Bart Stupak: Health Care Fight Is a 'Living Hell'

Bart Stupak says his unwanted role as a stumbling block to health care reform has been a "living hell." The Michigan Democrat, who insists on tougher anti-abortion language, says the phones are jammed at his office and his home. “All the phones are unplugged at our house—tired of the obscene calls and threats," he tells the Hill in an interview, adding that his wife won't watch TV.

“People saying they’re going to spit on you and all this. That’s just not fun.” Stupak says he still has 12 fellow Democrats who will vote against the legislation, and he's not budging. Still, he doesn't like being labeled as anti-reform and says the ideal outcome would be passage of the bill without him. “You know, maybe for me that’s the best: I stay true to my principles and beliefs,” and “vote no on this bill and then it passes anyways. Maybe for me is the best thing to do.” (More Bart Stupak stories.)