The Fierce Urgency of February: White House To Put Health Care on Back Burner Until After He Offers Some Glib, Empty Rhetoric About the Economy?

Ah, I see. Health care was the most pressing issue facing the nation, demanding the full force of Obama's gassy, empty, feckless speechifying.

But now the polls insist that no, it's economy and jobs that are most important, so Obama will address that issue, turning all his considerable power to say nothing at all and at great length to those concerns.

"Hard pivot" on the soft soap:

The White House privately anticipates health care talks to slip into February — past President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address — and then plans to make a “very hard pivot” to a new jobs bill, according to senior administration officials.

Obama has been told that disputes over abortion and the tight schedule are highly likely to delay a final deal, a blow to the president who had hoped to trumpet a health care victory in his big speech to the nation. But he has also been told that House Democratic leaders seem inclined, at least for now, to largely accept the compromise worked out in the Senate, virtually assuring he will eventually get a deal.

Internally, White House aides are plunging into a 2010 plan calling for an early focus on creating jobs, especially in the energy sector, along with starting a conversation about deficit reduction measures, the administration officials said.

Both will be major themes for his first State of the Union speech, which will likely take place on Jan. 26 or Feb. 2. White House aides are in the early stages of planning for the national address, but Obama will not only trumpet what he has described as his “B-plus” performance in 2009 but also set the stage for the 2010 congressional campaigns.

That's exactly what the American people have been demanding -- a "focus," some "conversations," and "major themes" in a speech.

As someone who gets like 200 emails a day, I can't tell you how many people have written me to ask, angrily, "When will Barack Obama finally have a conversation about the deficit and talk up major themes about the economy?"

I tell you, people are angry. They are demanding conversations and major themes right now, and they will not be denied these crucial necessities any longer.

And also -- a "focus."

Every day emails from hurting people out of work pour into my email box, almost shouting their demands for "a focus."

"Great," they all say, "Obama says he's 'saved the economy,' but if that's true, where's my focus?"

Thank God he's finally woken up to reality and will finally address people's God-given American right to a focus, a conversation, and major themes.

posted by Ace at 01:26 PM

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