HEALTH PLAN ALREADY ON LIFE SUPPORT – AT 10:58 A.M. ET:  The president unveiled, the way you unveil a gravestone, his new, revised, Simonized health-care plan yesterday.  We've already reported that Scott Brown promises to stand like a stone wall (okay Civil War buffs, I know there was only one) against it.  Apparently, it isn't making a hint with some other crucial folks either.  From The Politico:

The White House opened its last-ditch push for health reform Monday by releasing a $950 billion plan that signaled a new phase of hands-on presidential involvement.

But by day’s end, President Barack Obama was staring down all the same old problems.

Republicans called it a retread of the same bills Americans have panned, even though it included some GOP ideas. “Déjà vu all over again,” said Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.).

Democrats and labor unions didn’t rush to embrace the plan, either, though by Monday night, Democrats were sounding more receptive to it, despite the lack of a public health insurance option. Congressional Democratic aides also complained of being left in the dark by the White House, asking for a preview of the bill Friday, only to be denied by White House aides, according to multiple sources.

And Obama’s plan did nothing to answer the central question facing Democrats: how to get a bill through the Senate — now one vote shy of a filibuster-proof majority — in one of the most toxic environments for incumbents in recent memory. Even with the first presidential plan on the table, there was no guarantee Democrats could pull off health reform this year.

There is also the volatile matter of abortion funding.  The president's plan apparently provides for it, which will alienate a chunk of moderate Democrats in the House who are facing reelection in swing districts.

After a year of keeping his distance from the legislative process, Obama plunged in ahead of Thursday’s bipartisan health care summit with a sweeping plan that laid to rest any question about whether he would scale down his ambitions. Following the Massachusetts defeat, Obama floated the idea of a smaller bill, but even skeptics of the comprehensive approach argued the bill was too interrelated to break apart.

By stepping forward now, Obama hoped to set the agenda for the summit — making his own bill the starting point for any discussions and trying to force Republicans to come to the table with a single plan.

COMMENT:  The Republicans don't have to dance to the president's tune, but they do have to come up with imaginative and easily explained ideas of their own.  Their objective should be to capture the debate and grab the spotlight. 

The president has the bully pulpit, and he retains his speaking ability, although he's clearly worn out his welcome with a large chunk of the public.  Republicans must counter him.  Occasional press conferences just won't do.

This is a critical weak, with the health summit at the White House coming up Thursday.  I hope the GOP springs something spectacular.  Alas, they're not known for it.

February 23, 2010