How to Watch the Speech
By David M. Herszenhorn
Charles Dharapak/Associated Press
A meeting on health care reform in Reston, Va.
In his speech to Congress on Wednesday night, President Obama will press his case for major health care legislation, not just with lawmakers in the audience, but also with a deeply wary public watching at home.
And while Mr. Obama will probably talk in clear, plain-spoken terms, decoding his remarks and the reaction he gets will require both a careful ear and a keen eye. Here are some of the main things to listen and look for:
Will he reiterate his support for a government-run insurance plan — or finally state outright that he can accept a compromise that might disappoint liberals?
Will the president give a shout-out to influential Republicans like Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa — or threaten to barrel over opponents?
Will centrist lawmakers sit on their hands — or give him a big ovation?
Will Mr. Obama reassure elderly voters worried about Medicare cuts? Can he do that even while explaining how the country can afford to subsidize health coverage for more than 40 million Americans who currently have none?
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/how-to-watch-the-speech/?src=twt&twt=nytimes
