Pelosi: Obama was Happier about Health Care than Getting Elected

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Democrats ,; Obama Administration

LAS VEGAS -- President Obama was happier on the evening health care reform finally passed out of Congress than on the night he won the presidential election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told liberals at the Netroots Nation conference.

After the president relayed those sentiments to her, Pelosi said she told him, "If you weren't elected president of the United States, we wouldn't have gotten the job done."

The liberal bloggers at Netroots also played a critical role in passing the major reform package, she said - "although we had some differences of opinion."

The health care bill tops the list of issues that have left liberals conflicted about the Obama administration. Its passage was bittersweet for many liberals who were disappointed to see a "public option" for health insurance left out.

The only administration official to attend the Netroots conference in person was Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood - incidentally, one of the two Republicans in Mr. Obama's cabinet. Yet the president addressed the conference himself in a video presentation this morning.

"Change hasn't come fast enough for too many Americans," he said, acknowledging that it also has come too slow "for many of you who fought so hard during the election."

He insisted in the video, however, that his accomplishments so far have been significant. To make that point, the video featured MSNBC television host Rachel Maddow -- one of the left's favorite media personalities -- rattling through the president's accomplishments.

"The last time a president did this much in office, booze was illegal," Maddow says.

Mr. Obama told the liberal conference goers "to keep holding me accountable, to keep up the fight."

"Change doesn't come from the top down," he said. "It comes from the bottom up, from the Netroots."

More Hotsheet Coverage from Netroots Nation:

Pelosi Opposed to Raising Retirement Age
Governors' Races are 2010's Main Event, Strategists Say
Labor Leader: GOP Has Declared War on Latinos
In 2010, Will Democrats Offer More Than Anti-Tea Party?
Brian Schweitzer: Sometimes Lucky is Better than Good
Are Liberals Too Concerned with Being "Colorblind?"

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by johnc53 July 26, 2010 9:46 AM EDT: HE's doing a great job of destoying America. Is it 2012 yet?; Reply to this comment


by wasadem1 July 25, 2010 11:25 PM EDT: And I will be happy when Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Boxer and the country killers are gone. Nearly two years down the road with Obama. Are you better off, happier and more secure now?; Reply to this comment


by jgg000101 July 25, 2010 12:14 PM EDT: funny how there is no story on England decentralizing their healthcare system - putting power back into the hands of doctors and patients - because they are drowning in debt.; Reply to this comment


by lagunagal July 25, 2010 11:35 AM EDT: Now I know the Whitehouse is in trouble when Obama has to go to this far left constituent base and re beg for support.

It really doesn?t matter. The Tea Party which seems just a tip of the iceberg now owns the political discussion and holds both parties in a political headlock. Neither party has any clue whatsoever how to regain or wrest control of this discussion by way of this large and growing phenomenon and its esoteric origins.

Not all but most Independents who did vote for Obama as I did now believe the Tea Party speaks for them regardless of far left emotive defenses. By way of the MSM attempting to pigeonhole, aggravate and insult this voting block in futile attempts to contain them is precisely why this group is growing at an historical rate and about the same rate MSM is losing readers and viewers. Again the current minority that thinks it is a majority still don?t get that it was Independents like me that made Obama possible. We got stung by Bush Big Time and now we?re getting stung Big Time by Obama but increased by factors of 20. It's pathetic now to watch this administration look for corners in round rooms which is precisely what Obama and Pelosi are doing at this small concentrated netroots loony bin.

The bottom line is individual Americans cannot consume more than they produce. Those that don?t do understand this reality and are the ones pounding the pots and pans on this thread daily. In November 2010, the people will apply the breaks. In November 2012, the people purchase a new car. FORD.; Reply to this comment


by larry0304 July 25, 2010 11:17 AM EDT: Some hard FACTS to back up the economic policy debate between liberal and conservative. Note that Reagan INCREASED govt. revenue through TAX CUTS as opposed to the Obama method of tax increases:

During Jimmy Carter's last year in office (1980), inflation averaged 12.5%, compared to 4.4% during Reagan's last year in office (1988).[100] Over those eight years, the unemployment rate declined from 7.5% to 5.3%, hitting highs of 9.7% (1982) and 9.6% (1983) and averaging 7.5% during Reagan's administration.[101]

The net effect of all Reagan-era tax bills was a 1% decrease in government revenues when compared to Treasury Department revenue estimates from the Administration's first post-enactment January budgets.[115] However, federal Income Tax receipts almost doubled from 1980 to 1989, rising from $308.7Bn to $549.0Bn.[116]

