Obama Has Given 54 Speeches on Health Care

AP

On no other issue has President Obama put in as much effort and displayed as much passion as on health care.

Since launching his campaign for health care reform with a White House forum on March 5th of last year, Mr. Obama has delivered 54 speeches and statements on the issue.

He has done health care events in 12 states, some of them more than once. He's done 9 Town Hall Meetings on health care and made it the focus of 13 of his Saturday radio and Internet addresses.

And elements of the first speech could be heard more than a year later in the latest.

March 5, 2009

"There are those who say we should defer health care reform once again -- that at a time of economic crisis, we simply can't afford to fix our health care system, as well."

March 19, 2010

"You've got a whole bunch of opponents of this bill saying, well, we can't afford this; we're fiscal conservatives. / Not only can we afford to do this, we can't afford not to do this."

Our CBS News tally shows Mr. Obama has made 471 speeches, remarks and comments on every issue under the sun since taking office 423 days ago. His 54 statements on health care reform mean that better than 1 in 10 was on health care. Since the first of this year, it's been nearly 2 in 10.

And on more than any other issue, health care triggers the most forceful passages of his rhetorical repertoire.

In four speeches the last two weeks in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio and today in Virginia, his passion reaches a peak and an ear-popping crescendo as he appeals to his largely supportive audiences to back his appeal for enactment of his plan to fix what he says is wrong with health care coverage in America.

The Hunt for Health Care Votes: Democrats to Watch
Will Democrats Sacrifice House Seats for Health Care?
Obama Deploys Personal Presidential Touch

At the end of his speech today to an audience of 8,600 at the Patriot Center arena at George Mason University, he called on them to "stand with me just like you did three years ago."

"Knock on some doors, talk to your parents, talk to your friends. Do not quit, do not give up, we keep on going. We are going to get this done. We are going to make history. We are going to fix health care in America with your help."

His lung-power and campaign-style cadence recalled the glory days of his presidential campaign and triggered a thunderous and prolonged ovation from his audience.

But in pursuit of his health care plan, Mr. Obama is also pursuing a more personal and subtle approach as he reaches out to members of Congress for support.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs put out the word that so far this week Mr. Obama had spoken 64 times - in person or by telephone - with House members - nearly all of them undecided Democrats.. On Friday alone, the White House trumpeted that Mr. Obama had gotten commitments to vote "yes" on health care from six more House Democrats, three of them switching from previous "no" votes.

By canceling his planned trip starting Sunday to Indonesia, Australia and Guam, Mr. Obama signaled that getting his health care plan enacted was his top priority.

If the House vote Sunday doesn't go his way, it won't be for lack of trying on his part.

Check out Mark Knoller on Friday's edition of CBSNews.com's daily political Webshow "Washington Unplugged:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

More Coverage of the Health Care Reform Debate:

Mark Knoller: Presidents Don't Cancel Trips Frivolously
Obama: Health Care Debate is About Country's Character
Stupak Wants Separate Abortion Bill or He Won't Support Health Care Bill
Glenn Beck, Steve King: Health Care Bill Vote an Affront to God
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Details of the Bill:

What's in Health Care Bill? Take a Dose
Health Care Special Deals: What's Left In?
Dems Include Student Aid Reform Package in Bill
Health Care Bill Extends Tax to Investments
Read the Text (PDF): Complete Senate Bill | Reconciliation Measure

---

Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow him on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/markknoller.

[tsigili]

Guess that means he has lied to the American People, at least 54 times.

[RobAla]

He certainly has a gift of gab for those ideas which are near and dear to his heart (not reducing the cost of health care for Americans, but rather empowering the federal government over the lives of Americans). How much effort has he spent in restoring our economy and creating an environment where businesses can begin hiring again. He really isn't interested. Just like he wasn't concerned when the stock market fell. When asked about the stock market drop, he said that he wasn't paying much attention to it - that watching the stock market was like watching a political poll. It just so happens that the life savings and retirements of individuals were lost in that stock market fall. He wasn't concerned. It did nothing to empower government.

This is a terrible bill, and we have a heartless President.

[stormerF2]

Are you sure it was only 54? Seems like it has been 3,000,and he is still campaigning. What is up with that,when is he going to stay at his office and govern,and stop these wasteful trips and huge carbon foot prints his leaving?...How is Mandating Americans to have health insurance,but not allowing illegals to buy health insurance, going to cut the use of the Emergency room visits? We are going to Punish the Americans if they do not buy insurance,but not illegals? How is that going to work?

[MADDAT52]

The armies for liberty are gathering strength all over the nation, some political some militant. The advance of communism is going to be met with a wall of resistance that will form after the Sunday vote. This will be the straw that breaks the camels back. We will not be ruled over by an oppressive central power and they should expect to meat with a strong resistance wherever they attempt to force their will upon us. The government has gone out of control with a lust for power; we must and will stop the enemies advance against our liberty...

[gboyd41]

Just watched a few minutes of HBO/Bill Maher. I am calling Diect TV tomorrow to cancel my HBO. I am NOT going to pay part of his salary!

[gboyd41]

Just watched a few minutes of HBO/Bill Maher. I am calling Diect TV tomorrow to cancel my HBO. I am NOT going to pay part of his salary!

[macgerson]

Any Representative from NY who votes for this bill needs to understand its preemption of community rating and HNY will be for middle aged New Yorkers and the small businesses that employ us.
They need to understand that if they put party loyalty ahead of their constituents they and they alone will pay the price in November. All Obama's threats and promises will not save their seats.
And, no many of us who supported Obama will not stay home. We will vote for the strongest opponent of each of them.
So Shame on you, Maloney, McCarthy, Bishop, Engels, Ackerman and especially you Weiner. Shame on you.

[gboyd41]

mac-same here. Saving up to support candidates who will oppose Cleaver and our "female Mo Senator"-her name makes me nauseated.

[RobAla]

I have heard enough from him to last me a lifetime. It is time began listening to the majority of Americans who have rejected this corrupt bill. This should not be a one way conversation, where the President lectures everyone else.

[melpol1]

Billions will be lost and made by gamblers betting the outcome of the vote on Sunday. Las Vegas odds makers are laying 10-1 that the healthcare bill will become law. 99 percent of the American public is blind to its provisions. Only the special interests understand what it is all about.

[hillarynow]

Go Obama Go!