President Obama's Focus on Health Care Will Be Crucial to Reform

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/11/AR2009071101767.html?hpid=topnews
Dan Balz

After a week of international diplomacy, President Obama returns to Washington this week facing an even greater diplomatic challenge: nudging the large and controversial health-care reform package toward consensus on Capitol Hill.

Headlines during his absence pointed to multiple problems -- beyond the virtual wall of opposition among Republicans. There is resistance among conservative Blue Dog Democrats over the potential cost. There is nervousness among progressives that the White House might compromise too much on a public insurance option. The all-important Senate Finance Committee appears stymied. As a result, the prospects of floor action in the House and Senate before the August recess now appear in jeopardy.

White House officials remain publicly optimistic, even while recognizing the hurdles ahead. "When you get this close, you get a lot of heat," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said. "It comes with the nature of what we're doing. I'm saying that in an affirmative way."

But an administration loyalist who is deep into the health-care battle, and who was decidedly more optimistic a few weeks ago, offered a counter to Emanuel's assessment. "I think the headlines are accurate," he said. "Things are not going as well as I would have liked for a lot of reasons."

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No one expects Obama to declare in dictatorial terms what shape the legislation must take, but lawmakers are now looking for much clearer guidance from the White House on the tough issues remaining. As one nervous administration ally said, "The president's involvement and engagement almost exclusively on health care the next two weeks is essential."