Why Dems Scheduled Xmas Eve Health Care Vote

Lamar Alexander has called the Democrats' push to quickly pass health care reform "a political kamikaze mission toward a historic mistake," but Senate Dems have reasons other than self-immolation for scheduling a 7pm vote on Christmas Eve. Politico looks at five:

• To maintain momentum: If the latest compromise takes a vacation, it could fall apart.

• And create urgency: Lawmakers make the tough choices when they're stuck between a rock and a hard deadline.
• To save face: Eight months of "maneuvering" is already "embarrassing" for the White House. Allow the bill to fester into 2010, and Dems can't...
• Focus on jobs: Obama would really prefer to speak to the economy during his first State of the Union, not the interminable health care debate.
• Because this isn't the end of the line, anyway: The House and Senate bills will need to be reconciled.

(More health care reform stories.)