White House Healthcare Reform Summit This Thursday - Live on CSPAN

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[judi]

It does seem like much theater

I wish they had a huge flip chart to write down everything that they do agree on...

reps...so far I only hear them keep saying over and over again...start over with the bill...hey we cant wait...and promise not to do reconciliation...I think they are scared

is there a place to chat while we watch?

[futurexpat?]

There is The Mudflats Live Chat (tree house) at the top right corner of the page. You might find a few people in there. Just click on it. I can't be in it right now, but I might try to get in later.

[futurexpat?]

Best quote of the day from the event, according to Newsweek.

"I even had one constituent—you will not believe this, and I know you won't, but it's true—her sister died. This poor woman had no dentures—she wore her dead sister's teeth, which of course were uncomfortable, did not fit. Did you ever believe that in America that that's where we would be? This is the last chance as far as I'm concerned, particularly on the export business. We have fallen behind, we're no longer the biggest manufacturer in the world, we've lost our technological edge. We have an opportunity to do that, but a major part of the success of that is getting this health care passed."

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2010/02/25/quote-of-the-day-rep-louise-slaughter.aspx

From Rep. Louise Slaughter, Democrat, NY. She sums up our problems pretty well, I'd say.

I will add, though, that I liked Obama's closing remarks.

[Lani]

I think this was mostly for the public.  But how many actually watched it?  I saw only minutes, but they included ol'McCracky carrying on and the prez reminding him that the election was over.

As I drove to work, I heard about 10 minutes of Limbaugh ranting about the McCrackers-Obama exchange.  He claimed McCain infuriated the Prez, who then blew up at him because he is scared.  On the way home, I heard Ed Shultz describing the same encounter, in glowing terms for the president.

My point being, it was a soundbite fiesta.  Most people will learn very little about the summit, and what they learn will depend on the media they turn to. 

[Jaime from Wasilla]

As long as the majority of talking heads say that it was a win for the Democrats and the President, that is what "the public" will believe.

[Lani]

Well, if that is what they hear, I will be very happy.

[Sirenoftitan]

Oh dear!

<snip>
But such is the divide between the two parties that they even argued beforehand about the shape of the table they would sit at, rejecting a U-shaped one for a rectangular formation. They also bickered throughout the summit about how much time each side was being given.

Opening the session, Obama pleaded for a bipartisan approach to health reform. "Unfortunately, over the course of the year, despite all the hearings that took place and all the negotiations that took place … this became a very ideological battle," he said. "It became a very partisan battle. And politics I think ended up trumping practical common sense." He personalised the debate, talking of when his daughters Malia and Sasha had been ill and when his mother died.

Obama plans final push for health reform bill as summit turns testy by Ewen MacAskill , The Guardian

[LisaB]

What annoys me about this process is that no one answers to anyone.  "My constituents, my constituents, the American People"   

In reality it's all about ME ME ME getting face time on TV.   

[futurexpat?]

Well, maybe this is a sign of interest. I wonder if the White House will actually think about what this means.

Judging by White House web traffic, public interest in the summit far surpassed that for President Obama's State of the Union address in January.

According to White House New Media Director Macon Phillips, there were more than 3.9 million streams of the White House's live webcast today. Phillips said that's more than triple the amount of traffic the White House tallied for its live webcast of the president's SOTU address, when 1.3 million watched the president speak via the White House's webcast.

Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall reported that his site saw a big bump in traffic:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/health-care-summit-breaki_n_473945.html

[judi]

that is amazing

shoot...didnt see the post that we could go into chat to discuss while watching until today darn it

I watched the entire thing...yea...except when I left to get the grand kids from school....

there were one or two moments early in the game, when I was hopeful that they just may actually talk...but that did not last

that Lamar guy...wow Pres called him out...asked him to show it (CBO stuff on costs premiums rising under pres plan...pres said no and explained it)....by the end of the summit... I dont think he did unless I missed that part

love...it is no longer reconciliation...it is called majority vote 

[Sister Artemis]

FYI:
CSpan has a page with links:
http://www.c-span.org/Topics/Health-Care-Insurance-Reform-Legislation-Town-Hall.aspx


There, you can...

Watch:
Health Care Summit Morning Session   
Health Care Summit Afternoon Session
Dem Leaders Press Briefing   
GOP Leaders Press Briefing   

Read :
WH health care proposal   
H.R. 3590 (Senate)     
H.R. 3926 (House)


I was thinking, this morning, how different that summit would have been if it had been held in a nice big sunny room, everyone sitting on couches or comfy chairs, instead of at tables, with some nice coffee or tea or whatever, maybe nibbles, and without all their props of piled up bills and such.  What if it had been a conversation, instead of a meeting.

Might have been more contentious, but more productive.  Maybe....

[Forty Watt]

What if it had been a conversation, instead of a meeting.

I would be happy to know they even remember what a conversation is.

[daMamma]

What if it had been a conversation, instead of a meeting.

I would be happy to know they even remember what a conversation is.

Ditto that thought!