Please help me with this. Pls tell me who the man in this video is?

[truedelphi]

And with my hearing being what it is, please also clarify...
Did he not use the words "Single Payer Universal Health Care?"

It looks like he is running for office or something...

Can anyone tell me what office that may have been??


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpAyan1fXCE

[lamp_shade]

1. It's like a freaking echo chamber in here today.

[Sebastian Doyle]

2. That guy sounds pretty cool

I'd probably vote for him if he ran for President.

[truedelphi]

7. He really sounds great.

When is the election?

I'd like to vote for that guy today, and return the Corporate-Interested Guy we now have at 1600 Pennsylvannia to his roots in the community. That might remind him of certain realities.

And help him understand the real meaning of "Green shoots"

[librechik]

3. sorry--haven't seen that guy around anywhere n/t

[Spazito]

4. Damn, you might try removing those blinders you have over your eyes then...

it would certainly help, imo.

[librechik]

5. It might help if he said the same things again once in awhile

instead of backing away and hedging so much.

You might be the one with the blinders on.

[Spazito]

11. Hmmm, with just a really quick scan, this is what I found...

From a letter TO Senator Kennedy and Senator Baucus, dated June 3, 2009:

"I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest."

http://healthreform.gov/2009healthcareletterpres.pdf

Obama stands by public option in healthcare debate (dated August 21, 2009)

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama stood by proposals to create a government-run health insurance program on Thursday while insisting the move was merely one element of a wider plan to reform the industry."

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE57D47P20090821?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews

President Obama Speaks to the AMA -The Public Option (dated June 15, 2009)

"President Obama walked into the lion's den on Monday, delivering a lengthy speech on his approach to health care reform in front of the annual gathering of the American Medical Association. But he did not dodge the major issue of contention -- the role the government will play in remaking the insurance market. "The public option is not your enemy, it is your friend," Obama declared at one point. His prepared remarks were a bit more detailed:

If you don't like your health coverage or don't have any insurance, you will have a chance to take part in what we're calling a Health Insurance Exchange.... You will have your choice of a number of plans that offer a few different packages, but every plan would offer an affordable, basic package. And one of these options needs to be a public option that will give people a broader range of choices and inject competition into the health care market so that force waste out of the system and keep the insurance companies honest."

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/healthlawprof_blog/2009/06/president-obama-speaks-to-the-ama-the-public-option.html

It is not I who has blinders.

[librechik]

16. Obama to Lay Out His Terms on Health Care Reform--Public Option Not Among Them

Today in TPM

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/obama-to-clarify-health-care--still-no-demand-for-public-option.php?ref=fpa

and Axelrod says only the spirit of the public option will remain

To haunt us with what might have been, I suppose.

Let's hope i'm completely wrong and he comes out Wednesday for a robust public option.

[Spazito]

19. The only news outlet I can find from which this originates is...

Politico and anyone who believes Politico, imo, is either inadvertently or deliberately aiding those who are against health care reform. TPM does not provide a link to the Associated Press article but, instead, links to Politico.

I am disappointed that TPM would even use Politico as a reference of any kind.

[librechik]

21. Heres' newsweek--it must have come out in the gaggle this am

that's when the shit hit the fan

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/09/02/the-white-house-waffles-on-the-public-plan-again.aspx

and you are exactly right about Politicburo--not reliable

[Spazito]

23. Newsweek is also using Politico as it's source...

and the rest is merely opinion using descriptors such as "Your Gaggler would best describe...", "Obama seemed to..." yet when they link to actual statements from the President he is stating his support for the public option:

"I am pleased by the progress we're making on health care reform and still believe, as I've said before, that one of the best ways to bring down costs, provide more choices, and assure quality is a public option that will force the insurance companies to compete and keep them honest. I look forward to a final product that achieves these very important goals."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-from-the-President-on-Health-Care-Reform/

In sum, whenever the President is ACTUALLY quoted, he has been consistent in his belief in the public option whereas the 'meme' that he is 'softening' on it relies solely on opinion.

Edited to add: I love your use of "Policburo", it is so appropriate!

[truedelphi]

24. It probably is wise to see what is said when

President Obama speaks out on this next week.

