Pfeiffer: ""The president comes up big in moments like this..."

[Clio the Leo]

WH lays out SOTU for congressional staff
January 27, 2010

In his State of the Union speech tonight, President Obama will remind the country why he took on health care reform, explain the virtues of the House and Senate passed bills and renew his commitment to push reform over the finish line.

That was the message White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer gave House and Senate staffers during a morning call previewing the address, according to participants on the call.

“He’s going to make clear just how important health care it is and what a critical priority it is," said a Democratic congressional staffer on the call. "The president comes up big in moments like this so let’s let him. He’s very good at this. ... When people need to hear his voice, he sings loud and clearly and I suspect that he will tonight.”

But the burning question left unanswered in the briefing was whether Obama will weigh in on how he thinks congressional leaders should move forward. On the doorstep of victory earlier this month, reform lost its momentum last week when Republican Scott Brown won the Massachusetts Senate race and ended the Democrats' 60-vote Senate majority. Since then, lawmakers have struggled to reassert control.

Some Democrats have called on Obama to use the speech to give his party legislative marching orders while others, like House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, said he doesn't expect such specifics from the president.

But Democratic leaders have been slow to decide on a way forward in part because they have been eagerly awaiting Obama's speech, hoping it brings some much needed mojo and momentum back to the debate, a Democratic aide said.

"His commitment to addressing this challenge in a comprehensive way is as strong today as it was when he stood in the same spot in September to address the nation on health care," said a White House aide, adding that there will be additional details tonight.

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/0110/WH_lays_out_SOTU_for_congressional_staff_.html

President Barack Obama walks along the West Wing Colonnade toward the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, ahead of his State of the Union address.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psaHLi7-DIs">I've had this song stuck in my head all day.

And no matter what you think of President Obama at the moment, thank your diety of choice that he at least speaks better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAhf59sacpo">than THIS dude.