Some economists, such as Nobel Prize winners Milton Friedman and Robert A. Mundell, argue that Reagan's tax policies invigorated America's economy and contributed to the economic boom of the 1990s.; Reply to this comment


by ky7474 July 25, 2010 11:01 AM EDT: Unless the crime against non-violent US citizens stops, the base will continue to dwendle. On the campaign trail Obama stated that cannibis use should not be a crimminal offense but looked at health wise. Now he seems to have lost his backbone and many are still having their lives destroyed and many are still being killed over this illegal, corrupt prohibition. All the while, alcohol and pharmaceutacals [which are much more dangerous on our society] continue to fluorish. Legalize, educate, regulate, and tax for the good of our citizens and our country.; Reply to this comment


by ky7474 July 25, 2010 11:00 AM EDT: Unless the crime against non-violent US citizens stops, the base will continue to dwendle. On the campaign trail Obama stated that cannibis use should not be a crimminal offense but looked at health wise. Now he seems to have lost his backbone and many are still having their lives destroyed and many are still being killed over this illegal, corrupt prohibition. All the while, alcohol and pharmaceutacals [which are much more dangerous on our society] continue to fluorish. Legalize, educate, regulate, and tax for the good of our citizens and our country.; Reply to this comment


by brnfream July 25, 2010 10:27 AM EDT: Sawlog: You are mistaken. I buy insurance. But, it should be a matter of choice. I do want to pay for anybody elses'. What they need to fix is.... If you don't have med ins... you don't get med treatment at everyone elses' expense. PERSONAL RESPONSIBLITY!!!
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE TEN KIDS....YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR TEN KIDS. GET IT!; Reply to this comment


by larry0304 July 25, 2010 10:05 AM EDT: Just to back up my Clinton opinion on his second term. This compromise of LESS TAX created an economic boom, further proof that DECREASING taxes is the answer.

In August 1997, however, Clinton and Congressional Republicans were finally able to reach a compromise on a bill that reduced capital gain and estate taxes and gave taxpayers a credit of $500 per child and tax credits for college tuition and expenses. The bill also called for a new individual retirement account (IRA) called the Roth IRA to allow people to invest taxed income for retirement without having to pay taxes upon withdrawal. Additionally, the law raised the national minimum for cigarette taxes. The next year, Congress approved Clinton?s proposal to make college more affordable by expanding federal student financial aid through Pell Grants, and lowering interest rates on student loans.; Reply to this comment


by larry0304 July 25, 2010 9:50 AM EDT: The question to ask is a very simple one and each voter is going to have to answer it. ARE WE BETTER OFF ALMOST 2 YEARS INTO OBAMA AS COMPARED TO BEFORE OBAMA? IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST WE WILL BE BETTER OFF A YEAR FROM NOW? Even the Obama administration admits we will not.

Liberals will lie and say yes, but when you ask for proof, there ONLY response is "well this was all Bush's fault". That is not an answer, it is a childish excuse. I would ask those sitting on the fence right now, is this an acceptable answer? 2 years from now when NOTHING has improved, they will be giving the same answer. The blame game is their way of governing and that has been proven by their own words.

This is a battle of ideology plain and simple. This is a battle for the heart and soul of this country and again it is a very simple basic question. Do you support big govt., huge taxes and govt regulating every aspect of our lives?

Or do you support small govt., less taxes and the free market system? That is really all their is to it. All the other peripheral elements are nothing more than minutia that cloud the central question.

Now when polls are taken, the free market system is the answer of the over-whelming majority of Americans. Liberal ideology always has been and always will be in the minority and that angers them. The basic Obama and liberal ideology is that Americans are to stupid to think for themselves and that liberals have to do the thinking for us. Proof of that is in all the Obama policies that he has passed that show the majority of Americans against. If he's passing what HE believes in and governing against the will of the majority, then ergo, he in his mind, is smarter than us and has to do this for "our own good".

Now, the problem here is the republican party has it's faults which explains why we are even in this mess. They are by no means the perfect party. However, I would ask all of you to really think about this. Look at the evidence and facts because as they do not lie and do not spin.

The most important and fundamental aspect of American lives is the economy. We all want a chance to live the American dream. There are 2 instances in history where America prospered the most. The first was under Ronald Reagan. He created 20 million jobs and his basic premise was smaller govt. and less taxes. The next was the second term of Bill Clinton. The republicans had won the Senate and Clinton had the sense to move from the left which had been a disaster and into the center. Examine what occurred policy wise in his second term. He governed more like a republican than liberal.

So what history has taught us is that the Liberal ideology which was tried and failed in Europe and is now being tried in the U S, is a complete and total disaster. So when November comes, any sane reasonable logical person will have no choice but to vote for the ONLY party who has proven that small govt., less taxes and a free market without govt. interference is the only choice.......; Reply to this comment