If we don’t pass this, I don’t know what differentiates us from the other guys.
Today’s televised session between Barack Obama and the Senate Democrats wasn’t encouraging to those of us hoping the Democrats are spending their time worrying about how to pass the health care bill. There were questions on the deficit, on jobs, on partisanship, on energy and on judicial nominees. No one bothered to ask about health-care reform. The closest was New York’s Kirsten Gillibrand, who asked about health care for 9/11 responders. It felt, for a moment, like we were back in the Bush years. Want to talk health care? Add 9/11 to the sentence.
To Obama’s credit, he valiantly twisted questions on things like jobs and partisanship into opportunities to talk about health-care reform. He reminded Democrats that they have the second-largest majority since the 1970s. He mentioned the Village Voice’s mocking headline, “Scott Brown Wins Mass. Race, Giving GOP 41-59 Majority in the Senate.” Democrats laughed at that. Obama didn’t. “Think about it,” he said sternly.
If we don’t pass this, he told the assembled Democrats, “I don’t know what differentiates us from the other guys.” It’s nice to believe good things, but no one keeps their home, or pays for their doctor visit, because Democrats believe good things. “If anyone is searching for an answer to the lessons of Massachusetts,” Obama continued, “I promise you, it’s not to do nothing.”
