The White House is backing away from the endangered health bill like it's on fire

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 24 March 2017

President Trump on Thursday issued an ultimatum to conservative House Republicans reluctant to support the American Health Care Act: Pass this bill Friday, or lose the chance to repeal ObamaCare. Meanwhile, reports leaked out claiming the dealmaker president regretted taking up arms for House Speaker Paul Ryan's bill in the first place, rather than pursuing tax reform as his first major legislative victory.

But after two days of hectic negotiations, last-minute concessions, a revised (and worse) score from the Congressional Budget Office, and a rescheduled vote, it seems the White House is already beginning to lay the burden of blame should the bill fail to pass the House in Trump's mandated Friday vote. And, surprise surprise, it's not landing at the doorway of the Oval Office:

On top of the White House being willing to accept only select responsibility for the bill's fate, CNBC's John Harwood reports that a senior White House aide said that a decisive defeat of the bill in Friday's House vote would in fact be the best outcome for the president, "100 percent."