News Exercise #192

1. What does the White House reporter say at 1:00 about the likelihood of a successful push for the Republican healthcare bill? What does the idiom mean?
2. Complete this quotation from 1:12.
“As the ___ ___ ___ ____ for the Senate Bill to ___ ___ ___ Obamacare, the GOP ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. Of the fifty-two Republicans in the Senate, five have said they’ll vote ‘No’; four others ___ ___ ___. No Democrats ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.”
3. According to political reporter George Stephanopoulos, when he started speaking at 3:23, what does the Republican Party need in order for this bill to be passed?

Answers:
1. What does the White House reporter say at 1:00 about the likelihood of a successful push for the Republican healthcare bill? What does the idiom mean?
“The white House is hoping to pull a rabbit out of the hat on healthcare reform.” The idiom “to pull a rabbit out of the hat” means to do something seemingly impossible, like a magic show.
2. Complete this quotation from 1:12.
“As the final push begins for the Senate Bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, the GOP appears to be well shy of the votes they need. Of the fifty-two Republicans in the Senate, five have said they’ll vote ‘No’; four others have expressed concerns. No Democrats support the measure at all.”
3. According to political reporter George Stephanopoulos, when he started speaking at 3:23, what does the Republican Party need in order for this bill to be passed?
They need a simple majority, meaning in this case that if they lose just two votes from their own party, the bill will not pass.