it will be watered-down and filled with bullshit. Nevertheless, Obama and the Dems will have their bragging rights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCRO0g9CfAw

Billy Tauzin "is chief of PhRMA, the biggest pharmaceutical trade group. In the 2008 campaign, Obama ran a television ad pillorying Tauzin for his role in preventing Medicare from negotiating for lower drug prices. Last week the Los Angeles Times reported -- and the New York Times confirmed -- that Tauzin, an active player in White House health care negotiations, had secured a behind-closed-doors flip-flop, enlisting the administration to push for continued protection of drug prices."

--------------------------- Frank Rich, The New York Times, 8/9/09

Look at that video, then read Frank Rich. If anyone thinks that Obama REALLY wants good, solid health care reform legislation, they are delusional! He's in the hip pocket of the corporations, just like the Repubs.

My fear is that the health care debacle will be repeated on energy and climate legislation.

Health care has been debated, on and off, for nearly 100 years, beginning with Teddy Roosevelt, and Truman advocating single payer back in the 1948 election.

We can't waste 100 years fighting about climate legislation. We're finding out that a good speechmaker doth not make a good leader.

The president wants one, but is apparently ready to do what he has to in order to claim victory.

The president has a history of saying one thing, but doing another, in order to have it both ways -- he hopes.

Winant should take a look at Obama's legislative bona fides. He has, on multiple occasions, spoken in favor of something, but voted against it.

One reason the Dems can't get their story straight on healthcare is that The Leader Of Hope and Change can't keep his story straight.

is so stupid that he hasn't learned to spell.

...if The Mass. Lege changes the law and the Dems get the add'l vote and don't accomplish anything (progressive), they'll look even more disorganized and spineless.

Are you James Carville?

some of the backlash problem has its roots in the lesson plans that Arne Duncan sent to the principals for teachers to use as followup to Obama's talk to the kids.

A WH spokesperson described one of the discussion points "how can I help the president" as inartfully-phrased -- and that discussion point was jettisoned.

In principle, there's nothing wrong with a president -- any president -- directly addressing school children, but I hope that SecEd Duncan has learned a lesson. It's not cool to ask school kids to discuss how they should "help" the president. I sure would not have liked it if President Cheney talked to kids, then teachers discussed with the kiddos, "how would you like to help President Cheney?"

Ugh.

Here’s the Cliffs Notes version of what’s coming down on Wednesday night, IMO:

Obama will (again) say public option is his preferred way to “keep insurance companies honest.” But… he will say that health care legislation should not hinge on whether it includes the public option. (Doublespeak anyone?)

Remarks by Gibbs yesterday to reporters on Obama’s trip to Ohio hints at what’s coming down….

Gibbs played down the importance of a public option in the health “reform” overhaul. Gibbs said a public option would not affect most Americans — up to 180 million — because they already have insurance through employers.

Joan, don't get your hopes up. No matter what Obama says tomorrow, it's the follow-through that will be the proof of the pudding. Words are....well, just words.

I am very disappointed in his leadership capabilities.

I agree with much of what he says, and with almost nothing of what he does.

I support most of what Obama says, but little of what he does.

All talk.

REAL REFORM, I'd be fired up and ready to go. But, until there's something definitive to be fired up about, his call to support HIM is just more BS.

On April 11, 1951, MacArthur was removed from command by President Harry S. Truman for publicly disagreeing with Truman's Korean War Policy.

won't get the H1N1 vaccine. It's a personal choice that has nothing to do with conspiracy theories or being nuts.

Medicare For All.

While I will give them credit for their writing abilities, which are abundant, Dowd and Rich are both odd characters, psychologically odd in fact.

Have you ever noticed that Frank Rich seems to be obsessed with the fact that he has a Harvard pedigree? (Yes, he looks on it more as a pedigree, than a degree.) Dowd conflates any perceived "shortcoming" as a rationale to demean another woman. They both are so narcissistic that they take great pleasure in a compulsive, borderline hateful, devaluation of both Clintons.

Rich, when he was a music critic, was irrational about Andrew Lloyd Webber's work. (I wonder how he would have critiqued Russert's musical endeavors.) They both -- Dowd and Rich -- get their jollies by unrealistically devaluing another.

I wish they had both gotten over their penchant for middle-aged swoons, then perhaps they would not have been so mean-spirited about Hillary.

Rahm Emanuel?

His reelection prospects?

of his resignation, it looks to me like he's going to mount a political campaign for something. President as an Independent Populist?

Oy. That's all we need.

smackdown of Stephen Peter.