WASHINGTON - — WASHINGTON - - With many Americans doubtful about his plans to overhaul the U.S. health care system, President Barack Obama sought Wednesday to lay out in personal terms how they stand to gain from the legislation that he has made one of the top goals of his presidency.
Acknowledging that Americans had become skeptical of proposals now being debated in Congress, Obama defended his push to move quickly on legislation that aims to give more people health insurance coverage and control health care costs.
"I'm rushed, because I get letters every day from families that are being clobbered by health care costs," Obama said.
The president questioned the motives of those opposed to a health care overhaul. Arrayed against the initiative, he said, are Republican critics determined to saddle him with a high-profile defeat that would weaken him politically.
"This isn't about me," he said. This is about every family, every business and every taxpayer who continues to shoulder the burden of a problem that Washington has failed to solve for decades."
The prime-time news conference was an attempt to regain momentum for a major change in the health care system, one of Obama's signature issues in the 2008 presidential race.
Even fellow Democrats say it is unrealistic to meet Obama's deadline and pass a bill before lawmakers go home next month. Equally worrisome for the White House is mounting opposition from powerful interest groups.
Obama's strategy is to rally public support behind his plan, making it easier for lawmakers to vote for the legislation. Appealing directly to the public, Obama sent a message that doing nothing would impose a huge cost on ordinary families.
"If somebody told you that there is a plan out there that is guaranteed to double your health care costs over the next 10 years, that's guaranteed to result in more Americans losing their health care, and that is by far the biggest contributor to our federal deficit, I think most people would be opposed to that," Obama said. "Well, that's the status quo. So, if we don't change, we can't expect a different result."
The president reiterated his support for a new government insurance program to compete with private insurers.
Republicans offered swift criticism.
