O'Reilly Factor guest host Monica Crowley fawned over guest Scooter Libby and expressed her outrage over how he was treated during the Valerie Plame trial.
Obama turns health care focus to families, voters Posted on 7/23/2009
President Barack Obama said that Medicare and Medicaid are the "biggest driving force behind" massive federal deficits, and must be tamed as part of any health care legislation.
At a prime-time news conference marking six months in office, Obama said health care legislation was key to a strong economic recovery.
President Obama Comments Obama said "If we do not reform health care, your premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket."
He said, "If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day."
Obama said spiraling health care costs are bankrupting Americans.
He said, "If we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit."
Worst Recession The president said he took office with the economy in the worst recession in half a century.
Obama said, "As a result of the action we took in those first weeks, we have been able to pull our economy back from the brink."
President Obama said, "In the past eight year, we saw the enactment of two tax cuts, primarily for the wealthiest Americans, and a Medicare prescription program, none of which were paid for."
He vowed that he wouldn't sign health care legislation that wasn't paid for, although his administration has exempted from that pledge an estimated $245 billion to raise Medicare fees for doctors.
Obama said, "This debate is not a game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer."
He said, "They are looking to us for leadership. And we must not let them down."
Politics of Issue Obama said, "I've heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it's better politics to 'go for the kill.' Another Republican senator said that defeating health reform is about 'breaking' me."
He said, "Let me be clear: This isn't about me," Obama said, noting that he and every member of Congress - including those trying to scuttle health care reform legislation - "have great health insurance."
Events in Ohio On Thursday in Ohio, the president will undertake two more events focused on health care.
43% Disapprove of Health Care Plan According to the latest Associated Press-GfK poll, the number of Americans who disapprove of the president's health care plan has jumped to 43 percent, compared with 28 percent in April.
Rep. Cooper Comments Rep. Jim Cooper, D-TN, a moderate Democrat who wants lower costs but supports the overall thrust of Obama's efforts, said, "He's the great communicator."
Cooper said, "If anybody can explain this, he can."
He said, "The White House needs to assert more authority."
Cooper said, "I'll be relieved when they take over the marketing of this, because Congress has done a terrible job."
