The White House chose to answer Sen. Chuck Grassley's comments echoing concern with end-of-life counseling issues by quoting one of his Republican colleagues.

"I'd like to have him talk to Senator Murkowski," press secretary Robert Gibbs said today when asked about his comments in Iowa yesterday. He then quoted Murkowski, who was responding to former Gov. Sarah Palin's criticism of so-called "death panels, had said: "It does us no good to incite fear in people by saying that there's these end of life provisions, these death panels. Quite honestly, I'm so offended at this terminology because it absolutely isn't in the bill."

But Grassley never used the term "death panel," which was the substance of Murkowski's critique, though he did talk about unplugging "grandma." Despite this rhetoric, Gibbs said President Obama "is continuing to talk to lawmakers and hopes the Finance Committee can come to some agreement."

"I still think there is a possibility of getting bipartisan agreement," he said.

At today's press briefing, Gibbs was also asked about the potential political impact if the president's health care effort fails. He said that the White House wasn't looking at political ramifications. He acknowledged that the outcome may eventually play a factor in elections, though he noted the midterms are quite a ways off.