President Obama speaks about health-care reform at Arcadia University Monday in Glenside, Pa.
GLENSIDE, Pa. -- In an impassioned rally that evoked his campaign, President Barack Obama left what he called the Washington "echo chamber" Monday and urged voters to knock on doors and make phone calls to embolden members of Congress to pass heath care legislation.
Obama said Washington pundits obsessed with analyzing the political repercussions of a yes or no vote on health care are distracting lawmakers from what's fundamentally at stake: If Congress fairs to act, the president said, premiums will rise, insurers will deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions and more people will be saddled with no insurance.
"They need to hear your voices because right now the Washington echo chamber is in full throttle," Obama told an audience of 1,800 at Arcadia University outside Philadelphia. "It is as deafening as it's ever been. And as we come to that final vote, that echo chamber is telling members of Congress, wait, think about the politics -- instead of thinking about doing the right thing."
Removing his suit coat, Obama spoke with an emotional intensity that one Democratic senator said had been lacking in his previous health care speeches.
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., who flew up and back with the president on Air Force One, told reporters afterward: "That's the most fiery I've seen him since the early campaign. When I was listening to him I wished that he had given that in the State of the Union [address in January]."
With the Democratic congressional leadership struggling to lock down votes on Capitol Hill, Obama this week is pursuing a beyond-the-Beltway strategy of marshaling grassroots support. He will also talk about health care in a visit to St. Louis on Wednesday.
One Senate Democratic aide said Obama's out-of-town stops are helpful in that they create political space for members to cast a vote in support of the bill.
"He still has a powerful bully pulpit and he's still our best spokesman," the aide said.
At this late stage in the debate, influencing public opinion is no small thing. Obama has elevated health care to the top of his domestic agenda and has spent the past year attempting to pass a bill. Yet opinion polls show most people don't like what they've heard about the legislation moving through Congress.
Obama has settled on a simple narrative: Everyday people are being victimized by profit-minded insurance companies. At the event Monday, he was introduced by a woman named Leslie Banks who had written him a letter about a whopping rate increase.
Obama also tapped into anger in California over a rate increase that was announced by the state's largest for-profit health insurer, Anthem Blue Cross.
"Just last month, Anthem Blue Cross in California tried to jack up rates by nearly 40 percent -- 40 percent. Anybody's paycheck gone up 40 percent?" he asked.
A chorus of "No" swept up from the crowd.
GLENSIDE, Pa. -- In an impassioned rally that evoked his campaign, President Barack Obama left what he called the Washington "echo chamber" Monday and urged voters to knock on doors and make phone calls to embolden members of Congress to pass heath care legislation.
Obama said Washington pundits obsessed with analyzing the political repercussions of a yes or no vote on health care are distracting lawmakers from what's fundamentally at stake: If Congress fairs to act, the president said, premiums will rise, insurers will deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions and more people will be saddled with no insurance.
"They need to hear your voices because right now the Washington echo chamber is in full throttle," Obama told an audience of 1,800 at Arcadia University outside Philadelphia. "It is as deafening as it's ever been. And as we come to that final vote, that echo chamber is telling members of Congress, wait, think about the politics -- instead of thinking about doing the right thing."
Removing his suit coat, Obama spoke with an emotional intensity that one Democratic senator said had been lacking in his previous health care speeches.
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., who flew up and back with the president on Air Force One, told reporters afterward: "That's the most fiery I've seen him since the early campaign. When I was listening to him I wished that he had given that in the State of the Union [address in January]."
With the Democratic congressional leadership struggling to lock down votes on Capitol Hill, Obama this week is pursuing a beyond-the-Beltway strategy of marshaling grassroots support. He will also talk about health care in a visit to St. Louis on Wednesday.
One Senate Democratic aide said Obama's out-of-town stops are helpful in that they create political space for members to cast a vote in support of the bill.
"He still has a powerful bully pulpit and he's still our best spokesman," the aide said.
At this late stage in the debate, influencing public opinion is no small thing. Obama has elevated health care to the top of his domestic agenda and has spent the past year attempting to pass a bill. Yet opinion polls show most people don't like what they've heard about the legislation moving through Congress.
Obama has settled on a simple narrative: Everyday people are being victimized by profit-minded insurance companies. At the event Monday, he was introduced by a woman named Leslie Banks who had written him a letter about a whopping rate increase.
Obama also tapped into anger in California over a rate increase that was announced by the state's largest for-profit health insurer, Anthem Blue Cross.
"Just last month, Anthem Blue Cross in California tried to jack up rates by nearly 40 percent -- 40 percent. Anybody's paycheck gone up 40 percent?" he asked.
A chorus of "No" swept up from the crowd.
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There’s no debate, medical prices are way too high. When I think about it, I can’t think of other issues that I dislike about our medical system. Every negative I can think of has to do with the costs to me or the inability to get certain services or treatments because of insurance issues.
The measures that the current Health Care Reforms take, as least the ones we know of, do nothing to reduce the cost. They could however drastically increase the cost and result in limited medical care for the elderly and those with limited resources. There is no question that the ultimate goal is a single payer program that gives the federal government complete control of our health care.
What's Philly got to do with inside the beltway votes? Is he 'preaching to the choir'? How much 'winning of the hearts and minds of America' will occur in a city where the Black Panthers are allowed to 'guard' the polling places?
Seems he's desparate to safe the bill, but not concerned enough to trim it to something MANAGEABLE and to CENTER IT ON COST CONTAINMENT? 'Bending the Cost Curve'?
I bet if the legislation FLUBS and FLOPS, not passing, it won't be HIS fault.
What a leader! Great skills at working to concensus.
Let's see if 'push it through' (or 'Rahm it through'?) politics works.