Obama to Address Congress Next Wednesday

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Health Care

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Updated 4:22 p.m. ET

President Obama plans to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Sept. 9th, a senior official tells CBS News.

The time for Mr. Obama's speech, which is to focus on health care reform, is not known. The White House has not yet made a formal announcement about the address, though a confirmation is expected shortly.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent a letter formally inviting the president to give the address Wednesday afternoon.

This will be the president's second address to Congress. His first came on the evening of Feb 24th, 2009, when he gave a speech on the economy.

That speech ran nearly 52 minutes, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.

The president has been criticized for being insufficiently specific about what he wants health care reform to look like. Though has offered details about the provisions he is seeking in a series of speeches in recent months, Mr. Obama has left it to Congress to work out the legislative language. A CBS News poll this week showed disenchantment with the president's handling of the issue.

Yesterday, senior advisor David Axelrod said the president may become "more prescriptive" about what he wants from a health care bill, which the White House has asked Congress to produce by September 15th.

The White House has been "taken aback by the ferocity of opposition to its health care plan as expressed to members of Congress of both parties during their town meetings last month with constituents," Knoller reports.

The president arguably lost control of the health care debate amid the town halls and overheated rhetoric this summer, suggests CBS News political director Steve Chaggaris. Chaggaris said Mr. Obama is now seeking to reclaim his message about why health care reform is necessary and clarify what he wants.

"By doing it in front of a joint session of Congress on prime time television only amplifies that message, not only to Americans but to members of Congress, especially senators, who remain bogged down in their efforts to move a bill forward," said Chaggaris.

Members return from their summer recess on September 8th, the day before the planned address.

Then-President Bill Clinton addressed a joint session of Congress on September 22, 1993 as part of his failed effort to reform health care.

"Some people have said that it would be a miracle if we passed health care reform," he said then. "But, my fellow Americans, I believe we live in a time of great change when miracles do happen."

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by Northyorksailor September 7, 2009 12:48 PM EDT: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/14c4467822/government-health-care; Reply to this comment


by souljam76 September 3, 2009 7:17 PM EDT: Looks like it will be Obama's second State Of The Union Address to Congress for Sep. 9th. Some of us may be watching baseball instead.; Reply to this comment


by souljam76 September 3, 2009 7:16 PM EDT: Looks like it will be Obama's second State Of The Union Address to Congress for Sep. 9th. Some of us may be watching baseball instead.; Reply to this comment


by Ferrell-2 September 3, 2009 4:38 PM EDT: We the voters have too many unanswered questions about health care reform for Congress to pass this monster. No one seems to be able to answer those questions effectively and truthfully. Congress is going to have to do a lot of weeding before taking a vote and time is NOT of the essence but O'Bama insists it is. What's the hurry?? There isn't too much wrong with our present setup that couldn't be corrected with a lot less beaurcratic action----and much less money. How in the world are we ever going to pay for this?? The answer to that question is as flaky as a lot of other inane items. I say table it and get on with the million other items on their to do list.; Reply to this comment


by jimmyc1955 September 2, 2009 9:51 PM EDT: Well - despite those "independents" who support Obama - every polling institution from the NY Times, to Gallup, to Rassumsen all report that his support with independents is now well below 50%.

The GAO is saying the current proposals will NOT save money, control costs or reduce the cost to individuals. The GAO goes on to say that the government costs are MUCH, MUCH higher than the white house is projecting.

Keep in mind people in general are still mad about wall street bailouts, take overs of GM and Chrysler (where they gave the company to the unions and screwed all the retirement plans who invested in Chrysler) and AIG. They are angry about a stimulus plan that isn't working and is being wasted (see the story about welfare recipients buying liquor, lottery tickets and big screen TVs with stimulus money.)

That have witnessed Pelosi lying on TV and Obama backing away from every promise he made.

Are you even remotely surprised people don't believe him or the democratic leadership anymore? Harry Reid is behind in his re-election campaign and may well loose - that has to be a first for a majority leader in the senate.

It isn't about healthcare alone - it is about bankrupting our nation and our futures without so much as having the dignity to discuss it openly and honestly first. I know a shyster salesman when I see one - and when I am being told - buy now or the deal is gone - I leave.

We should all leave this deal until they are willing to open up about the bill and the details.; Reply to this comment

by amerecua September 2, 2009 9:47 PM EDT

Capitalism ruined just about every industry in the world including healthcare! Capatalism is the enemy of America and the world. We the citizens are the ones being capitalized on by rich white men. War,poverty,global warming,economic crisis,swine flu,ect. are all products of capitalism. Wake up people! Think!

