Obama Makes Desperate Move In Health Care Fight

Wow ! President Obama is really scratching the bottom of the barrel trying to sell his health care plan. Today he made a speech where he basically said, while illegals would not be covered in the Obamacare bill, he will be working to grant the illegals amnesty so they will be legally covered. The reason for this is twofold, first to get conservative Hispanics behind his plan, and secondarily he knows that amnesty for illegals is an issue that divided the republican party when it was brought up two years ago:

“As you know there’s been a little controversy about who exactly will be covered under reform,” said Obama. “I want to be clear: If someone is here illegally, they won’t be covered under this plan. That’s a commitment I’ve made.



“But I also want to make this clear: Even though I do not believe we can extend coverage to those who are here illegally, I also don't simply believe we can ignore the fact that our immigration system is broken," the president said. 

"That's why I strongly support making sure folks who are here legally have access to affordable, quality health insurance under this plan, just like everybody else,” he added. “And we certainly should not let this debate on health care--one that’s so essential to Hispanic Americans and all Americans--get side tracked by those looking to exploit division and kill reform at any cost. That’s what they always try to do.

"If anything, this debate underscores the necessity of passing comprehensive immigration reform and resolving the issue of 12 million undocumented people living and working in this country once and for all," Obama said. "That's what I've said from the start. That's what I say tonight."

No that's not the desperate move I was talking about, the move I was talking about is that he is bringing in Joe Biden to help sell his health care plan:

Biden Plans Move to Health Care Frontlines Next Week


By Ceci Connolly
Fresh off his trip to Iraq, Vice President Biden will wade deep into the health-care debate next week, according to administration sources.


Biden is slated to give his "first major health policy address" Tuesday to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and on Wednesday visits the Leisure World retirement community in Silver Spring.


On the subject of Obama and health reform, seniors have been the most skeptical age group in the nation. That's a major concern for the White House because retirees vote in large numbers, particularly in mid-term elections. Biden, who will be joined at Leisure World by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and White House health czar Nancy-Ann DeParle, plans to "talk directly to seniors about how changes in Medicare will not affect them medically and will in fact, strengthen the system," said an aide who was not authorized to be quoted.


Biden's higher profile also will also come during a week in which President Obama will turn his focus to foreign policy.


Perhaps more importantly, Biden will be reaching out to an array of lawmakers to press the case for bipartisan enactment of a bill that expands insurance coverage and holds down skyrocketing costs. After spending 36 years in the Senate, Biden's role will be less as a health policy expert and more as a peer.


"Health care has not been a signature issue for him. The expertise he brings to bear are his relationships in the Senate," said one staffer. "He is somebody who can have really candid conversations with members about what they need. He has their trust and if he says, 'We'll push this for you,' they can take his word to the bank."


In addition to fellow Democrats, Biden plans to court Republicans in the administration hunt for health care votes. Just as he did during debate on the economic recovery package, his list of targets will include the two GOP senators from Maine, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, as well as Republicans George Voinovich of Ohio and Richard Lugar of Indiana.


Don't forget, Biden fans are quick to note, it wasn't long after those stimulus package negotiations that Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter switched parties from Republican to Democrat.