ticking when we get the final cbo report. we don t have the final yet, but we have a pretty good idea of where we are going on it. so it takes a couple extra days after a year, it takes a couple of extra days. americans aren t in any rush to pass this or any other 2700 page bill that poses as reform but actually raises the cost of health care. and members of congress shouldn t be deceived by these theatrical attempts to create a sense of urgency about this legislation. bret: a lot of talk today about the time line and this deadline that the white house had of march 18th of trying to pass health care reform legislation as you heard the white house essentially backing down off that deadline today. but perhaps the biggest news came from republicans saying that they talked to senate parliamentarian allen frumin and he tells them the house has to pass the existing senate health care bill first and president obama has to sign it into law
asking the white house for more information about its alleged job offer to pennsylvania democratic congressman joe sestak. aimed at getting him to drop out of the senate race. sestak is challenging incumbent democrat allen specter in the may primary. its is a is the top house republican in the house oversight when i writes to robert borrow quote: bret: the white house has so far refused to comment on sestak s agencies. today, we tried again. last tuesday, you told us i don t have the update with me on sestak. anything happened since then? i don t have. a letter to the white house counsel. i don t have anything gicial on that. do you have anything additional on that. i don t have it today. bret: maybe tomorrow. some people in nevada are wondering if tea party
supposed to be used with budget bills. enter 63-year-old allen frumin, the senate parliamentarian. in theory it is frumin who decides whether a given item in a health care reconciliation bill effects health care and must be stricken from the bill. shepard: allen frumined suddenly the most powerful man in d.c. some are describing him that way. we spoke with c-span former scholar in residence who has known frumin for years and who offered this warning. don t blame him for what happens because he is the person of great integrity and very technically oriented. very judicious. he is looks at what is put in front of him and gauges the impact based upon the senate s rules and precedents and practices. she went on to ad, shep, and this is really the highest discount pays is he not a party hack. shepard: he is not the final authority in the senate either. no.