Research Briefing

Obama Puts PR Into Overdrive As Democrats’ Government-Run Health Care Plan Collapsing

“He’s been in office only six months, but already there’s a strong sense of déjà vu around the way Americans are seeing and hearing from President Barack Obama.” (Carol E. Lee, “Americans Getting Big Dose Of President Obama,” Politico, 7/22/09)

PRIMETIME PRESS CONFERENCES: BY THE NUMBERS

4: Number Of Primetime Press Conferences Clinton And Bush Held In Each Of Their 8 Years As President. “Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton each had four prime-time news conferences from the East Room during their eight years in office, according to Martha Joynt Kumar, a professor of political science at Towson University.” (Michael D. Shear and Scott Wilson, “President Points To Progress On Economic Efforts,” The Washington Post, 3/25/09)

4: Number Of Primetime Press Conferences Obama Has Held In His First 6 Months. “His prime-time news conference Wednesday night … brings his total to four.” (Carol E. Lee, “Americans Getting Big Dose Of President Obama,” Politico, 7/22/09)

FOR WHITE HOUSE, IT IS ALL ABOUT OBAMA

President Obama: "This Isn't About Me. This Isn't About Politics.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks On Health Care At Children's National Medical Center, Washington, D.C., 7/20/09)

But White House “Selling The President’s Popularity” In Effort To Pass Government-Run Health Care Experiment. “The remarks were part of a White House blitz to promote the president's healthcare agenda this week, a strategy that also includes television interviews, a prime-time news conference today and a Thursday town hall in Cleveland… But the White House had been selling the president's popularity on Capitol Hill, reassuring lawmakers that he will help those who support his top domestic priority. Obama has said he wants a healthcare bill passed before the August congressional recess.” (Christi Parsons, “Obama Urges Action, Not Just Politics, On Health Care,” The Los Angeles Times, 7/22/09)

• “The Administration's Behind-The-Scenes Work Has Been Accompanied By A Reminder To Congressional Democrats That Their Fates Are Tied To The President's.” (Christi Parsons and Noam N. Levey, “Obama Takes Healthcare Debate And Runs With It,” The Los Angeles Times, 7/21/09)

White House Prescription For Passing Government-Run Health Care: “A Big Dose Of Obama.” “The president keeps returning to the same communications tactics over and over, and all the pages of his PR playbook have one thing in common: a big dose of Obama… But as Obama’s once-lofty approval ratings dip — and voters express skepticism over his plans for health care and the economy — the longevity of the White House’s go-to techniques is being put to the test. One challenge for Obama’s team in coming weeks: not overusing the president.” (Carol E. Lee, “Americans Getting Big Dose Of President Obama,” Politico, 7/22/09)

Obama Worries Defeat Of Government-Run Health Care Experiment Could Destroy His Presidency. “A telling episode recounted by Senate Finance ranking member Charles Grassley reveals the Obama administration might be more worried than they are letting on … Grassley said he spoke with a Democratic House member last week who shared Obama's bleak reaction during a private meeting to reports that some factions of House Democrats were lining up to stall or even take down the overhaul unless leaders made major changes … Grassley said. ‘A Democrat congressman last week told me after a conversation with the president that the president had trouble in the House of Representatives, and it wasn't going to pass if there weren't some changes made ... and the president says, “You're going to destroy my presidency.’” (Anna Edney, “Dems Start To Push Back Hard To Prevent A 'Waterloo,'” CongressDaily, 7/22/09)

MEANWHILE, DEMOCRATS’ CIVIL WAR CONTINUES

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) Says There Will Be No Vote On Government-Run Health Care Before August. “Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Wednesday acknowledged for the first time that a pre-recess vote on healthcare reform is unlikely. ‘We’re going to take a little longer to get it right,’ Durbin told The Hill when asked about the oft-stated goal of a vote on or before Aug. 7, when a month-long Senate recess begins. ‘Initially we had hoped for a full vote by then, but I don’t think it’s going to be possible.’ Delaying the vote until after Labor Day would all but erase hopes of getting a bill to President Obama by mid-October, since the House and Senate versions would have to be reconciled in conference negotiations — assuming they pass their chambers.” (J. Taylor Rushing, “Durbin: No Pre-Recess Vote On Health Care,” The Hill, 7/22/09)

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) Voted As Next Target For Liberal Groups. “Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) may have brought Democrats as close as they have been in years to enacting health care reform, but grass-roots progressives consider him their No. 1 target. Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee conducted a four-day, online poll of their members, and with about 64,000 votes cast, Baucus beat seven other Democratic senators as the lawmaker whose arm is most in need of twisting over health care reform … ‘We consider the public option the core of any real reform here. We are going to make sure voters in Montana know Baucus is standing with insurance companies, rather than with Barack Obama.’ [said Charles Chamberlain, political director of Democracy for America]” (Carrie Budoff Brown, “Left Targets Baucus On Public Option,” Politico, 7/21/09)

Despite Sen. Reid (D-NV) Calling Ads Wasted Money, Two Liberal Groups Launch Attack On Baucus. “A week after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said it was a ‘waste of money to have Democrats running ads against Democrats,’ two liberal groups launch an ad tomorrow that takes on one of the Senate’s most powerful Democrats. The new ad from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy for America singles out Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., for accepting more than $3.9 million dollars – more than any other senator -- from ‘health and insurance interests,’ according to the coalition.” (Elizabeth Gorman, “Liberal Groups Attack Dem Senator Baucus On Health Care,” ABC News’ “The Note” Blog, 7/21/09)

ABC News’ Charlie Gibson: “White House Officials Have Backed Off Their August Deadline Which They Now Say Was A Way To Poke And Prod Congress To Act.” (ABC’s “World News Tonight,” 7/21/09)

NBC News’ Chuck Todd: “[August Deadline] Is Virtually Gone. Expect To Hear The President Talk About Just Trying To Get The Committee Work Done By The August Recess.” (NBC’s “Nightly News,” 7/21/09)

Despite Pelosi’s Pressure, Congressional Dems Doubtful About Obama’s Deadline. “Despite President Barack Obama's push for the Senate and the House of Representatives to approve their health care overhauls by early August, Democratic leaders expressed doubts Tuesday that they can meet the deadline … ‘No one wants to tell the speaker (Nancy Pelosi) that she's moving too fast, and they damn sure don't want to tell the president,’ said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.”  (David Lightman And William Douglas, “Democrats Unsure Obama’s Health Care Deadline Can Be Met,” McClatchy Newspapers, 7/22/09)