Obama Blankets Airwaves, Pushing Health Overhaul

If you saw one appearance by President Obama over the weekend, you might as well have seen them all. He put on his salesman-in-chief hat again and flogged a well-honed set of talking points, as the debate over plans for a health overhaul intensifies.

NPR's All Things Considered weekend host Guy Raz boiled down the president's interviews on five Sunday yak shows to about 2 1/2 minutes, if you want a recap.

If you're really lazy, allow us to summarize the summary for you: Eighty percent of what Obama wants in a health overhaul is in the bills already kicking around Capitol Hill; health premiums went up 5 1/2 percent last year, so we better do something—and fast; and, fear of change—not race—is fueling resistance to the plan.

 

The Washington Post's indefatigable Howard Kurtz reminded us the talk-show all-around Obama just pulled off is known inside the Beltway as the "Full Ginsburg," for the five-show circuit first completed by Monica Lewinsky's lawyer William Ginsburg back in 1999.

Tonight, Obama heads to "Late Night With David Letterman" where we imagine there will be a Top 10 List heavy on health punchlines. It will be Obama's first visit to show since being elected president but his sixth appearance overall. If you can't wait, there's a clip of Obama delivering a health-care-free Top 10 list on the show back in 2008.

If you'd like to see one of the video interviews aired over the weekend, here's one with CBS's Bob Schieffer.