Who would have thought Crazy Kucinich had it in him?

Representative Dennis J. Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, said today that he plans to support the health care bill when it comes up for a vote this week. He becomes the first Democrat to publicly disclose his intention to switch from a “no” to a “yes” vote on the legislation.

“I’ve decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation,” Mr. Kucinich said at a morning news conference in the Capitol. “If my vote is to be counted, let it count now for passage of the bill, hopefully in the direction of comprehensive health care reform.”
[...]
In an interview five days ago, Mr. Kucinich said he could not support the legislation and dismissed suggestions that his vote would derail the Democratic health care agenda. But since then, the congressman has come under under extraordinary pressure from groups across the Democratic spectrum, including Moveon.org, which encouraged him to support the bill.

He said he still did not think the legislation went far enough — he has long advocated a single-payer system — but said his objections should not stand in the way of the bill.

“In the past week it’s become clear that the vote on the final health bill will be very close,” Mr. Kucinich said. “I take this vote with the utmost seriousness. I’m quite aware of the historic fight, which has lasted the last century.”

Last night, The Hill presented Kucinich’s decision as possibly pivotal. Their headline read: “Kucinich’s Wednesday announcement could be defining moment for health reform“. Apparently, that’s because of all the “other skeptical progressives in the House” who will now view Kucinich’s announcement as providing them political cover to vote yes.

Take cover in a safe place, and watch the healthcare reform vote in the House turn into a landslide.

*** Update, 8:03 a.m. ***

Retail shopping alert: If anyone was planning to buy any champagne over the next week or ten days, you probably want to rush out and gets yours now, while you still can.

Any moment now, all those Republicans who have been fervently praying for Democrats to pass healthcare reform — because of how utterly it will destroy their chances in the upcoming midterm elections — are going to realize they need to start stocking up on champagne.

So that when President Obama signs the bill, they can properly toast the fact that their opponents are now toast.