WHAT A CONCEPT!  CREATIVE GENIUSES  – AT 7:53 A.M. ET:  There was the president of the United States.  The subject was health care.

And, clearly, the creative juices were flowing at the White House.  Behind the president – can you just conjure the originality – were people in lab coats.  Maybe they were doctors and nurses, or maybe they just played them on TV.  Never saw that before.  What a breakthrough.  This is Hollywood on the Potomac.   (The last time the president made a speech on health care at the White House, his staff actually had lab coats on hand to be given out.)

As for substance, Mr. Obama was tough.  No real compromises.  Full steam ahead, even in the face of public opposition.  There may have been a few boilerplate lines about bipartisanship, but that's all.  Health care has become the iconic issue for liberal Democrats, and they're going to slam it through, regardless of how flawed their plan is.

But there is danger here for Republicans.  No matter how unpopular Mr. Obama's plan may be, Republicans lose if they seem to be 1) simply opponents and 2) blind worshippers of "free enterprise," when applied to health insurance.  If the Republicans think they're going to become electoral heroes by championing insurance companies, they're delusional.  Every poll shows that Americans, across the board, Republicans included, believe the health- insurance system requires reform, and that insurance companies must adhere to certain standards. 

Republicans must come up with a comprehensive plan, widely and constantly presented to the American people, that fixes what's wrong, retains choice, and yet reduces costs.  Some excellent GOP ideas, like tort reform, have gotten lost in the political meat grinder. 

I have the sickly feeling that the Dems will get something passed.  Once passed, remember, Americans may change their attitude from opposition to, "Let's see how it works."  It's happened before.  This is a time for Republican creativity, not Dewey-like contentment.

March 4,  2010