Obama Health Care PR in Overdrive

(AP)  His health care vision and political clout on the line, President Barack Obama is using virtually every tool available in a publicity campaign to pressure Congress for swift legislative approval and to rally a public wary of the ongoing Washington tussle over his top domestic priority.

Prime-time news conference and network television interviews? Check. TV advertisements by his political organization and weekly Internet addresses on health care? Check. White House meetings with lawmakers and staged events at hospitals? Check. An end-run around Congress to appeal directly to voters? Check.

With imminent House and Senate approval of health care reform legislation proving elusive, Obama again is taking his pitch right to the people. This time, the president is traveling to two politically important states that he won last fall after decades of Republican dominance, North Carolina and Virginia.

The mission Wednesday is twofold, just as it was at similar events in Ohio last week: He wants to keep the heat on Congress to quickly agree on legislation and to reassure the public that he's on the right track with health care.

"We've made a lot of progress over the last few months. We're now closer to health care reform than we ever have been before," Obama said Tuesday during an hourlong question-and-answer session at the headquarters of senior-advocacy group AARP. "I'm confident that we can do the right thing ... and pass health insurance reform."

It's a message he seems to repeat daily.

For all his involvement over the past few weeks, Obama has suffered several setbacks. House and Senate lawmakers remain at a crossroads over a slew of issues, and public opinion polls show that confidence in Obama's approach to revamping health care has slipped since he took office. As cost estimates balloon, Republican critics have stepped up their attacks. More troublesome for Obama is that conservative and moderate Democrats have balked at the bills under consideration.

Even as several committees make progress on measures in the House and Senate, overall momentum for quick passage has stalled. And the president is trying to restart it.

In doing so, he's putting his leadership abilities and his governing style to arguably the ultimate test six months into his presidency. His goal: legislation that expands coverage to some 50 million people without insurance while restraining exploding costs in the nation's $2.4 trillion health care system.

Publicly, Obama has sketched broad outlines of his proposals but largely left the heavy lifting to Congress. The president asked the House and Senate to pass legislation by the time Congress leaves on a monthlong August break. But Democrats who control Congress seem to agree with Republicans that the chances of that are slim to none.

Numerous House and Senate committees have been writing bills that have stoked concerns about the cost to taxpayers and the reach of government.

Democratic Party veterans in the House largely wrote legislation with a liberal bent, angering moderate and conservative Democrats. Senate Democratic leaders, meanwhile, seemingly have bowed to moderate Democrats who have insisted on trying to work out a deal with a handful of moderate Republicans in hopes of getting a bill that can attract bipartisan support. Most other GOP members in Congress aren't even at the negotiating table, happy to oppose measures they deride as "socialized medicine."

Even though members of the president's own party have comfortable majorities in Congress, the Senate postponed a health care vote until September, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won't commit to a vote before lawmakers are scheduled to leave Washington later this week.

As this family feud wages in Washington, the nation's charismatic chief executive is venturing out of Washington to do what he seems to do best - campaign, and grab the local media spotlight that comes with a presidential visit.

He faces a public that's both supportive and skeptical of health care overhaul.

A recent AP-GfK poll found that a majority of the country says health care is an extremely important issue to them personally. And half approve of Obama's handling of health care, a level unchanged from the spring.

But the percentage of people who don't approve has risen to 43 percent, up from 28 percent in April. And while a majority of people - 56 percent - still say it's likely that Obama will be able to implement health care reform, that's down from 63 percent just before his inauguration.

Also, a recent Washington Post-ABC News survey showed approval of Obama's handling of health care overhaul slipping below 50 percent for the first time.

[noloyalisti]

These right wing corporations want competition and they want "free market". So let's bring it on. Let's see if they can provide better care for cheaper than the government. I already know they can't based on Medicare, the VA system and the government run health care Congress has.

[jsd330]

Medicare and the VA are both over budget. So those sure aren't selling points, why do you think Obama never brings their cost up. The politicians plan is more then likely over budget to, but you'll never hear about that.

[sjc_1]

The President HAS to put this in overdrive because the Republicans and insurance companies certainly will during the August recess.

