“The reason the tea-baggers are so inflamed is because we are winning.”

— Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse paraphrasing Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, in a lunch with Democratic senators Tuesday

Clinton spoke with lawmakers today on the importance of passing health care reform, something he failed to do during his first term. According to Whitehouse and Politico, “Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said Clinton described the ongoing tea party protests against the Democratic agenda as a sign their party was making progress.”

“The point I want to make is: Just pass the bill, even if it’s not exactly what you want,” he reportedly said. “When you try and fail, the other guys write history.”