McConnell: No deals with Obama on healthcare reform

Republicans aren’t likely to bury the hatchet with President Obama over the healthcare reform act, their Senate leader said Friday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), fresh off an unsuccessful vote on Wednesday to repeal healthcare reform, said not to expect Republicans to strike any agreements with the president.

“I think it’s clear that this is an area upon which we are not likely to reach any agreements with the president,” McConnell said on conservative pundit Laura Ingraham’s radio show.

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McConnell had sought to “assure” a Senate vote on the repeal to healthcare reform that the GOP had passed in the House. He was successful in forcing that vote on Wednesday, but, as expected, it failed along party lines.

The GOP leader vowed in the aftermath of that vote to dissemble the Democratic healthcare reforms, though it’s not clear whether those efforts will fare any better than the all-out repeal Republicans had sought.

McConnell’s said that his top goals include undoing healthcare reform and defeating Obama in 2012, which has led some Democrats to accuse him and Senate Republicans of acting in bad faith when it comes to legislating.

Nonetheless, the Kentucky Republican has made clear that he intends to lean on the crop of potentially vulnerable Democrats up for reelection in 2012 to further his goals.