AIR FORCE ONE, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON WHETHER YOU GET THAT LIFE-SAVING OPERATION – AT 11:30 A.M. ET:  Congressman Dennis Kucinich, the far-left loon from Cleveland, has shifted his vote from "no" to "yes" on health-care reform, after getting a ride on Air Force One.

Kucinich had opposed the Dem leaders' health bill all along because he felt it wasn't leftist enough.  But now, after the magic-carpet ride, he's suddenly had a change of heart.  The brain was not involved.  From Fox:

Developing: Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, announced Wednesday that he would vote for the Senate health care bill, becoming the most prominent House Democrat to reverse his opposition.

With Kucinich's switch, Democrats now have 212 votes in favor of the bill, four shy of the 216-threshold needed for passage.

That 212 number may be a bit high, if other news sources are to be believed.

"This is not the bill I wanted to support even as I continued efforts into the last minute to try and modify the bill," he said at a news conference. "However, after careful discussions with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, my wife Elizabeth and close friends, I've decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation."

Kucinich voted against the House bill in November and has opposed the Senate bill because it doesn't include a government-run insurance plan.

But Kucinich has been under enormous pressure in recent weeks to lend his support to the bill, especially from Obama, who visited Kucinich's district on Monday.

Kucinich flew with Obama on Air Force One to a rally where members of the audience chanted at Kucinich to support the bill.

COMMENT:  I wonder what they fed him on the plane.  I wonder what movie they showed.  Probably "Reds."

March 17, 2010