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Sep 9 2009, 9:53 pm by Matthew Cooper

Did It Work?

Did the speech work? Did it reset the debate? I don't know and I don't think we'll know for awhile. But I thought it missed a few things that might have made it better:

Hope. There wasn't a vision of a world where you don't have to wrestle with your insurer to get reimbursed, where you can leave your job without losing your insurance, where you can get it. There was a lot of reassurance but I thought the hope element was undersold.

It Won't Cost You a Dime. Can it be true that the plan preserves everything people like in the current system, fixes what's wrong and adds nothing to the deficit? People smarter than me say it's possible. I'm not sure people are gonna buy it.

Too much in the room. I thought it was much more focused on the 535 elected officials in the room than any joint speech I'd seen. It kind of felt more like a Roosevelt Room talk than a speech to the country. A lot of process.

That said, the Kennedy riff was powerful and the portrayal of Kennedy as bipartisan leader was pretty brilliant. The line about government bureaucrats and insurance bureaucrats was a good conflation. Was it enough? I don't know. I don't think we'll know for awhile.

On a personal note, Tony Lee, the conservative writer, makes the point that we got to see another Joe Wilson give the White House hell. La plus ca change.... 

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Comments (9)

Swopa

Good analysis -- interesting that you combine saying he didn't sell enough of an idealistic vision with saying people will be skeptical of his ambition, but I understand where you're coming from.

To me, the main thing is whether this speech is a one-off effort or part of an extended campaign to last until a bill is passed. That it was preceded with two high-profile speeches suggests the latter. If so, your points would be good ones for the WH to take into consideration as it presses forward.

Swopa

Good analysis -- interesting that you combine saying he didn't sell enough of an idealistic vision with saying people will be skeptical of his ambition, but I understand where you're coming from.

To me, the main thing is whether this speech is a one-off effort or part of an extended campaign to last until a bill is passed. That it was preceded with two high-profile speeches suggests the latter. If so, your points would be good ones for the WH to take into consideration as it presses forward.

Freedom Fighter

I'd say it has about the same effectiveness as his previous 50 speeches on health care.

The problem isn't Obama, the problem is with the MSM. The MSM has pretty much expended all of its credibility on this guy. You can only repeat the meme that Obama is the smartest, most articulate, most bipartisan, most handsome, most fashionable, most post-racial, most enchanting, most magnificent being in the history of human civilization, before people start to see him for the affirmative action empty suit that he is.

Freedom Fighter

I'd say it has about the same effectiveness as his previous 50 speeches on health care.

The problem isn't Obama, the problem is with the MSM. The MSM has pretty much expended all of its credibility on this guy. You can only repeat the meme that Obama is the smartest, most articulate, most bipartisan, most handsome, most fashionable, most post-racial, most enchanting, most magnificent being in the history of human civilization, before people start to see him for the affirmative action empty suit that he is.

Jeff

50 minutes of my life I wish I could get back. Nothing new here. Blame the republicans for criticizing his plan when he doesn't have the support he needs in his own party to pass the bill. More ambiguous fuzzy math as to how the whole thing gets paid for.

satrap

Jeff, there are many worse ways to spend your time, that's for sure. Just watching the people in the room (they look so normal for being the titans of the country) is worth it. And what's up with Hillary and Nancy's bright red flaming outfits. Yes, ladies, you're really important we get it.

I like watching and listening to Obama because he makes it very clear as to what he is fighting for. Now I'm not foolish enough to think that this stuff will be deficit neutral, since nothing the government is doing ever is, but I don't think it really matters much any more. This is going to pass-100%- because the liberal caucus who declare they won't vote for a bill without a public plan is bluffing. Can you IMAGINE Barbara Lee actually voting against a bill Barack Obama supported? I didn't think so.

Jeff (Replying to: satrap)

Satrap,

I would take your analysis a step further and say that the blue dogs aren't going to vote for it without the public option. The deficit is actually playing a huge part in this. You can't keep spending money you don't have - noble causes or not. I actually could see BL voting against BO since absence of the public option would deeply offend her base (California 9th District) and she is up for reelection next year.

Peter Principle

"Can it be true that the plan preserves everything people like in the current system, fixes what's wrong and adds nothing to the deficit? People smarter than me say it's possible."

Of course, that last category includes about 99% of the population of the planet, but you would think even Ambinder knows what taxes are - and what they are used for.

Elmer_Stoup

"It Won't Cost You a Dime. Can it be true that the plan preserves everything people like in the current system, fixes what's wrong and adds nothing to the deficit? People smarter than me say it's possible."

Mr. Cooper: Please give your intelligence more credit. To paraphrase George Orwell, somethings are so stupid that only a left-wing intellectual could believe them.