Obama plays cheerleader to push healthcare
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
A president fills a variety of roles, but Barack Obama today worked as cheerleader in chief as he visited Democratic leaders working to piece together a coalition to pass a healthcare reform measure.
Healthcare reform is a centerpiece of Obama’s domestic program, and he called for quick passage last summer. But an August deadline for congressional action passed without a bill, and last week there were questions if Congress could get a compromise done this year.
It is still unclear if a bill will get to the president’s desk this year, but House Democrats were optimistic after meeting with the president this morning that they had worked out the differences to get their version of the bill through the chamber today.
According to the White House read-out of the session, the president made the points he has made often and repeatedly: Healthcare reform is “a historic opportunity to provide stability and security for those who have insurance, affordable coverage for those who don’t and bring down the cost of health care for families, small businesses and the government.”
The president’s presence led, according to the White House, to some spontaneous chanting of Obama’s catch phrase “Fired up, ready to go’ from Democrats as the president left.
Obama will speak later today before leaving for Camp David.
-- Michael Muskal
twitter.com/LATimesmuskal
