"Health care reform is not something I just cooked up when I took office," President Obama told a town hall audience yesterday.
The New York Times notes Obama "wastes few opportunities to remind the country that the problems are not of his making. But at a certain point, a new
president assumes ownership of the problems and finds himself answering
for his own actions. For Mr. Obama, even some advisers say that moment
may be coming soon."
Obama did take ownership of the most controversial issue on the table: the public health care option. The Wall Street Journal reports the president "gave his most enthusiastic endorsement yet for creating a
government-run health plan to compete with private insurers" in his speech yesterday.
The president's comments "may have been
calculated to keep liberals on board as negotiations intensify over
health-care legislation. But his forceful endorsement also could make
it harder for Democrats looking to cut a deal with Republicans."
Meanwhile, Bloomberg
notes that Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) "have
spent eight years cutting deals on issues from taxes to trade. Now what
may be one of the strongest bipartisan relationships in Congress is
facing its biggest test over health care."
"As Congress enters what President Barack Obama calls the 'make or
break' period for the landmark legislation, the two lawmakers' ability
to reach an accord may determine whether the Senate approves the broad,
bipartisan bill Obama wants or resorts to a piecemeal measure that only
Democrats can support."
Also of note: CQ Politics notes that health care lobbyists did end up meeting with
Senate Republicans yesterday "despite what some characterized as warnings from
Democratic staffers against undermining overhaul legislation."
