Pfeiffer: No way White House delays O-Care’s individual mandate

The White House is vowing that it will not delay the individual mandate portion of the healthcare reform law.

Republicans have called on the administration to delay that central plank of ObamaCare, after the administration delayed several other portions of the new law. But White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer on Sunday was categorical in ruling it out.

{mosads}Asked by David Gregory on NBC’s “Meet the Press” if he could rule out a delay in the individual mandate, Pfeiffer said, “Yes I can.”

“That will not happen,” he added.

The president’s top adviser defended the sometimes rocky rollout of the law, which has included a delay of several of its most important portions. GOP lawmakers have pointed to those delays as evidence of its inherent flaws.

“What we’re doing here is very consistent with how large pieces of legislation are implemented,” he said.

On the electoral front, Pfeiffer made a similar strong prediction for Democrats.

“I believe we will keep the Senate,” he said. “We have great candidates with experience winning in tough states, and we’re on the right side of the issues.”

Pfeiffer conceded that his party is grappling with a tough map, as several Senate incumbents in red states are facing tough reelection battles. He added that Republicans often have an edge in terms of getting their voters to the polls when a president is not on the battle.

“Democrats need to do a better job of turning out in midterm elections,” he said. “If more Democrats do not turn out, we will not do well.”

But he remained confident that the president’s efforts to emphasize income inequality across the United States will prove to be an election-year asset for his party.

Pfeiffer painted the election as “a choice between Democrats who support an agenda of opportunity for all, or Republicans who support an agenda of opportunity for a few.”

“We are going to set the terms of the debate,” he added.