White House: Obama Still Supports Public Option
(CBS)
Gibbs was slammed by reporters, however, who questioned whether liberal members of Congress have the president's support as they attempt to legislate dramatic health care reform proposals. Meanwhile, as the administration withholds its clear support for the public option, moderates and conservatives are more boldly opposing Mr. Obama's overall health care agenda.
"The president has said repeatedly that he's open to different ideas and discussions, that his preferred option was the public plan," Gibbs said at his daily press briefing Tuesday, echoing statements he made Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation".
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Liberal Netroots "Rewarding" Public Option Supporters
(AP)
The liberal blog FireDogLake sent an e-mail to its subscribers Monday, asking them to "reward good behavior."
Yesterday, a number of congressmen sent a letter to the Obama administration saying they would only vote for a health care reform bill that includes a public option.
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W.H. Tailors Health Reform Message for Hispanics
(The White House)
The site provides all of the videos featured on the English version, with the option of adding Spanish subtitles. There is one more video from Luis Miranda, the director of Hispanic media for the White House, who in Spanish introduces the site and lays out President Obama's arguments for comprehensive reform.
Earlier this month, the White House invited 10 Latino news media outlets to a roundtable discussion with the president according to New America Media, to talk about health care as well as other subjects including immingration, the economy and education.
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Cantor: Details Lacking on Co-op Proposal
(AP)
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) was quick to point out to CBS Anchor Maggie Rodriguez on "The Early Show" that there's not much information available about a possible co-op proposal.
"We don't know really what a co-op is going to be," Cantor said. "But if it is just another name for government takeover of our health care, I'm not going to be for that, nor do I think most Americans will support that."
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Congressmen Restate Support for Public Option
(CBS/ Robert Hendin)
The Congressional Progressive Caucus sent a letter (PDF) today to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stating their opposition to her statement that the public option is "not the essential element" of health care reform. The letter says 60 members of the House of Representatives will only support a health reform bill with a public option.
"A robust public option is essential, if we are to ensure that all Americans can receive healthcare that is accessible, guaranteed and of high-quality," the letter says. "To take the public option off the table would be a grave error; passage in the House of Representatives depends upon inclusion of it. We have attached, for your review, a letter from 60 Members of Congress who are firm in their Position that any legislation that moves forward through both chambers, and into a final proposal for the President's signature, MUST contain a public option."
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W.H. Pulls Plug on E-Mail Asking For "Fishy" Reports
5192097On August 4, White House aide Macon Phillips announced the launch of flag@whitehouse.gov, which encouraged Americans to report "fishy" information related to the the Obama health care proposal. Phillips' announcement was titled "Facts Are Stubborn Things."
Well, so is public opinion, as the White House acknowledged on Monday by quietly pulling the plug on the flag@whitehouse.gov e-mail address.
Messages sent there are now bounced back with this response:
The "Reality Check" Web page on WhiteHouse.gov doesn't encourage reporting misinformation to Washington, D.C.; instead, it features some videos about President Obama's proposal. There is an option to submit comments, but the Web form stresses "Please refrain from submitting any individual's personal information, including their email address, without their permission."
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Well, so is public opinion, as the White House acknowledged on Monday by quietly pulling the plug on the flag@whitehouse.gov e-mail address.
Messages sent there are now bounced back with this response:
[flag@whitehouse.gov]: host mailhub-wh2.whitehouse.gov[63.161.169.140] said: 550 5.2.1 [flag@whitehouse.gov]... The email address you just sent a message to is no longer in service.We are now accepting your feedback about health insurance reform via:http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck (in reply to RCPT TO command
The "Reality Check" Web page on WhiteHouse.gov doesn't encourage reporting misinformation to Washington, D.C.; instead, it features some videos about President Obama's proposal. There is an option to submit comments, but the Web form stresses "Please refrain from submitting any individual's personal information, including their email address, without their permission."
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Thousands For, Against Health Reform Gather in Phoenix
(CBS/ Robert Hendin)
At first, the most vocal of the protestors were pro-health care reform and pro-Obama. Many were sporting Obama-Biden campaign t-shirts, buttons, stickers -- the works.
A spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party says that people have been calling their offices wanting to get involved. After seeing the rage and rancor at congressional town halls around the country, many Democrats here have been looking for ways to have their voices heard, calling or e-mailing the state party asking "where can we show our support." The state party and groups such as the Obama campaign arm, Organizing for America, used social networking, e-mails and traditional word of mouth to mobilize their supporters.
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Has the White House Abandoned the Public Option?
(CBS)
Comments by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius about the "public option" have garnered a lot of attention, but do they really represent a shift in administration strategy on health care reform?
Yesterday on CNN, Sebelius appeared to back away from the administration's strong push for a government-run health care option when she said that it was "not the essential element" of the health care push.
