Adding Tort Reform Wouldn’t Add a Single Vote of Support for Health-Care Legislation?

At Rep. Jim Moran’s town-hall event Tuesday night, Howard Dean responded to a question about tort reform by saying that the more you put in the bill, the more enemies you make, and that adding tort reform wouldn’t add a single vote of support.

Really? There isn’t a single Republican on Capitol Hill who would rather not be painted as an opponent of super-duper health care for everyone, and who wouldn’t find this concession on the part of Democrats a serious deal-sweetener? Yes, there are plenty of Republicans who would not vote for any version of Obamacare. But tort reform couldn’t bring aboard the Maine senators? Retiring Republicans like George Voinovich or Mel Martinez? Rep. Mike Castle of Delaware, with his ACU rating of 52.28, or Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois, with his lifetime rating of 55.69?

I see Rep. Doug Lamborn, Colorado Republican, agrees with Dean. Bob Beckel argues it would be a game-changer.

Note that I’m not recommending Republicans agree to support health-care legislation if were added; just thinking that Dean is imagining a more intransigent Republican caucus than exists.