If there is one lesson learned during the 1993 effort at health care reform, it is that the insurance companies have deep pockets and are not going to let their lucrative gravy train go without a fight.

[noloyalisti]

Big corporations who care about one thing only, profits, own and run the government. The corruption is so blatant and so deep that it takes your breath away.

[NinthSt78]

Do you think one of the problems in the budgetary area there might be oversell? Is the profit motive that enters in causing some to sell more than is really needed? I offered the cat a chance to try every brand of catfood on the shelf, including the expensive gourmet extra healthy ones, but she chose the store brand...

[DoranPalmer]

What moron would think they are happy with the health care situation.

Cost to much. Period.

Get ride of insurance companies, get ride of lawyers, get ride of pharmaceutical companies, stop free health care at the state and local level and restructure the whole damn thing. Only then will we have a system that protects all people.

Big business must be taken out of the picture. It will never change as long as big business lobbyist have their hands around the nads of our government officials.

Big business is destroying this country. It has to be stopped before it is to late. Well, its basically to late without massive change.

Poverty, starvation, homelessness, corrupt government, corrupt elections, greed before care. This is in America people, not some third world nation. Oh, that's right, a third world nation is what we have to be in order compete with third world nations and global trade. Bull, lets get ride of the two party system to.

[jpspec]

Presently there is a petition circulating in congress and senate. It requires those who sign it will READ first any bill that they vote on!!!!! To date, only a few have signed. It is only one page and written is simple non legal language. I can not see it matter is one is pro or con on health care reform.

I would love to have the media give this petition more coverage.

[hungry1968-16]

by SgtFC July 29, 2009 10:59 AM EDT
Name an industry that isn't solely based on the bottom line?





So you believe that the "health care industry" should be focused on profits first, and the health of the patients second?

[inketolstoy]

I just want to know why the AMA and the pharmaceutical lobbiests are pushing for this plan. From what Obama says, it should hurt these groups, but they are paying for some of the television adds pushing for his plan. Maybe they actually read it and know what it says.

[jsd330]

With Obama care they will have more business and the taxpayer will foot the bill.

[keystonebull]

I'm happy with health care as it is now. Have traveled the world and we have the best in the world, and I don't care what any lying liberal, we have the best. The thing I'm most unhappy with is we have a fruitcake for President and I guess I will have to live with that 3 1/2 more years, but confident he will be voted out by a large majority.

[schotzy81]

Face it. People aren't buying the "healthcare crisis" rhetoric. America has the best healthcare in the world. If you remove deaths from auto accidents and murders, the US has one of the top longevities. If you actually take the time and look at specific mortality rates for things like colon, breast, etc cancer, the US wins hands down.

I'm sure we'll have some lefties rant over this, but the fact remains that no one outside of your little Obamatron circles is buying it.

[hungry1968-16]

Correction - America has the MOST EXPENSIVE health care in the world.

Clearly the statistics prove time and again, that it is NOT the "best".

[schotzy81]

Sorry, that's just not true:

http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20080716/cancer-survival-rates-vary-by-country?src=RSS_PUBLIC


On top of that, France has contributed only 4.1% of the scientists winning the Nobel prize in medicine since 1945. The US has 55.8%. Canada has zero.

In terms of new medicines, the US FDA has reported 90% of all new drugs are from American companies.

Yes, some of the other countries can have cheaper healthcare, but only by leaching off the advances America pays for. If we follow Obamacare, our grandchildren will still be receiving the same medical treatment we are right now. You can kiss progress goodbye.

[cbsrusso]

74% of Americans are happy with their health care? Based on what? Do most Americans know that their health care may not be there for them when they need it most? It is pretty easy to say I am satisfied with what I have when it is never put to the test.

This battle is about saving money, providing care for everyone at a reasonable cost and guaranteeing quality preventative care and true insurance that you will cover you when you need it the most.

The Public plan will bring down cost and restore true competition in the market place. At some point it may bring us to some form of single payer - like the rest of the civilised world.

I see these ads on TV knocking the Canadian health care system and what is funny is that these ads are all lies. Watch the movie Sicko people. Talk to real Canadians on line.

The real question here...Do you want to be another toothless third world country with a third world economy and a third world healthcare system where only the privileged have coverage?