Obama Heads to Town-Hall Meetings

**archangel689** · August 10th, 2009, 08:54 PM

Ugh.... this is gona be ugly.

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WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama will spend the week trying to convince Americans with health insurance that legislation in Congress would benefit them, holding three town-hall meetings, a venue where Democrats have faced loud complaints.

Mr. Obama plans to hold the town-hall meetings Tuesday in Portsmouth, N.H., Friday in Bozeman, Mont., and Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo. A White House official said participants wouldn't be screened to keep out opponents.

Mr. Obama, who has previously focused on cutting overall health spending, will now emphasize how the legislation would fix three specific problems, according to the White House official. An overhaul would end the practice of denying insurance coverage to people with a pre-existing illness; keep people from losing their coverage if they get sick; and protect Americans who face high out-of-pocket medical costs, the official said Mr. Obama would say.

The White House has been upstaged in recent days by a series of congressional town-hall meetings that turned rowdy after attendees shouted questions about the president's top domestic-policy priority. The official said cabinet members and other advisers would be dispatched to echo the president's message about fixing the three problems.

Republican lawmakers in general support two of the three changes Mr. Obama plans to emphasize: ending denials of coverage based on pre-existing illness and protecting the sick from losing their insurance. Insurers also have agreed to abandon these practices as long as lawmakers pass a new law requiring most people to carry insurance.

Republicans are hoping to capitalize on the unrest displayed at the meetings to highlight their discontent with other aspects of the health legislation, including the roughly $1 trillion price tag over 10 years and a proposed surtax on the wealthy that is part of a House bill.

"People...are very much concerned about the cost and the fact that their taxes could be raised," said Gail Gitcho, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee.

The Democratic National Committee, taking its cues from the White House, said it is mobilizing supporters to attend local meetings that have been dominated by health-overhaul opponents. Organizing for America, Mr. Obama's grass-roots advocacy group, has started sending locally targeted emails to notify supporters when their lawmaker is holding an event in their town.

Write to Janet Adamy at janet.adamy@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124994653098120945.html

**Guns4Fun** · August 10th, 2009, 08:59 PM

If they are going to be screening to keep out opponents, what is the point. Just a bunch of dim wits stroking each other I guess

. oops, missed the would not be screened part - i guess i should read a little better. You are right - should be fun - but i don't think they are telling the truth about not screening - we cant have people disagree with the great one.

Hopefully they don't put it on TV - so we don't have to listen to the BS his teleprompter is telling him to say. now that a read it better, i hope it is on TV - lets get the tomatoes ready

**1861** · August 10th, 2009, 09:12 PM

Anyone really believe the deck won"t be stacked with SEIU folks ?

**Halftrack** · August 10th, 2009, 09:16 PM

I think it's a really bad idea. He's still the president and security will be an absolute nightmare. This guy thinks he's still on the campaign trail.

I really don't want Joe Biden as my president.

**1861** · August 10th, 2009, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Halftrack

I think it's a really bad idea. He's still the president and security will be an absolute nightmare. This guy thinks he's still on the campaign trail.

I really don't want Joe Biden as my president.

How about Miss Nancy ?

**cgbudde** · August 10th, 2009, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by 1861

How about Miss Nancy ?

AAAAAAAAAAAAH, sorry just the thought scared me. I'm ok now the paramedics are helping.

**FormerUser123** · August 10th, 2009, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by 1861

How about Miss Nancy ?

When you thought things couldn't get worse lol... Biden would be a lame duck president, even in his first term. I can't see that guy doing anything but looking goofy.

Imagine the headlines if Obama got martyred. I mean murdered. "Obama killed because he was black." "Never would have happened if guns were banned."

**Halftrack** · August 10th, 2009, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by 1861

How about Miss Nancy ?

NOW you're talking. Since she and Reid have been working very, very hard on the bill, they can both come out and give us a first hand report on their progress.

They can also speak to the crowds that she has so graciously deemed "un-American". Yeah, that should go over real well.