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by jimmyc1955 September 2, 2009 10:05 PM EDT: Capitalism created the greatest middle class in the globes history. It has created more wealth, reduced poverty and improved health of every nation who employess it.

Your a communist and a deluded one at that. Communist nations have never held even a fraction of the standard of living for their people that capitalist societies do. Why do you think the Chinese support capitalisim??

Get a grip - read history and tell Karl Marx to take a hike.

by amerecua September 2, 2009 9:38 PM EDT

The problem right now isn't that Obama doesn't have enough public support, he has an overwhelming public support on healthcare. The problem is that there is a media war going on and that fact is that it is more sexy to show rightwing nutjobs shouting and carrying guns to town hall meetings that showing the true picture. I know of almost know one who loves there current health care provider. And the fact is that government health care is the best in the nation. My father is a disabled Vietnahm Vet and has great gov. healthcare coverage. I also know people who have been forced to take a public option because of the economic crisis and all say it is the best healthcare they've ever had. The government needs to nationalize both healthcare and energy. We as a nation spend 2.4 Trillion dollars a year on healthcare...800 Billion of that is for profit for healthcare providers(CEOs). One third of what we all pay is for profit. It only makes sense to take out the profit. Immediatly your costs will drop by one third. No brainer! Nationalize Now!

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by jimmyc1955 September 2, 2009 9:59 PM EDT: No he doesn't have overwhelming support - anywhere. Your fooling yourself to believe this. the polls all show his support falling hard, in all sectors.

Obama's wall street bailout did nothing but increase pay and bonuses to the very companies he bailed out.

This 800 Billion you site - that isn't in the pocket of the CEOs - it is in the valuation of their stocks - which I would bet is widely held in retirement plans of hundreds of millions of Americans - so we all get a slice of that pie.

Nationalize???? Site me ONE - just one - instance anywhere in history where a government ran things more efficiently, cost effectively or to the betterment of those whom recieve those conditions.

Germany's healthcare is all PRIVATE INSURANCE!! Nations with a socialized medicine suffer from long waits for diagnositic services and surguries. Canada has a targeted (what they would like to get the the wait times DOWN TO) is 15 weeks. Even the unensured in the US can bet an MRI the same day in most cases. In England the National Health has hospitals that have a 20 MONTH waiting list for MRIs.

So tell me - where does nationalizing anything help anybody?


by tincup356 September 2, 2009 9:35 PM EDT: The term lobbying refers to legal bribery, what is Obama going to BRIBE congress with?...BOTH parties have already received BILLIONS in lobby dollars from the health care industry , so that BOTH parties will be sure to get the industries best interest written into the law,,,,,only thing is ...when congress grants all the health care industries lobby wishes.....it causes the cost of this fiasco to balloon even higher than what anyone could imagine,,,But then again , they don't care,,,the tax payers will pay for it while the "Industry goes to the bank.; Reply to this comment

by mooksie1 September 2, 2009 9:28 PM EDT

Obama is planning to do some yapping to a joint session of Congress next Wednesday. He has lost credibility with the American people on just about every level by now. He is not a leader but merely a novice albeit a gifted orator with little substance to back up his speeches. He has indeed become a boring super-yapper. Bare yapping won't get anything done but he will be digging himself even a bigger hole to fall into. Healthcare Obama-style will never pass. And I am glad for it.

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by amerecua September 2, 2009 9:51 PM EDT: Why are you glad healthcare reform will never pass? Why do you hate? Are you rich? Do you like to see people suffer? Are you racist? Capitalist? What make you tic?


by pasmalltown September 3, 2009 12:06 AM EDT: by mooksie1 September 2, 2009 9:28 PM EDT -
Make up your mind, is he a "yapper" or a "gifted orator" or a "super-yapper" or just a "bare yapper"(whatever that is)?

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by shurch4truth September 2, 2009 9:20 PM EDT: Insurance company CEOs are making hundreds of millions $$$$ while their companies drop customers and raise premiums and do not insure those with pre-existing conditions. They also spend millions a day to miss-lead millions of Americans into believing that the problem is the government and not the insurance companies.

wake up people, you are be taken to the clearners by very rich people who really don't have a problem with selling you short on your health if it means they can drink more expensive wine ($57 a glass and higher).; Reply to this comment