obama health care speech live comments

Live posting ended shortly after 9 pm Wednesday evening. Transcript is below. See President Stresses Moral Imperative of Health Care Reform for deeper analysis by our panel.

Who's who:

MariaFCK: Maria Rodale, CEO of Rodale Inc. and editor-in-chief of Rodale.com. You can read Maria's comments about the health care debate and all sorts of other topics on her blog, Maria's Farm Country Kitchen.

Lisabain32: Lisa Bain, executive editor, Women's Health magazine. Check this month's issue of Women's Health for Michelle Obama's thoughts on health care and raising a family in the West Wing, plus her workout secrets.

Pflax1: Peter Flax: Executive editor, Runner's World magazine.

DaveAtBicycling: David Howard, Executive editor, Bicycling magazine.

Editrmh: Peter Moore, Editor, Men's Health magazine. This month, you can read Peter's interview with Barack Obama in Men's Health, and with Michelle Obama in Women's Health.

Jmrossman: Jeffery Rossman, PhD, Rodale.com advisor and columnist, clinical psychologist, and director of life management at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA.

DZ: Diana Zuckerman, PhD, president of the National Research Center for Women & Families, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and education organization that works to improve policies and programs that affect the health and safety of women, children, and families.

LIVE COMMENTS BELOW (most recent first):
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DZ: Republican response repeats misleading criticisms of Obama's plan But Obama doesn't need republicans if he can get all of the democrats

DZ: His 'I still believe' refrain reminds me of Martin Luther king and he is trying to use that to be uplifting.

EDITRMH For all the bluster, there are plenty of things we all agree on. Let's get on with it.

DZ: He reminds us that too little govt is as bad as too much.

mariaFCK Maybe we'll wake up tomorrow to a whole new America...I can dream, can't I? Goodnight!

Pflax1 I guess Americans have to decide whether what's more important: lowering costs or extending coverage to all. They may not get both

EDITRMH Why do the Republicans always choose people from Louisiana to respond?

DaveAtBicycling Boustany wants to start over. So what have they been doing for months now, exactly?

EDITRMH History's test: to reveal who we truly are. Timid, or triumphant?

Pflax1 This speech may move minds and hearts in America, but it doesn't seem to be warming hearts on the other side of the aisle

EDITRMH The vulnerable: any of us who loses a job.

DaveAtBicycling "I still believe we can act even when it's hard." That's what we need to see out of this president. Stand and fight.

mariaFCK "We did not come here to fear the future we came here to shape it." I love him!

DZ: Obama says We can't do nothing. We can't fail.

Pflax1 Whether you agree or disagree with Obama, this is a very smart speech. The moral rationale maybe stronger than the logistical one.

EDITRMH The history of our progress: joining together to overcome obstacles.

EDITRMH Experience over ideology. I'll take it.

DZ: Can reducing waste and abuse really pay for health care reform? I think so but it would require a stricter FDA....

mariaFCK God Bless America

DZ: Republicans are not looking happy.

Pflax1 Kennedy is right: This is as much a moral issue as a political and economic one.

mariaFCK Bringing out the Ted!

EDITRMH At last, the moral issue. That's why we do this. Because that's what sort of people we are.

lisabain32 "That great unfinished business of our society." -- Ted Kennedy

lisabain32 So glad he's mentioning Ted Kennedy. RIP.

lisabain32"If you misrepresent what is in this plan, we will call you out." You go, Mr. President!

DaveAtBicycling "I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than to improve it."

isabain32 Hope Women's Health readers are listening. Over 1/4 of 25-34 yr

EDITRMH Nancy Pelosi's dress clashes with the flag. Bad choice.

EDITRMH Uh oh. Dick Cheny just threw his shoe at the tv.

mariaFCK Republicans need to get a soul

lisabain32 Tax cuts for the wealthy! Take that, Republicans!

Pflax1 Thowing a (malpractice) bone to the other side of the aisle?

EDITRMH Hey, can applause be sarcastic?

EDITRMH Another best practice: getting off your butt and exercising.

lisabain32 Great quote on NPR: "My drycleaner has a higher-tech system than my local hospital." (Paraphrased.)

DaveAtBicycling Lots of love for seniors and Medicare. Obama surely knows how they turn out to vote.

lisabain32 Peter, I agree with you about the standing ovations. They get in the way of BO's natural rhythm.

lisabain32 Too many seniors don't seem to understand that Medicare IS a government program...Why is that?3 minutes ago

mariaFCK waste! fraud! unwarranted subsidies!

EDITRMH Hey, isn't Medicare socialized medicine? And don't we all love it? Hmmmmmmm.

jmrossman He's doing a brilliant job of speaking to the Left and the Right. The Big Question is whether the Public Option can really pay for itself.

mariaFCK wait, didn't all those people in the room approve the budgets that didn't pay for itself?

lisabain32 Grumpy Republicans! Hate to have it pointed out that Obama inherited the deficit.

DZ: Insurance companies care about profit and that's why we need a public option. I agree. Good comparison with public colleges.

