Update 7: Where the hell is Senate Finance, already? Huh?
Update 6: First Q from AP: have you directed Congress about what you want to be in it? And then something about "When did you stop beating Jim DeMint's wife?" Answer: Using the dumb question to reinforce the point that we need to redirect the dollars already going into the system effectively, hitting all the key points on efficiencies and making it deficit neutral. He's got the proposal he advanced, but there are other ideas out there to consider.
Update 5: "This debate is not a game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer. They are counting on us to get this done."
Update 4: Doctors have endorsed it! Trust your doctor. The AARP has endorsed it. Really, it's the right thing to do.
Update 3: What's in it for me? Um... health security? No matter how many times he tell us that if you like your coverage, you can keep it, the Republicans are just gonna keep lying about it. Same with the "it will be paid for" part. It's critical, and important for those paying attention. But the Republicans are still gonna lie about it.
Update 2: The recovery act has been working, we need more. Inherited an economy that "wasn't ready to work in 21st century." Setting up the backdrop for why hcr is critical to saving the economy. Yup.
Update (4:56PM, by Jed) -- Here's MSNBC's live feed (also on DKTV):
Original post -- President Obama's push to get us closer to the finish line on healthcare reform continues with is primetime presser tonight. While on a day-to-day basis it might not seem like it, momentum is actually on the side of reform. This is as far as this country has ever gotten in trying to reform our healthcare system. Four out of six congressional committees have completed their work on the legislation. The doctors, nurses, and hospitals have signed on. The push can't slow down now. Not when we're this close, a point that Obama emphasized in a pre-presser interview with WaPo editor Fred Hiatt:
I've been in office six months. I think sometimes people forget the fact that I think at this point in Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton's presidency, their major initiative hadn't even gotten off the ground yet. I mean, in some ways we're our own worst enemy because we've gotten so many things done in these first six months, a lot of them dealing with extraordinary circumstances, that the sense is somehow that we have been putting off things that are also important to us. I just can't do everything at once.
And what I've said to Kent Conrad, what I've said to Judd Gregg, what I've said to others is, is that I am very -- I've said this to the Blue Dogs, I said it very early on -- we are serious about this.
Excerpts from Obama's prepared remarks are below the fold, but here's a teaser:
This isn’t about me. I have great health insurance, and so does every Member of Congress. This debate is about the letters I read when I sit in the Oval Office every day, and the stories I hear at town hall meetings... This debate is not a game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer. They are counting on us to get this done. They are looking to us for leadership. And we must not let them down. We will pass reform that lowers cost, promotes choice, and provides coverage that every American can count on. And we will do it this year.
For those who wish to live in an alternate universe in which there's absolutely nothing wrong with our healthcare system, you can watch the anti-presser with Eric Cantor and Tom Price, the leader of House conservatives. It's going to be on Joe the Plumber's network, Pajamas TV. Who knows, maybe we'll be lucky enough to hear the wisdom of the dumbass himself.
That is why I’ve said that even as we rescue this economy from a full-blown crisis, we must rebuild it stronger than before. And health insurance reform is central to that effort.
This is not just about the 47 million Americans who have no health insurance. Reform is about every American who has ever feared that they may lose their coverage if they become too sick, or lose their job, or change their job. It’s about every small business that has been forced to lay off employees or cut back on their coverage because it became too expensive. And it’s about the fact that the biggest driving force behind our federal deficit is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid.
So let me be clear: if we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit. If we do not reform health care, your premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket. If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day. These are the consequences of inaction. These are the stakes of the debate we’re having right now.
I realize that with all the charges and criticisms being thrown around in Washington, many Americans may be wondering, "What’s in this for me? How does my family stand to benefit from health insurance reform?"
Tonight I want to answer those questions. Because even though Congress is still working through a few key issues, we already have agreement on the following areas:
If you already have health insurance, the reform we’re proposing will provide you with more security and more stability. It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you’re happy with it. It will prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage if you get too sick. It will give you the security of knowing that if you lose your job, move, or change your job, you will still be able to have coverage. It will limit the amount your insurance company can force you to pay for your medical costs out of your own pocket. And it will cover preventive care like check-ups and mammograms that save lives and money.
If you don’t have health insurance, or are a small business looking to cover your employees, you’ll be able to choose a quality, affordable health plan through a health insurance exchange – a marketplace that promotes choice and competition Finally, no insurance company will be allowed to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition.
I have also pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade – and I mean it.
...
I understand how easy it is for this town to become consumed in the game of politics – to turn every issue into running tally of who’s up and who’s down. I’ve heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it’s better politics to "go for the kill." Another Republican Senator said that defeating health reform is about "breaking" me.
So let me be clear: This isn’t about me. I have great health insurance, and so does every Member of Congress. This debate is about the letters I read when I sit in the Oval Office every day, and the stories I hear at town hall meetings...This debate is not a game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer. They are counting on us to get this done. They are looking to us for leadership. And we must not let them down. We will pass reform that lowers cost, promotes choice, and provides coverage that every American can count on. And we will do it this year.