Healthcare summit: two-track Obama

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Pay attention to the message behind the President Obama’s remarks.

Several times, he’s signaled the duality at work in the room. He’s been careful to advocate reaching a compromise, but has (realistically) also suggested that “the gulf” will be too large to bridge. In other words, he’s giving everyone, Democrats and Republicans, an out.

And right now, that gulf looks as broad as ever. Remember, too, that this summit is as much about transparency as it is about policy. Democrats have been stung by criticism that the healthcare bill in the Senate was the product of too many closed-door deals.

Six hours on cable TV is an attempt to remedy that. After that, Obama and Democrats will be able to maintain that

1) they tried to reach a deal and

2) it took place in an open forum, in front of the American public.

And that gets us back to reconciliation.

-- James Oliphant