AUDIO: WHITE HOUSE TELLS STUPAK TO BE QUIET

Pro-life Democrat Representative from Michigan, Bart Stupak has been somewhat vocal about his opposition to the language in the Senate bill that permits taxpayer funded abortions. He's also leading a contingent of other Democrats in the House who are saying they won't vote in support of the current bill unless the abortion language is changed.

With the way Democrats have been dropping like flies when it comes to standing up on principle instead of having a price, I'm not holding my breath that Stupak will stick to his guns either but it's an interesting development nonetheless.

In an interview with CNSNews, Stupak is speaking forthrightly in saying that he is being pressured by the White House directly to stop talking about the bill until "sell" him on the language. I wonder if that means bought off like Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu.

Here is the actual quote:

“They think I shouldn’t be expressing my views on this bill until they get a chance to try to sell me the language. Well, I don’t need anyone to sell me the language. I can read it. I’ve seen it. I’ve worked with it. I know what it says. I don’t need to have a conference with the White House. I have the legislation in front of me here.”

Click HERE for the audio..

According to the CNSNews Report:

Stupak said he is not alone in being pressured from the White House and the House Democratic leadership – other pro-life Democratic colleagues apparently are, as well. But they plan to hold firm, he said.

“We’re getting a lot of pressure not to say anything, to try to compromise this principle or belief,” Stupak said. “[T]hat’s just not us. We’re not going to do that. Members who voted for the Stupak language in the House – especially the Democrats, 64 Democrats that voted for it – feel very strongly about it. It’s been part of who we are, part of our make up. It’s the principle belief that we have. We are not just going to abandon it in the name of health care."

As Landrieu and Nelson are appearing very uncomfortable thanks to an engaged public, hopefully Stupak and his gang will take note. Then again, this White House has a way of mounting pressure the likes of which we've not seen in past administrations.

Stupak needs to prepare to be Alinsky'd. But he also needs to study Alinsky's Rule #1:

Power is not only what you have, but what an opponent thinks you have. If your organization is small, hide your numbers in the dark and raise a din that will make everyone think you have many more people than you do.

A rule tailor-made for bullying.

HERE is the entire CNSNews Report.

h/t to DRUDGE