DZ: He says don't believe lies about plan No death panels No government money to pay for abortions

lisabain32 I'm distracted by all the lavender ties.

Pflax1 Just asking: Is a government takeover of health care really a bad thing? Is there really that much love for insurance companies?

lisabain32 Wait, is he backing off the public option?

mariaFCK what were those papers people were holding up?

EDITRMH Oh, right, work together. There's an unusual idea.

DaveAtBicycling Interesting how hard he's trying to soft-pedal the public option.

Pflax1 The public option will be self-sufficient? Like the Postal Service or Amtrak? It may be the right thing to do, but still.

EDITRMH These standing Os are in fact ridiculous. Let's ban them as part of the package.

lisabain32 Public option! Yes!

mariaFCK It all gets back to compensation strategy. Jack Welch is smiling somewhere.

DZ: 4 year plan and some immediate changes too. But having coverage is the responsible thing even if you are young and healthy.

DZ: Those who have no insurance will have new affordable choices

DZ: His plan will: Limit costs to individuals Require preventive coverage No problem with preexisting conditions2 minutes ago

EDITRMH Are these legislators, or street hooligans? If the former, they need to work this out.

EDITRMH Responsibility to self, responsibility to each other. E pluribus unum: out of many one.

lisabain32 OOH, who yelled "LIE!"

mariaFCK It's beginning to look a lot like British Parliament. Fun!

DaveAtBicycling Lots of long faces on the GOP side about the death-panel slapdown.

lisabain32 Death panels! He brought it up. Good for him. "It is a lie, plain and simple." Prominent politicians--take that, Sarah Palin!

Pflax1 "Significant details that still need to be worked out." Methinks the good folks at Foxnews are going to jump on that tonight

lisabain32 Is healthcare a super-profitable industry in any other country? I don't think so....

EDITRMH Insurance is the most boring subject in the world, unless you don't have it. Then it's a tragedy.

EDITRMH The president is enumerating benefits, but I simply want to live in a country that heals all.

lisabain32 Olympia Snow isn't clapping.....

lisabain32A nice shout-out to McCain.

mariaFCK John McCain could use some crest white strips.

DZ: And he says you can keep your current doctor and plan if you want.

DZ: He presents his views as moderate. And he says we agree on 80 percent so its time for bipartisan action.

Pflax1 Who is the co-op option better for....individual Americans or the insurance industry?

lisabain32 Young people need to know how important this is. 19-24 yr olds are the group with the highest % of uninsured.

mariaFCK "No one should go broke because they get sick!" good one.

lisabain32 Are insurance companies willing to NOT drop people who get sick?

lisabain32 He's saying it clearly:"Nothing in this plan requires you to change what you have." Will people listen?

mariaFCK insurance companies are the real death squads!

EDITRMH Confusion is the friend of inertia, not progress.

DaveAtBicycling "Scare tactics." Who wants to bet we won't hear the words "death panels?"

lisabain32 Is he giving up on trying to win over the Republicans? "The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action."

EDITRMH Good to remember: the insurance companies are now rationing care, for profit. That's not justice.

DZ President Obama acknowledges past leaders in health care reform but not the Clintons. But he sounds like Hillary Clinton.

mariaFCK It all comes down to insurance companies raping the american people...

DaveAtBicycling the strength of the anecdotes could be a big part of determining how hard this speech hits...

lisabain32 "That is heartbreaking, that is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America." He's making it personal--good

mariaFCK "we are the only democracy on earth that allows such hardship for its people"

lisabain32 Pre-existing conditions: big issue. Are insurance companies willing to give in on that?

lisabain32 "I am not the first president to take up this cause--but I am determined to be the last." Great line.

jmrossman This will be a defining moment for Obama's presidency and our country. We'll see how much he's willing to fight for what he stands for.

mariaFCK They are all going to get a lot of exercise tonight -- standing, sitting, clapping...it's the Washington work out!

Pflax1 So much clapping. We need more collaboration, less false showmanship.

lisabain32 Lots of red jackets among the female attendees.

lisabain32 Joint sessions always make me feel patriotic.

lisabain32 I wonder how early the senators on the aisle got there? Eliot Engel is famous for grabbing a seat early in the a.m.

mariaFCK Obama's definitely getting grayer and grayer...like all presidents.

mariaFCK Lucia (my three year old) calls him Jobama. Isn't that so cute?! She loves him.

lisabain32 Best smile ever.

mariaFCK It's him! What a rock star!!!

lisabain32 Was hoping that MO would wear sleeveless, so I could say: See her workout in Oct Women's Health!

Pflax1 I'm curious whether the word "exercise" will be uttered tonight?

DaveAtBicycling Hi everyone. Didn't expect the whole state-of-the-union-style flesh pressing. Hope no one was expecting their usual 9 p.m. programming.

lisabain32 Who is that trying to have an actual conversation with Hillary?

lisabain32 Hillary!

lisabain32 Very Jackie O, Michelle O!

mariaFCK Oooohhh Michele looks so pretty...but she covered her arms!

lisabain32 Dumb CNN comment: "This is an event that sparks a lot of excitement."