The Associated Press reports that a showdown on abortion in the Senate version of Obamacare could kill the entire bill.

The current bill, sponsored by Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, would forbid including abortion coverage as a required medical benefit, but would allow a new  "public option" run by the federal government to cover abortions on demand.  It would also let private insurers that receive federal subsidies offer plans that include elective abortions.

Pro-lifers point out that Reid’s bill would essentially wipe out the Hyde Amendment, an annual restriction in appropriation bills preventing Medicaid from paying for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.

As a result, Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) said he will introduce an amendment similar to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which passed the House 240-194, to prevent the "public option" from paying for abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest) and to prohibit federal premium subsidies to purchase private insurance plans that cover abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest).

Nelson was one of 60 Democrats who invoked cloture to stop the Republican filibuster against the motion to bring the Obamacare Bill to the Senate floor for debate.  However, he said he would vote against the legislation if his pro-life amendment is not adopted.

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), the son of the former governor of Pennsylvania who was not allowed to speak at the 1992 Democratic National Convention because of his pro-life views, said he was working to find language that would satisfy both sides on abortion--an impossible task.

Since the pro-abortion side is seeking to require federal funding of abortion as a normal health service, there is no compromise possible.

In the House, Congressman Brad Ellsworth (D-IN) attempted to fool pro-lifers by offering an amendment that was essentially worthless in restricting federal funding of abortions. 

Doug Johnson, Legislative Director of the National Right to Life Committee , called the Ellsworth language "a political fig leaf made out of cellophane."  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops strongly condemned the proposed Ellsworth Amendment.  As a result, it was derailed.

It is possible some alleged pro-life senators could make an attempt to pass an Ellsworth-like amendment containing a weak restriction on abortion funding.

But if a genuine pro-life amendment is not adopted, it may be there will not be enough votes to overcome a Senate filibuster against Obamacare.  If something like Stupak-Pitts is adopted in the upper chamber, Obamacare might pass if all of the liberals accept the abortion restrictions.

Several liberal House members have vowed to oppose a conference committee report on Obamacare if abortion is not funded like any other health care procedure.  Since the bill passed only narrowly in the House, 220-215, the reversal of even three votes may doom the legislation.

Under various scenarios, it is possible Obamacare may be checkmated.