The Magic Words? Update: Axe Says Obama WILL Fight for PO!

In, as far as I could tell, the context of the Public Option, Obama just said….

“I will not back down.”

Did I hear that correctly?

Were those the magic words?

Update: Axelrod just said to Rachel “He will fight to make sure its is in the Bill.”

So….there we go!

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  1. Photobucket

    • BobbyK on September 10, 2009 at 02:52

    if he knocks down republican deregulation.

  2. “…But know this:  I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it’s better politics to kill this plan than improve it.  I will not stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are.  If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out.  And I will not accept the status quo as a solution.  Not this time.  Not now.

    Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing.  Our deficit will grow.  More families will go bankrupt.  More businesses will close.  More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it most.  And more will die as a result.  We know these things to be true.

    That is why we cannot fail.  Because there are too many Americans counting on us to succeed – the ones who suffer silently, and the ones who shared their stories with us at town hall meetings, in emails, and in letters.”

    • BobbyK on September 10, 2009 at 03:03

     during the wild west days. Think it should be that way now in 2009 40 years after THE GOVERNMENT landed men on the moon.

  3. http://campaignsilo.firedoglak

    It sounds like buhdy misheard through the rhetorical flourishes.

  4. … and made a comment over at the orange liveblog at the time.

    It’s like the P.O. has passed the finals and gets to compete in the swimsuit competition.

    We’re not all the way there yet, and it may end up a crumb of a public option, but Obama did make the commitment.  So it’s still there to fight for.

  5. he’s open to other options (co-ops), triggers.  He might as well have hit it in the back of the head with a shovel and buried it.

    Five percent of nothing.

    How whelming.

  6. But, I think we need a little time to digest it and wait for a text of the speech to be available and it appears that it may already be from “fake consultant’s” comment below.

    I listened and took some quick notes, very brief, mind you:

    1)  knows there is a large cry for “single-payer”

    2)  insurance will be required

    3)  Fed. ins. will not be paying for abortion

    4)  doesn’t want to exclude insurance companies — wants

       them ACCOUNTABLE

    5)  public option — agrees, we need one to assure  

       competition

    6)  does not end healthcare insurance, but would end

       insurance company abuses, public option creates that

    7)  says the Repugs should consider “it” as a fair means

       to come up with their thoughts, etc.  (?)

    8)  for those with NO insurance, this would provide

       a “choice for insurance for them

    9)  assures those with the “public option” that

       bureauocracy will NOT get in the way of the healthcare

       of an individual’s needs

    10) healthcare plan WILL NOT add to deficit

    11) a)  (missed – to be supplied)

       b)   paid for within the system

       c)   No Medicare will be used to pay for plan

    12) assured Medicare will continue to exist in the same

       fashion/ makes mention of the out-of-pocket drug

       costs\ to Americans

    13) a tremendous means of holding down costs

    14) allows doctors to practice medicine without being

       bogged down by all the ins. details, etc.

    15) cost would be 900 billion over 10 years,

       -less than the costs of Iraq and Afghanistan wars;

       -less than the costs of healthcare insurance (needs

        completion)

    16) seeks “common ground” — ask for those to come to him

       with proposals — only interested in those

       for “improvements” NOT those to “kill”

    17) says that during this healthcare issue, he will not

       let “special interests” set the agenda for healthcare

       reform

    18) talks about Sen. Kennedy (and McCain) for all their

       efforts on helping “sick” people and Kennedy’s efforts

       for healthcare reform (lost it there, tears rolling

       down my face)

    19) makes mention of the “moral” issues involved and

       talked about “those” who have been steadily attacked

       for wanted to “help.”

    20) says he/we came to “shape” the future, not “fear” the

       future

    21) emphasizes his belief that we can accomplish many goals

    I have to reiterate — we need to digest this.  FDL has a concern about the way the public option was expressed, it seems.  

    As always, I think he tries HARD to appeal to EVERYONE and bring us together in our shared goals.  I kinda’ remember being like that myself once upon a time.  T’would be nice!  

  7. yeah, buhdy I heard he will not back down… from what? I forgot.

    Im trying to eat dinner and watch Keith O, who had some guy on explaining this “Exchange” deal and the four year wait, and the ???something emergency funds for people with ?devastating illness so they dont go bankrupt (while they wait four years for that Exchange thing).

    .

    First thoughts…

    Style and inspiration = A

    Substance = C

    Clarity and selling a progressive Plan = D

    Re-booting the concept of “bipartisenship” (that has been amended to state that it doesnt count Goppers saying “NO” being a “part”) as still achieveable = F

    IOW it stinks like a shit sandwich with no sugar.

    He offers mandates with no real cost controls; 4 year delay on some ambiguous thing that might help w costs; almost Nothing NOW (except the mandate)… It does seem to provide quite a bit of good insuarnce industry reform, regulation, (i.e ix-nay on denying claims for stupid reasons) so thats good, but thats about all it is, seems to me.

    Hurry up and wait.

    Dont get sick.

    Some plan.

  8. Ill go look at the transcript, but… what was all that about… whatever part of it IS gov’t funded (“public option”) will ONLY be offered or available to people who do not have insurance.

    whaaaat?

    • RUKind on September 10, 2009 at 05:05

    But he did stick it in. You could see it on Bonehead’s face. Stone face, stone heart.

    Obama told Michael Jordan or some other hoops superstar that he could always get to the basket on anyone. He definitely cut down the middle of the lane. The ball has yet to go through the hoop.

    We’ll see. I still think someone needs to swing some elbows around in the paint. That may have to be us. I’m up for it.

    I think I’ll start with Stevie Lynch (D-MA) out of Southie. He’s taken out papers to run for Teddy’s slot. Need to find out where he is on PO.

    Time to work the Blue Dogs over.

  9. but I’ll go ahead and wager a beer it will be a smokescreen claiming to lower overall costs when it actually won’t.  

  10. …thats what Im thinking now.

    This is Part I of a TWO part reform plan, its a Big Plan. But for Part II to kick in, we have to re-elect him in 2012. And to be successful, he needs The Left to shut up and toe the line.

    This is Health Insurance industry reform. We have to wait for Part II to get any real Health Care reform.

    Thats the 11th dimensional game theyre playin.

  11. How gullible can you get?

  12. As always a very nice speech, probably one of his better ones. I love his speeches, but what did we get, Public Option or a mix and match. Available in 4 years? WTF!

    I realize it takes time to implement a program, but 4 years!

    Nasty little man from SC called him a liar! How classy! I’m no Obama groupie but that goes too far. Reps have no manners, bless their hearts.

    Let’s see where it goes from here.

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