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Obama Speech Effective, No Game-Changer

Vitriol surrounding health care debate sure to continue

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 10, 2009 12:01 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama’s speech last night will probably prod Congress into passing health care reform, writes Joe Klein in Time. “But it will not end the public malignancy that has attended this debate, and threatens the democratic fabric of our nation.” Klein attended an Arkansas town hall recently and was shocked by the vitriol. He’s afraid that poison will spread from fans of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh to the public at large.

Lee Siegel of the Daily Beast agrees that the speech, however hyped, will change nothing. “The fight will resume, the abusive tactics will continue, the fur will fly—and one way or another, probably procedurally, Obama and most of the Democrats will ram the plan through,” he writes. He blames the media for feeding on "polarized spectacle." The legislation will get done, he says, but the stream of exaggerated "setbacks, defeats, duels to the death" will dog it to the end.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (3)]

President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of Congress on healthcare at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Jason Reed, pool)

In this Aug. 11, 2009, town hall meeting on health care reform in Lebanon, Pa., Sen. Arlen Specter is berated by an unidentified man who shouted, "One day God will stand before you and judge you!" (AP Photo/Bradley C. Bower, File)

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Every day will bring new headlines of dramatic setbacks, defeats, duels to the death, Obama’ presidency hinging on the fate of health care. But undramatically and pragmatically, Obama will get his legislation. - Lee Seigel

It would be a good thing if the President's speech turns the tide, and the remainder of this historic debate is conducted on higher ground, but I'm not sure that it will. - Joe Klein

A majority of the audience thought the President of the United States was some sort of subversive, surrounding himself with czars and self-declared communists. - Joe Klein

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

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Obama Speech Effective, No Game-Changer