News

THE SUMMIT TAKEAWAY - Disciplined Republicans came off looking more like principled opponents than foaming-at-the-mouth obstructionists. And though they griped about it, Republicans were probably helped by President Obama's penchant for monopolizing the microphone. Obama fielded almost every rebuttal, leaving both Republicans and Democrats to speak when spoken to. As a group, Democrats focused on the "why" of health reform instead of the "how." Their stories about real people struggling with health insurance did little to explain how their legislation would make things better. And it remains difficult to see how the summit changed the underlying politics, which still rely largely on winning over Democratic moderates. The meeting itself didn't provide much new cover for wary red-state Democrats. But Obama appears intent on adding some Republican proposals to his bill, a move almost guaranteed to win no GOP votes. That kind of obstinacy might move the needle, Mary Landrieu-style. Earlier this week, the moderate Democrat blasted the GOP's "faux" bipartisanship and signaled a willingness to consider passing reform through reconciliation - a move she had expressed qualms about in past. If Obama can stoke that kind of fire in other moderates, he just might have a shot at passing reform.