Hints as Obama's health care address draws near
(NECN/ABC) – While President Barack Obama is just returning from vacation, senior White House staff are already laying out what to expect from his health care address to joint session of Congress on Wednesday. “He will draw some lines in the sand,” Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said on Sunday. The President may not unveil his own plan, but will provide members with some clarity so they “leave that speech knowing exactly where the president stands, exactly what he thinks we have to do to get health care done,” Gibbs said. But the White House signaled that the public option — a government plan designed to compete with private insurance companies which has raised cries of “socialism” — may now be negotiable. The President “believes the public option is a good tool,” adviser David Axelrod said. “It shouldn’t define the whole health care debate, however.” Still, the debate continued to fuel protests around the country. This one in Louisville, Kentucky. “I work in a public hospital, so, and I’m not for government-run health care on many different levels,” Congressional candidate Marilyn Parker said. That opposition and falling poll numbers have led the President to make a dramatic effort in front of Congress. “Why is Obama going to give a speech next Wednesday about the health insurance issue? Because they see they are losing traction,” presidential historian Robert Dalek said. Traction in the contentious health care debate, which the White House hopes to regain Wednesday night. ABC’s David Kerley reports. ***** Editor’s Note: NECN will have live coverage of the President’s health care address on Wednesday night, September 9, on NECN and NECN.com , and all day Wednesday, we will be taking a closer look at the health care debate. Alison King will be live on Capitol Hill, and we will be out throughout New England to get your thoughts and reaction to the speech. If you would like to be part of our health care roundtable here at NECN Wednesday night, send an email to healthcare@www.necn.com with your name, town, age, phone number and a a sentence or two on where you stand in the health care reform issue. We will select a representative group from among those who apply.
