE most_RGT powerful_JJ leverage_NN1 ,_, but_CCB the_AT message_NN1 is_VBZ evidently_RR reaching_VVG some_DD ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 is_VBZ difficult_JJ to_TO ask_VVI someone_PN1 to_TO facilitate_VVI the_AT enactment_NN1 of_IO legislation_NN1 with_IW which_DDQ they_PPHS2 disagree_VV0 ,_, "_" Mr._NNB Bayh_NP1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" But_CCB to_TO move_VVI the_AT process_NN1 forward_RL ,_, to_TO improve_VVI things_NN2 ,_, to_TO get_VVI to_II the_AT point_NN1 where_RRQ you_PPY can_VM support_VVI it_PPH1 substantively_RR ,_, that_DD1 of_RR21 course_RR22 I_PPIS1 would_VM be_VBI willing_JJ to_TO do_VDI ._. "_" 
Even_RR with_IW all_DB the_AT policy_NN1 disputes_NN2 compounded_VVN by_II political_JJ and_CC procedural_JJ hurdles_NN2 ,_, Democrats_NN2 said_VVD they_PPHS2 still_RR believe_VV0 they_PPHS2 can_VM get_VVI a_AT1 bill_NN1 through_RP ._. 
But_CCB it_PPH1 will_VM not_XX be_VBI easy_JJ ._. 
"_" Do_VD0 I_PPIS1 believe_VVI there_RL is_VBZ enough_DD consensus_NN1 around_RP here_RL to_TO get_VVI a_AT1 bill_NN1 done_VDN in_II the_AT end_NN1 ?_? 
Yes_UH ,_, "_" Mr._NNB Casey_NP1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" But_CCB I_PPIS1 also_RR believe_VV0 it_PPH1 is_VBZ going_VVGK to_TO be_VBI a_AT1 difficult_JJ couple_NN1 of_IO weeks_NNT2 ._. "_" 