But as I watched him appear in front of one after another RW zombie groups, I couldn't help but think the only reason for him to make all these town hall appearances would be so he can make it look like it is such a hard hard thing to do. Like he cannot hear the 76% of all of us who want real heath care reform, becuz the other 24% are so darn noisy.

Great cover story, so he can appease the Corporate Interests while telling us "Hey, Guys, I really really did my best. But there was just too much opposition. Now go get me 104 Democrats seated in the Senate, and maybe SOMEDAY we can do better."

[Spazito]

28. I think you are underestimating his understanding of the RW noise...

He knows quite well the 'noise' that would be and was made. It was/is the same 'noise' made during the Clinton administration's effort to reform the health care system and he has made it very clear he has studied what happened at that time and who ramped up the opposition. From an interview with Jim Lehrer, July 20, 2009:

"PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I think what he is talking about is there is a certain portion of the Republican Party that views this like they saw '93, '94, the last time there was a major health-reform effort. They explicitly went after the Clintons, said we're not going to get this done. That went down and the -- at least the history, the way it's viewed here in Washington -- is that that is what helped defeat Democrats. So it was a pure political play, a show of strength by the Republicans that helped them regain the House.

I think there are folks who think that we should try to dust off that old playbook. What they don't recognize is, this isn't about me; it's about the American people. And things have gotten worse since 1993. More people are uninsured. Everybody's expenses are higher. The system is even more inefficient. And so rather than play political games, I think I expect people to try to be constructive."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec09/obama_07-20.html



For President Obama to shout from the rooftops in July and August about health care reform and the public option would not reach the American public because, far from sitting in front of their television sets or their computers, they were: away on holidays; tending to gardens; spending time at beaches or parks; entertaining family and friends on their patio, in their living rooms, etc.

The ramp up we see happening now is because, just as the kids are back in school, the American public is coming back from 'holidays' and will be around to listen.

I have heard nothing from the President that indicates he has changed since this was said:

I suffer no illusions that this will be an easy process. It will be hard. But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and the conscience of our nation long enough. So let there be no doubt: health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year."

– President Barack Obama, February 24, 2009

I have heard, however, any number of pundits, professional and otherwise, opining that this has changed.

Edited to add the link and quote from the Lehrer interview.

[defendandprotect]

34. k i c k

[truedelphi]

39. Very informative post, Thanks. n/t

[orleans]

9. fail! n/t

[glitch]

6. K & R nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. As Bob Dylan said...

“Now, the man on the stand he wants my vote,
He's a-runnin' for office on the ballot note.
He's out there preachin' in front of the steeple,
Tellin' me he loves all kinds-a people.
(He's eatin' bagels
He's eatin' pizza
He's eatin' chitlins
He's eatin' bullshit!)”

Bob Dylan

[Eric J in MN]

10. Obama before he was corrupted by corporate interests. NT

NT

[slay]

12. Hey I voted for that guy! What ever happened to him?

for real - candidate Obama and president Obama seem like two totally different people... i remember him saying that when he wanted our votes as well..

[Hydra]

13. It's too bad corporations run America

Barak Obama the man probably wants all of the things that would be good for us. President Obama, however, must tapdance for us while keeping his real employers happy.

The way things are now, you could give me the presidency and I'd do what was needed with the power there, but you couldn't get me to run. I'd have to sell my soul to win.

[defendandprotect]

36. That said, we're admiting that democracy is gone with fascist corporatism . . .

We can change things if we all understand this --

There's only one way the right can rise and that's by political violence, assassiantion --
intimidation, blackmail, frame-ups, "Swiftboating" -- control of the press --

and, certainly, via stolen elections. It was clear in 2000 and 2004, but I don't think
most people understand this has been going on since the large computers used by MSM and the
individual voting computers began coming in during the mid-1960's and late-1960's, respectively.

Not only did it allow MSM to move on from simply reporting votes and totals, but to begin to
PREDICT VOTES/TOTALS and to PREDICT/CALL STATES for candidates.

Interesting to reflect on the 1968 Humphrey/Nixon election . . .

Every day we see confirmation that the public is waking up to the propaganda of our corporate
press, but they need to understand their overall complicity in vote steals and cover-ups.

