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The Spectacle Blog
Over at Slate, John Dickerson has an interesting take on yesterday's health care summit:
If the White House health care summit was political theater, here's a 30-second review: President Obama won. So did congressional Republicans. Democrats in Congress need another act. This is not because Obama is such a better speaker and advocate for the legislation than his allies, though he is. It's because Democrats didn't get much political benefit from the event....
This is why it wasn't a good day for congressional Democrats. According to strategists involved in 2010 races, fence-sitting Democrats needed to see Obama change the political dynamic. He needed to show how health care reform could be defended and how Republicans could be brought low. He did neither. White House aides and the president himself said he was going to press Republicans for how their plans would work, but he did that only twice-and mildly. There was no put-up-or-shut-up moment.
Obama debated Republicans vigorously and with precision-but it looked like a debate among people with actual philosophical differences, which in part it was. After an in-the-weeds debate about how the Congressional Budget Office accounted for premium increases, it became clear that the debate was between Democrats who want to set minimum standards for coverage and Republicans who want the market and individual choice to rule. The Democratic plan is more expensive but covers more people. The Republican plan is cheaper and doesn't.
Congressional Democrats clearly believed that they could overcome these philosophical divisions in the country by brute political force. It looks, for now at least, like they were wrong.
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More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
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Pingback| 2.26.10 @ 12:40PM
Cynically Optimistic « The Old Right Tavern links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Oldefarte| 2.26.10 @ 1:15PM
Anyone thinking that it was a draw should consider the thousands of Democrat protesters shouting HEALTHCARE IS OUR RIGHT in the streets. It's not anyone's """""RIGHT"""""-----it's WELFARE for which the TAXPAYERS will be forced to PAY FOR!!!!!!
Margie| 2.26.10 @ 1:17PM
HaHaHa! The media says it was a draw!
We all know what that means!
The Republicans creamed the creeps!
SoCon| 2.26.10 @ 2:18PM
Good one, Margie. When it comes to philosophies; Conservatism beats Liberalism every time.
That's why liberals resort to tricks and bullying.
Like the Simpsons Nelson says, "HA HA!"
Margie| 2.26.10 @ 2:52PM
Love ya, SoCon.
Yes, and the Liberals tell us that we ought always to consult Wikipedia and the media for our sources of information. Otherwise we shouldn't speak because we are not smart enough. Speaking of bullying~In fact, according to the resident intellectual scumbag Toddard, (oops I know according to liberals that Name calling disqualifies me from speaking as well), I am mentally ill, or a child pretending to be an adult, my heart is black and my head is soft and I am filled with hatred!
That alone should shut me up, don't you think?
Meanwhile this low life blames America for terrorism and in reality that is hateful and he, in my book should be considered an enemy of America!
~But I do digress! Conservatism always wins because it is truthful. The only reason it is temporarily held down is because the Left lies. Leftists are liars by definition because what they believe is utterly false.
Their only weapon is to lie, and to bully others to the point that hopefully they will just go away!
The Republicans shone brightly yesterday. The American people got to witness first hand that there is indeed a HUGE difference between the 2 Parties.
More votes for them.. less votes for the faux King and his minions!
SoCon| 2.26.10 @ 3:30PM
There's nothing dark about your heart, Margie--you're good through and through. :)
martin j smith| 2.26.10 @ 3:56PM
this was no draw: Obama looked like a fool. Like he is over his head. Like he is so angry that he was outplayed and outfoxed. His plan for this so called summit imploded. No this was no draw, this was a political disaster for all to see for Obama and his allies.
Pingback| 2.26.10 @ 5:49PM
If Looks Could Kill: Obama’s Face During Rep. Paul Ryan’s Dismantling of Dems’ Healt links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Jim Hlavac| 2.26.10 @ 7:05PM
A man who speaks more than those he came to listen to his going to have a hard time explaining how the other's ideas are included. That's the Republican defense.
Frame it like football -- minutes of possession -- it was Obama who possessed the ball for longer -- yet could not get the touchdown.
Oh well, if he wins in the short term, he loses in the long term.
If he loses in the short term, he loses in the long term.
As they say in Chess - zugzwang.
Too bad Obama played neither football or chess, nor actually ever debated or listened to anyone in his life.
All that what missing was a mirror for him to gaze into as he gave his mush-points.
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