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Dean: Public Option "Linked" to Reform
(AP Photo/Toby Talbot)
"I don't think it can pass without the public option," Dean said about the bill to CBS Anchor Maggie Rodriguez on "The Early Show." "There are too many people who understand, including the president himself, the public option is absolutely linked to reform."
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told CNN Sunday the public option is "not the essential element" of the administration's pursuit of health-care reform. She said the White House would be open to throwing its support behind a co-op model instead, which could receive more support from Republicans.
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Obama Sails Through Montana Town Hall
5242757Updated 4:54 p.m. ET
President Obama told a town hall audience in Montana on Friday that health care reform is essential to fix a system in which people are denied coverage because of preexisting conditions or dropped from insurance policies because they have become sick.
"This is not about politics," he told an audience of approximately 1,300 people at a hanger in the town of Belgrade. "This is about helping the American people."
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President Obama told a town hall audience in Montana on Friday that health care reform is essential to fix a system in which people are denied coverage because of preexisting conditions or dropped from insurance policies because they have become sick.
"This is not about politics," he told an audience of approximately 1,300 people at a hanger in the town of Belgrade. "This is about helping the American people."
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House Dem: Pelosi's Insurance Comments "Misguided"
5033880The White House and other Democrats are increasingly taking aim at the insurance industry to promote health care reform, but one Democratic congressman reportedly says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went too far when she referred to the industry as "villains."
Rep. John Yarmuth (D- Ky.) sent a letter earlier this month to the chief executive of the Louisville-based insurance company, calling Pelosi's comments "inflammatory" and "misguided," according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
"They are the villains in this," Pelosi said of the insurance industry in a July press conference. "They have been part of the problem in a major way."
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Rep. John Yarmuth (D- Ky.) sent a letter earlier this month to the chief executive of the Louisville-based insurance company, calling Pelosi's comments "inflammatory" and "misguided," according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
"They are the villains in this," Pelosi said of the insurance industry in a July press conference. "They have been part of the problem in a major way."
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At Town Halls, Blue Dogs Face Skeptics
(CBS)
In rural east-central Iowa, Democratic Representative Leonard Boswell was surprised that more than 100 "animated" people showed up at his town hall Thursday evening, according to the Des Moines Register.
The 75-year-old Boswell, one of the fiscally conservative so-called "Blue Dogs" in the House, reportedly relied on his "courtly manner and folksy style" to deal with those angry about the Democrats' health care reform efforts. Supporters of the reform event were also present at the event, though they were outnumbered.
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State Leaders Plan to Fight Federal Health Reform
5192097A Louisiana state representative plans to introduce a constitutional amendment to shield the state from being forced to accept any federal health care reform, according to reports. It is the latest example of state legislatures taking health care matters into their own hands in response to national health care reform efforts.
"What the bill does if you read it, the Senate version too, it would penalize employers," Republican state Rep. Kirk Talbot said, according to WWLTV, a CBS affiliate. "They would charge 8 percent tax on your state payroll if you don't participate in the plan, so that is clearly a penalty and a fine, and that's something this constitutional amendment would hopefully be able to blunt."
A Democrat in the state legislature said the measure was premature, given that Congress has not finalized its health care bill, and that the measure would adversely affect Medicare and Medicaid in Louisiana.
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"What the bill does if you read it, the Senate version too, it would penalize employers," Republican state Rep. Kirk Talbot said, according to WWLTV, a CBS affiliate. "They would charge 8 percent tax on your state payroll if you don't participate in the plan, so that is clearly a penalty and a fine, and that's something this constitutional amendment would hopefully be able to blunt."
A Democrat in the state legislature said the measure was premature, given that Congress has not finalized its health care bill, and that the measure would adversely affect Medicare and Medicaid in Louisiana.
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Town Halls Today: An Arrest and More Anger
(AP Photo/Steve Pope)
The past 24 hours have brought more town hall anger, the arrest of a protester calling for "Death to Obama," and an attempt by one congressman to keep cameras out of a raucous meeting. Here's your fix of the latest town hall activity around the country:
In New York, Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner's staffers tried to bar WCBS cameras from covering his town hall Wednesday night. Later, the congressman himself insisted that "this isn't for channel 2. This is for my constituents," even as the station noted that the event was a public forum.
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New Coalition Launches Pricey Health Reform Push
A new group of unlikely partners is launching an advertising campaign today to support health care reform.
Americans for Stable Quality Care, which will spend $12 million on television ads, is a coalition of the American Medical Association, FamiliesUSA, the Federation of American Hospitals, PhRMA and the Service Employees International Union, Politico reports.
The ad focuses on the consumer protections promised in health care reform proposals, a strategy the White House has adopted in recent weeks.
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Americans for Stable Quality Care, which will spend $12 million on television ads, is a coalition of the American Medical Association, FamiliesUSA, the Federation of American Hospitals, PhRMA and the Service Employees International Union, Politico reports.
The ad focuses on the consumer protections promised in health care reform proposals, a strategy the White House has adopted in recent weeks.
Continue »
