Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama is starting his arm twisting campaign in earnest today by inviting Democratic holdouts on the pro-abortion health care bill to one-on-one meetings with him at the White House. But it appears from public comments that some pro-life Democrats are holding firm against the bill.

Last week, President Barack Obama invited New York Rep Scott Murphy for a private meeting at the White House.

Today, reports indicate it appears Murphy may flip to yes from a no vote against the pro-abortion health care bill. If that happens, Greg Sargent of the Plum Line Blog suggests its a harbinger of more meetings...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The pro-life community has been subjected to a roller coaster week with chaos and confusion on the monumental battle to stop the pro-abortion health care bill. Now, it appears Democrats have solidified their plan on moving forward -- with the battle beginning Monday and a final vote late next week.

That gives pro-life groups just one week to turn out millions of calls and emails to members of the House urging them to vote no on the Senate pro-abortion health care bill and any companion measures.

As Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee tells LifeNews.com, "What is needed is for the Washington office and district offices of every House Democrat to be flooded from calls from his or her constituents, saying in no uncertain terms, 'Kill the Senate health bill, or we will remember in November.'"....

WASHINGTON -- House Democratic leaders Thursday abandoned a long struggle to strike a compromise on abortion in their ranks, gambling that they can secure the support for President Barack Obama's sweeping health care legislation with showdown votes looming as early as next week.

In doing so, they are all but counting out a small but potentially decisive group whose views on abortion coverage have become the principal hang-up for Democrats fighting to achieve the biggest change in American health care in generations. Congressional leaders are hoping they can find enough support from other wavering Democrats to pass legislation that only cleared the House by five votes in an earlier incarnation.

The concession came as House Democrats attended a lengthy meeting with White House health adviser Nancy Ann DeParle, who tried to answer questions, resolve differences and calm nerves, especially for lawmakers expecting tough challenges in November.

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her top Democratic lieutenants are pushing the Senate pro-abortion health care bill. However, a top pro-life Democrat and political observers say she doesn't have the votes to get the abortion-funding measure through the House.

As LifeNews.com reported yesterday, Democrats are crafting their final plan to push the Senate bill and they say they have the votes even without the help of pro-life Democrats who are firmly against the bill or still undecided.

But Rep. Bart Stupak, the top pro-life Democrat in the House, told Fox News last night that Pelosi lacks the votes she needs for passage.

“No, I don't think so,” Stupak said about whether Pelosi reached her magic number...

(CNSNews.com) -- Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas is holding a gala next month to raise money for its new abortion clinic, which will be specially equipped for performing late-term abortions.

The April 30 event is being billed as a “historic event” to celebrate the opening of the 78,000 square-foot facility and the 75th anniversary of the Texas Planned Parenthood operation. Tickets for the fundraiser range from $25,000 for a table of 10 to $350 for individual seating.

The event will also honor Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro: husband and wife, successful attorneys, and significant financial supporters of Planned Parenthood.

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- As Democratic leaders in Congress plot their next move on how to get the pro-abortion Senate health care bill through the House, a new strategy has developed apart from the reconciliation plan that has pro-life advocates concerned they could pass the bill without taking a vote on it.

House Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter has developed an idea she has not yet presented to Speaker Nancy Pelosi but is one that received considerable attention from political observers yesterday.

When the House considers any legislation on the floor, it first adopts a Rule for debate that sets the parameters for debate, amendments and other procedures....

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- If Democrats in Congress think they can rely on an appeasement strategy on abortion to pass the health care bill through the Senate via reconciliation, Senate Republicans say they are misled. In the latest turn of events in the ongoing abortion-health care debate, Senate Republicans have upped the ante.

The current status of the pro-abortion health care bill has Democrats attempting to pass it in the House and then using reconciliation to stop a filibuster and get a bill with changes -- designed to secure House votes for the Senate bill -- through both chambers.

The reconciliation bill with the changes will not likely be able to fix the abortion funding problems in the Senate bill.

But if Democrats try to include abortion language in the reconciliation package, Republicans will object -- even if the changes are pro-life -- because they want to force pro-life Democrats in the House to defeat the overall health care bill...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Congressman Bart Stupak, the de facto leader of the coalition of pro-life Democrats who may vote no on the Senate health care bill because of its massive abortion funding, expressed optimism that a deal could be work out on a sidebar bill to ban funding that goes along with the main bill.

However, pro-life advocates remain skeptical and worry such a bill would enable House passage of the Senate measure and Obama would simply sign the bill without accepting the abortion funding ban.

Stupak has already talked about the possibilities of a sidebar bill and has held meetings with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top pro-abortion Democrats pushing the government-run health care measure...

Prospects are good for resolving a dispute over abortion that has led some House Democrats to threaten to withhold support of President Obama's health care overhaul, a key Michigan Democrat said Monday.

Rep. Bart Stupak said he expects to resume talks with House leaders this week in a quest for wording that would impose no new limits on abortion rights but also would not allow use of federal money for the procedure.

"I'm more optimistic than I was a week ago," Stupak told The Associated Press between meetings with constituents in his northern Michigan district, including a crowded town hall gathering where opinions on health care and the abortion issue were plentiful and varied...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New polls from Rasmussen Reports show opposition to the pro-abortion health care bill increasing with a renewed focus on the final battles in Congress. Meanwhile, a majority of Americans say they are opposed to President Barack Obama's job performance.

Rasmussen had Americans opposed in late February to the pro-abortion health care bill on a 52-44 percentage point margin.

Now, that opposition to the Senate bill that funds abortions has increased to 53-42 percent, an 11 percentage point margin against the bill. That begins to erase some of the bounce Obama and top Democrats received from the White House health care summit.

The Rasmussen poll notes just 20% Strongly Favor the government-run health care plan while 41% are Strongly Opposed...