In a July 25 speech in California, the federal Medicaid and Medicare administrator, Seema Verma, said the administration, which has granted waivers for states to try conservative changes such as Medicaid work requirements, would deny waivers if states wanted to enact single-payer plans.
The administration, which has said that it would veto even the less-costly House version, promptly repeated the veto threat.
The solvency of the programs is yet another worry confronting the administration, which has vowed to take on entitlement reform.
The drumbeat of racially charged stories has apparently affected the administration, which has said it wants to avoid making decisions in the churn of cable news.
The administration, which has proclaimed Mr. Obama to be "our first Pacific president," originally employed the word "pivot" to describe its new focus on the region.
After all, why would a whistle-blower stand and trade punches with the administration which has had Bradley Manning torturously caged for three years for telling the truth.
But the administration, which has resisted adding to the inmate population there, said Iraqis would not consent to transferring anyone there.
Mr. Baz declined to discuss details of the proposal, saying he wanted to give the administration, which has resisted sending monitors, at least two days to study it.
His fervor has been applauded by the administration, which has also pressed the commission to take the initiative on issues that include the mutual fund scandal.
The administration, which has long pushed for a more muscular role for NATO -- several of whose members opposed the war -- welcomed the action, however symbolic the initial deployment.
The uncertain state of the relationship has been evident in recent steps by the administration, which has sought to renew economic sanctions against Iran for another two years.
