Iowa's senior senator Charles Grassley is rapidly becoming the Republican Party's chief obstructionist in the health care debate. The ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee is going on the offensive against President Obama and members of Congress who support comprehensive reform.

In a conference call Tuesday, Senator Grassley told Iowa reporters, "I don't think it's going to be possible to work it out with the administration because they're all over the field - all over the ball park."

This latest statement demonstrates the level of partisanship our senior senator has brought to the current health care debate. If anyone is "all over the field"- it's Senator Grassley. Here are just a few examples:

In a statement last week, Senator Grassley's spokesperson accused Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley of putting his "party duties as Vice Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ahead of Iowans." In fact, Congressman Braley fought his political party's leadership to secure more equitable reimbursement rates for Iowa regarding public health insurance plans. Due to Congressman Braley's work, Iowa health care providers will finally be compensated fairly for their work.

Senator Grassley, on the other hand, admitted to putting his party duties ahead of Iowans. Days before his attack on Congressman Braley he told reporter Chuck Todd (NBC), "I'm negotiating for Republicans." Todd asked the Senator if he gets what he wants from negotiations, if he'd be willing to be one of 3 or 4 Republicans who vote yes for reform. Senator Grassley said, "Absolutely not. And I told the President that a week ago Thursday and I told [committee chairman] Max Baucus that over a period of three or four months....In fact, let me build on what you said, and why I say that I wouldn't be. I'm negotiating for Republicans."

At an August town hall meeting in Winterset, Senator Grassley told constituents, "you have every right to fear," when asked about the end-of-life planning provisions in House Resolution 3200. He later added that, "we should not have a government program that determines you're going to pull the plug on grandma."

Then, on August 23rd, Senator Grassley was asked by reporter Bob Schieffer (CBS 'Face the Nation'), "you're not saying that this legislation (H.R. 3200) would pull the plug on grandma?" Senator Grassley admitted, "I know the Pelosi bill doesn't intend to do that," adding later, "It won't do that."

The clearest indication that Senator Grassley is "all over the field" is the manner in which he closed his Tuesday conference call with Iowa reporters. Not 30 seconds after saying, "I don't think it's going to be possible to work it out with the administration," Grassley stepped back to say, "But, yes, I do believe it's possible to reach an agreement."

"The whole nation is holding their breath, waiting to see what proposals Senator Grassley's committee will produce. Yet his recent comments make it unclear whether the Senator truly plans to be a part of these negotiations. There is just no telling what he'll say next," SEIU Local 199 President Cathy Glasson said. "Senator Grassley could be a champion for the majority of Iowans and Americans - those who want to see a comprehensive health insurance reform bill passed. Right now, it seems he's more interested in being the champion of Republicans in Washington looking to play politics with our health care."