Obama: I'm Wading Into Health Debate

Worried that his preferred health care fixes are losing ground, President Obama has decided to wade into the debate with speeches and town-hall-style meetings, the New York Times reports. Reversing his plan to leave health care up to Congress, Obama plans to push for broad principles, not policy points. But "it will become President Obama’s plan," one White House official said.

Obama has said his main goal is to cover 45 million uninsured Americans while improving care and lowering costs. But a political minefield awaits: Labor, the health care industry, and moderate Democrats could be incensed by ideas ranging from employee benefit taxes to a big Medicare-style plan. Then there are the Republicans. “He’s doing good by staying out of it," one GOP senator said. “He’d better use kid gloves at the start.” (More Barack Obama stories.)