Research Briefing

As Obama Heads To Hill For Final Health Care Plea, He Makes Clear Vote Is About Him Not The American People

“President Barack Obama will travel to Capitol Hill on Saturday to meet with Democrats in the House of Representatives on the eve of that chamber's expected vote on a healthcare overhaul …” (“House Democrats To Meet Obama On Saturday,” Reuters, 3/19/10)

OBAMA’S FINAL PITCH: HEALTH CARE VOTE IS ABOUT ME …

Logic Behind Obama Cancelling Overseas Trip Is That “You Don't Set The President Of The United States Up To Experience Humiliation In Person.” “The decision to cancel his trip may look like a sign of urgency but it's also, in the language of Washington, a sign of tremendous confidence: You don't set the President of the United States up to experience humiliation in person. It's being taken right now by people on both sides of the fight as the clearest sign yet that Nancy Pelosi has the votes.” (Ben Smith, “Canceling The Trip,” Politico, 3/18/10)

Undecided House Democrat Said Obama Told Him “Fate Of His Presidency” Hinged On Passage Of Health Care. “One caucus member told POLITICO that Obama won him over by ‘essentially [saying] that the fate of his presidency’ hinged on this week’s health reform vote in the House. The member, who requested anonymity, likened Obama’s remarks to an earlier meeting with progressives when the president said a victory was necessary to keep him ‘strong’ for the next three years of his term.” (Glenn Thrush, “Obama's Pitch: Fate Of Presidency On The Line,” Politico, 3/18/10)

Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.): “The President Clearly Reinforced The Impression The Presidency Would Be Damaged By A Loss.” “Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.), said, ‘We went in there already knowing his presidency would be weakened if this thing went down, but the president clearly reinforced the impression the presidency would be damaged by a loss.. He was subtle, but that was the underlying theme of the meeting — the importance of passing this for the health of the presidency.” (Glenn Thrush, “Obama's Pitch: Fate Of Presidency On The Line,” Politico, 3/18/10)

White House Telling House Democrats “Failure Is Not An Option Unless You Want To Sink The President.” “‘The White House is raising the stakes so high, they are basically telling [House Democrats] that failure is not an option unless you want to sink the president,’ said health industry lobbyist Steve Elmendorf, a onetime adviser to Rep. Dick Gephardt, a former Democratic leader.” (Glenn Thrush, “Obama's Pitch: Fate Of Presidency On The Line,” Politico, 3/18/10)

“One Of Obama’s Closest Allies” Sen. Claire McCaskill Said If Health Care Fails, Obama “Loses The Reelect.” “Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), one of Obama’s closest allies in the health reform push, was more than willing to lay out a post-health-care doomsday scenario for Democrats and Obama should they fail… ‘The first risk [of a health care defeat] is that he loses the reelect,’ she said. ‘I think the risk to Congress is that his approval rating goes so low, he does not have enough heft to lift other important things we want to work on…’” (Glenn Thrush, “Obama's Pitch: Fate Of Presidency On The Line,” Politico, 3/18/10)

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA): Undecided Members Need To Understand There Are “Serious Implications” For The President If Health Care Does Not Pass. “’There are serious implications of losing on President Obama’s ability to be effective for the rest of his three years in office,’ Waxman told POLITICO. ‘That’s a message [undecided members] need to hear. If they don’t think that affects them if they are reelected, they are burying their heads in the sand.’” (Glenn Thrush, “Obama's Pitch: Fate Of Presidency On The Line,” Politico, 3/18/10)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH): “We Have To Be Very Careful That The Potential Of President Obama's Presidency Not Be Destroyed By This Debate.” “I've had four separate meetings with the president… And he explained to me what he felt was at stake… We have to be very careful that the potential of President Obama's presidency not be destroyed by this debate…” (Mara Liasson, “Stakes High For Obama Presidency In Health Care Bill,” NPR, 3/19/10)

… AND NOT ABOUT YOUR CONSTITUENTS

WSJ/NBC: “The Survey Found That Opinions Have Solidified Around The Health-Care Legislation, With 48% Calling It A ‘Bad Idea’ And 36% Viewing It As A ‘Good Idea’ When Presented With A Choice Between Those Two. That Gap Is Consistent With Surveys Dating To The Fall.” (Peter Wallsten & Jean Spencer, “Overhaul Splits Party Faithful,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/16/10)

Pew: 51% Think Their “Health Care Costs Will… Increase... If HC Bill Passes.” (The Pew Research Center For The People & The Press, “Gloomy Americans Bash Congress, Are Divided On Obama,” www.people-press.org, 3/18/10)

Rasmussen: “New Rasmussen Reports National Telephone Surveying Finds That 56% Of Voters Oppose The Effort To ‘Reduce Spending On Medicare By Several Hundred Billion Dollars.’” (“56% Oppose Medicare Cuts In Health Care Proposal,” Rasmussen Reports, 3/19/10)

• Rasmussen: “Perhaps More Significantly, 70% Of Senior Citizens Oppose The Plan To Reduce Spending On Medicare...” (“56% Oppose Medicare Cuts In Health Care Proposal,” Rasmussen Reports, 3/19/10)

Americans Think Health Care Legislation Will “Make Things Worse.” “The findings that more Americans believe the new legislation will make things worse rather than better for the U.S. as a whole, as well as for them personally, are consistent with previous Gallup polls showing a slight negative tilt when Americans are asked if they support the new plan.” (Frank Newport, “Americans Expect Health Bill To Mainly Help Poor, Uninsured,” Gallup, 3/19/10)