Obama Will Host Bipartisan Health Care Talks—on TV

GOP, Dem leaders to hash out reform with president
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 8, 2010 2:07 AM CST
Updated Feb 8, 2010 7:46 AM CST
Obama Will Host Bipartisan Health Care Talks—on TV
President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Democratic National Committee winter meeting in Washington over the weekend.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Obama will discuss the future of health care reform with both Republicans and Democrats in a televised meeting later this month. Obama is looking to make good on two campaign pledges that critics say he has neglected since taking office: engaging in meaningful bipartisan negotiations and doing so with unparalleled transparency. Obama has been criticized for not broadcasting the health care negotiations on C-SPAN, as he promised to do on the stump.

Obama acknowledged that he wanted to “look at the Republican ideas that are out there" and "arrive at some agreements" in order to expedite the process—but said he would not heed Republican calls to abandon the bill and start from scratch, Politico reports. House Republican Leader John Boehner said he was "pleased that the White House finally seems interested in a real, bipartisan conversation on health care." He added, however, that Americans simply "don't like" the policies proposed in the Democrats' bills.
(More Republicans stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X