Many of us have wondered what the point is of having Obama do campaign-style events around the country when the real obstacle to his health-care bill is skepticism, fear, and doubt among House Democrats.
“I think the entire debate that’s been going on — for what, a year or so? — has reached a point where we’re glad to hear the president speak out, and say what’s on his mind and what he wants us to do, and get the country revved up,” [Rep. Lynn] Woolsey [(D., Calif.)] said during an appearance on MSNBC. “But I don’t think it’s going to change a lot of minds.“
This is like the guy who loses his keys in the dark but looks under the lamppost because the light is better. Obama doesn’t know how to persuade Stupak Democrats, nervous Blue Dog or red district Democrats, or Kucinich-types who think the Senate version is a sellout. He knows how to deliver applause lines at rallies with lots of college students and union members in the audience. So that’s what he’s going to do.