Obama Plans To Begin Health Care Community Meetings

Sen. Barack Obama, still stinging from criticism that he's too vague on key issues, next week begins a long focus on health care as he starts a series of "health care community meetings" around the nation. On Tuesday he has his first session, in Portsmouth, N.H. Aides said that the Democratic presidential candidate has a broad health care platform that calls for universal health care and lowering the cost of medical services, but that he wants to listen to community leaders closer to the issue. One aide said he would be listening for success stories and failures.

"He has the basic outline," said the aide. Obama was criticized at a health care summit recently after he was vague about his plans. But campaign officials said that he believes there is more than enough time to lay out an issues agenda. "We're only in the sixth week of the campaign," said one insider.

By Paul Bedard