Landrieu speaks on the Senate floor to defend so-called 'Louisiana purchase'

USA Today's On Politics: Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., took to the Senate floor Thursday "to defend the so-called 'Louisiana purchase.'" Describing the deal as a "'bipartisan effort,'" she said she made no apologies for leading the push to cut a deal "to get Louisiana $300 million in extra Medicaid funds inserted into the health care bill" (Kiely, 2/4).

The Associated Press/Washington Post: "The health care legislation is in limbo, and Landrieu said she doesn't know what will happen with it. But with President Barack Obama and others criticizing backroom deals that were cut to get the legislation through the Senate, Landrieu is taking no chances that her $300 million deal will be sacrificed in last-minute negotiations." On the Senate floor, she argued that the deal "was not a trade-off for her vote and said she did it with bipartisan support to help the people of Louisiana" (2/4).

Politico's Live Pulse: "Landrieu said she planned to stay on the Senate floor until the session closed Thursday to respond to any senators -- she mentioned Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) -- who have suggested the fix was a secret backroom deal" (Budoff Brown, 1/4).