Obama Says Senate is on Brink of Passing Historic Health Care Overhaul

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History may be calling but time's running out for the Senate to act by Christmas on health care reform.

Majority Leader Harry Reid is still scrambling to secure the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster. So, Senate
Democrats will go back to work on legislation today.

One holdout, independent Joe Lieberman, is coming around fast. But another, moderate Ben Nelson, is still uncommitted, criticizing the bill's restrictions on abortion funding as too lax.

President Barack Obama wants the measure passed quickly. And he's been urging restive senators not to lose perspective amid intense intraparty battles over the government's role and reach in health care.

Most Democrats are now coming to terms with the idea they won't get everything they want. The public insurance plan liberals hoped for appears dead in the Senate, as does a Medicare buy-in scheme offered as a fallback.

However, Dr. Howard Dean, the former Democratic Party chairman, is now calling for defeat of bill. He says, "You can't call this health care reform in the Senate" with the decision to drop the Medicare expansion.