Meanwhile, if you're interested, two journalists investigated computer vote steals in the
late 1960's --

http://www.constitution.org/vote/votescam__.htm

[HughBeaumont]

42. I'd run, but you'd better believe I'd be surrounded by bodyguards for the duration.

Because what I'd vote in, without a FIGHT, would piss off a whole lotta powerful people . . . great enough where they would attempt some "national tragedy". I'd be instantly ending wars. I'd be taxing some sumbitches to the hilton. I'd be penalizing some corporate raider bastards and their SEC abettors. I'd raid the Cayman Island/Bermuda/offshore "corporations". I'd forbid job offshoring until unemployment gets back to something that they can ignore. I'd defund the Pentasewer in favor of works/infrastructure/transportation programs. I'd break up corporate monopolization of the media. I'd institute SINGLE PAYER. Any citizen within a mile of me that has a loaded firearm and a fucking "Tree of Liberty" shirt for the purpose of intimidation - arrest. Don't try MY ass, wingers. I'm NOBODY'S bitch.

Any rich person thinks they'll be laying a bullet to stop me . . . you're gonna have to get through layers or blow my ass up. And you go that second route . . . chances are the American public will figure out it weren't your convenient & reliable Islamic scapegoats what done it. Pigs.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/HughBeaumont/91

[DaLittle Kitty]

46. Corporate America RUNS America! That's IT!

:think: :puke:

[earth mom]

14. duplicate-delete

[earth mom]

15. Politics as usual. We've been played folks. nt

[flyarm]

17. some of us where played ..others of us..NOT SO MUCH! eom

[earth mom]

20. Yeah, I knew the score a long time ago too. I just want to wake some people up now. nt

[quiet.american]

18. I'll wait to join the pile-on until after we hear from Obama himself next week. nt

[create.peace]

22. first we have to take the senate, the house, the presidency....nt

[rhett o rick]

25. Plez define "we". nt

[create.peace]

29. The candidate Obama said that at the end of that vid....nt

[rhett o rick]

30. Maybe his "we" did, but my "we" didnt. nt

[flyarm]

27. but don't worry..the powder is dry!!!!!!..eom

[rhett o rick]

26. That is Barak Obama the candidate. Not to be confused with Barak Obama the President. nt

[FogerRox]

31. TIme to march on DC, Sept 13th, is that the right date?

[defendandprotect]

35. Is the AFL-CIO calling for Democrats to march for MEDICARE FOR ALL????

[mzmolly]

32. He supports Single Payer - but he also said we may not get there immediately.

:(

[defendandprotect]

33. Hi trudelphi . . . think you're sharper than many of us here at DU--!!!

Like the sound of it -- "Single Payer, Universal Health Care" the man said --

He also said . . . "We're spending 14% of our GNP without providing health care for everyone!"

The man said . . ."Everybody in, nobody out!"

The guy who on second look bears a striking resemblance to Obama was telling the AFL/CIO
that we need to take back the White House FIRST . . . !!!

Look like Obama knew then what needed to be said and what needed to be done!!!

Now let's all remind him of it !!!

Thanks, trudelphi!



:) :)

[truedelphi]

41. Most of my political "smarts" have come to me via info offered by

Others here at DU.

And from time spent in the trenches on the "Stolen Election" issues.

Now realizing that my sleeves need to stay rolled up as their is always so much work to do.

(BTW - the biggest piece of "info" I have received in last five days has been from the Peter Jackson movie "District Nine." Really awesome. You might not sleep after seeing it, but it is a valuable contribution to explaining the Gestalt of our times.)

I am always glad when I see your name on any discussion, D&P!

[defendandprotect]

43. Same here, tru --

and I'll try to see Jackson's movie --

:)

[autorank]

37. K*R Great Stuff !!!!!!!!!

:hi:

[zonkers]

38. Mos Def? Bryant Gumbel? Clifton Davis? It's fuzzy video. Can't tell.

[subcomhd]

40. Clinton Lost, Over It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDAPLb-HVcM&feature=related

[bridgit]

44. Hm, well let's see whoop! I...don't think...I'm allowed to say here...

But I thank you, truedelphi, from before thank you so much :hug:

[truedelphi]

45. Are you the same bridg who offered up the luscious

Oracle from Pre Raphealite times on another post maybe two weeks ago? (There's a brigid here on DU as well.) I really loved it as I only knew of the Sistine Chapel Delphic oracle.

In any case, return :hug: