Mourners Outside Mass. Church Include Special Olympians Holding Yellow Flowers
Cheney 'Spills the Beans' About Bush Administration
ABC's Stu Schutzman reports from New York: Dick Cheney appears to be at it again. In the run-up to his new book, author Cheney purportedly “spill’s the beans†about the inside stories surrounding the controversies which swirled around the Bush...
Health-care: Polling, push-back, problems
by Mark Silva
In Washington, "push-back" is something one does in order to combat "misconceptions,'' particularly when one thinks he might have a "problem,'' which "polling'' sometimes "suggests.''
In the case of health-care reform, the White House was asked today "if the president is pushing for something that the American people, when you poll independently, supportwhy are they not with the president?''
"Part of it is some of these misconceptions,'' White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs replied. "I don't doubt that... I do think people have questions... I mean, the president isn't out doing town hall meetings just for his health... He understands the need to address concerns or misconceptions out there.''
As for the polls, however, not all lead to the conclusion that the people are "not with the president,'' Gibbs suggests. Gallup has found more people voicing disapproval for the president's handling of healthcare than those voicing approval. But others have shown that most people want reform.
Yet now the White House is engaged in an email campaign to rally support, "town halls" featuring the president this week in New Hampshire, Montana and Colorado, and more events coming next week. "Does that indicate that this push-back... is late?'' Gibbs was asked today.
No, he said.
"Polling is a snapshot in time,'' Gibbs said. "The debate continues, and we'll see whether numbers move or change as a result of the continuing debate.'' (The snap shots have held some storm warnings since June.)
"But doesn't the fact that you've started pushing back
indicate that you realize that the initiative is in trouble?'' another reporter asked the White House spokesman today.
"One of the reasons we've pushed back is because of those misconceptions,'' said Gibbs, who managed to mouth the phrase, "death panels,'' which Republican Sarah Palin accuses Obama of promoting in the healthcare reform legislation.
"Have some of those misconceptions contributed to the poll numbers?'' Gibbs asked. "I don't doubt that. But at the same time... there's a little cause and effect here. But we're not going to stop pushing back on the misconceptions, whether or not the polling shows one thing or another. The president, again, strongly believes that -- and has for years -- that it's better to address what people's concerns are, and take them on head-on.''
(Photo of Robert Gibbs today by Alex Brandon / )
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar