by Mark Silva
The Obama White House, which already had pushed a planned Pacific and Asian trip back three days because of the ongoing healthcare debate, announced today that Obama will delay his trip to Guam, Australia and Indonesia until June.
With the earliest time for a House vote on the healthcare bill now apparently Sunday, the White House was juggling a Sunday departure for the president.
"It just at that point seemed obvious to us that the best course of business was to reschedule Australia and Indonesia for June,'' Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said at a press briefing in the Rose Garden just now. The White House did not want to have to call foreign leaders on Sunday and say the trip is off.
"The president is disappointed, based on the relationship we have with a growing democracy -- a country that is the largest Muslim country in the world,'' Gibbs said, noting that Obama also had given an address to the Muslim world in Cairo and is looking forward to visiting a nation where he lived for four years as a boy. "But we'll get a chance to visit both countries in June.''
What about a domestic dispute delaying an international trip, what message does that send to other nations? Obama has spoken with the leaders of Australia and Indonesia about the delay, Gibbs said. "Each of these two countries understands what the president is working on... and the importance... of seeing it through..
"The president believes that, right now, the place for him to be is in Washington, seeing this through.''
The White House dismissed suggestions that the trip's delay is a sign that the legislation is in trouble, as House leaders struggle to amass the votes needed for passage. "I think healthcare is going to pass the House on Sunday,'' said Gibbs, and the Senate will act soon afterward.
Can the president still 'walk and chew gum at the same time?'' one television network reporter asked of the juggling of domestic and international affairs.
"I can confirm that,'' Gibbs said.
Comments
Awwww, the poor widdle prezzie is postponing his vacation with the wife and kids until June.
Posted by: John D | March 18, 2010 1:32 PM
THIS IS GREAT NEWS!
It means the American people WIN and will get health care reform and the Republican Party and the Corporate Health Insurace Industry bean counters LOSE.
CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA!
Posted by: HHH | March 18, 2010 1:33 PM
On Sunday, Robert Gibbs told us proudly that by this Sunday, March 21, we would have the billed signed, sealed and delivered.
So will Silva have the gust to ask Gibbs why he was wrong?
Posted by: Dan C | March 18, 2010 1:39 PM
I'm not surprised that Pres Obama is postponing his trip. The Health Care Reform CBO numbers came out today and they are great.
CBO: Health-care reform bill cuts deficit by $1.3 trillion over 20 years, covers 95%
.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/cbo_health-care_reform_bill_cu.html
.
It's major league panic time for Republicans and the forces on the right and, at this point, they can do absolutely nothing to roll back the tide. Health insurance reform will pass and it's not going to end the world. And, guess what? When the world doesn't end and more people are covered and taxes on individuals and small businesses remain low and the economy continues to improve and people's basic civil rights remain intact and the thumb of Big Socialism doesn't oppress the Common Man, it will be Republicans who end up looking foolish and obstructionist to voters and Democrats who look sane and thoughtful. And that will NOT hurt Democrats at the polls, in fact it will help them.
Posted by: HHH | March 18, 2010 1:43 PM
So now Obama has cancelled his trip to Asia to continue trying to waterboard this horrendous ObamaCare down our throats? More lies, confusion, incompetence and arrogance. The Amazing Collapsing Obama Presidency continues.
Posted by: TT Farmer | March 18, 2010 1:56 PM
In ramming through an immensely unpopular 2,700-page health care bill using brute force tactics, Obama and Democrats are passing what amounts to the longest suicide note in history. Their own pollsters are telling them the public is firmly against their "reform" plan and is rebelling against their tactics.
And the response from Obama and Democrats is to press their foot down even harder on the gas pedal. We'll see how that works out for them. The fact is, Obama could care less what Americans want. He's blinded by ideology and his fantasy of a Euro-style, socialist America where he is the king.
Obama is now upside down in the new Gallop Poll -- 47 percent of Americans disapprove of him vs. 46 percent that approve. And the backlash against Obama and Democrats is only just beginning. This health "reform" bill is a travesty -- and Americans know it.
Posted by: Jackson | March 18, 2010 2:03 PM
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In ramming through an immensely unpopular 2,700-page health care bill using brute force tactics,
Posted by: Jackson | March 18, 2010 2:03 PM
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Bobby's Mommy sock-puppet,
The Repugs are the MINORITY party, the only way the Dems could possibly "ram" this bill down your throats is if they were NOT the MAJORITY party.
That's how democracy works, the will of the MAJORITY rules. The Dems ran on health care reform and because of it they won the last two elections by a landslide. And I've got more bad news for you, the Repug party is still going to be the MINORITY party after the elections this coming fall.
Deal with it, Wingnuts!
Posted by: HHH | March 18, 2010 2:16 PM
My spidey sense was tingling so I thought I'd come here and read what the FOX sheeple are saying. Sure enough, at the time they were frothing and foaming at the mouth when our President was playing basketball with our war weary soldiers in Afghanistan. "FOCUS on domestic issues!" they howled and crowed. Now he's focusing on domestic issues and he is working overtime and like clockwork the bleating masses of the Right Wing fringe cant stand it. Please, just take off your white hoods and admit the true reason why you despise our President. Why you allow your party friends to call our President "maggot obama and his wookie wife". Please take of your white sheets!
Posted by: sensible | March 18, 2010 2:16 PM
The anti-healthcare reform useful idiots are foaming at the mouth and in high panic mode over the FACT that healthcare reform will pass and be signed into law.
I am sure they'll want to be first in line, as usual, ahead of all those commie pinko socialist leftist libs feminazi
lets unplug gramma types, ...just as soon as they cash their social security checks and demand the 250.00 COL they think Obama owes them.
They love all those socialistic programs for their selfish selves but not for anyone else.
Now watch as they cut ahead.
Posted by: writerofwrongs | March 18, 2010 2:52 PM
Mostly it's postponed so his family can come along at our expense.
Posted by: beth | March 18, 2010 4:43 PM
I will be sooooo happy when this is passed. My daughter was denied a policy for a "pre-existing condition" because she had a studio light fall on her foot one month before she graduated from college and visited the emergency room. Three insurance companies turned her down because of it and by the time we jumped through all the hoops for SCHIP from Illinois, it cost more than the COBRA policy we were paying for. We need health care reform now...it won't be perfect but it is a start...
Posted by: lochnessmonster | March 18, 2010 5:23 PM
Let's get this straight Lochnessmonster, a government program (SCHIP) was going to cost more than the COBRA policy you were paying for? So, lochness, how exactly will this government program be better than the other government program?
And, really, three insurance companies denied your daughter health care because a light fell on her foot? Really??
A friend of mine's wife survived colon cancer, yet they have not been denied or dropped from health insurance. Yet, a light falls on your daughter's foot and three insurance companies deny coverage?
Ok, I have some real nice land in Hawaii I'll sell you for a $1,000.
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2010 12:47 AM
A friend of mine's wife survived colon cancer, yet they have not been denied or dropped from health insurance.
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2010 12:47 AM
;
Do they have group insurance or individual? Do you know the difference?
Posted by: janet | March 19, 2010 12:34 PM
John D,
Are you insinuating the COBRA is a government insurance program? Its legislation that allows you to keep your employer group insurance for up to 18 months just so we're clear. And currently their is a subsidy of 65% for those who qualify for those who were involuntarily seperated between 09/01/2008 and 03/31/2010. This was a provision of the Stimulus bill your ilk has been maligning and would not have passed. The subsidy has been extended 2 times. With that said, yes it is possible that SCHIP could be more expensive that COBRA continuation. I'd love to hear you respond so I know we are on the same page.
Posted by: janet | March 19, 2010 1:58 PM
Janet, regarding the friend's wife who had colon cancer, he is in business for himself, so the health insurance for the family he pays for out of his own pocket. Had the insurance when she had it, had it after she had it.
Now, lochnessmonster does not indicate if the COBRA he was/is paying for included the 65 percent payment by the government or not. He just says the SCHIP was more than the COBRA they were paying for.
It also depends on the coverage the company lochnessmonster worked for. But for family coverage it could cost anywhere from perhaps $300 to $400 a month to over $1,000 a month, with or without the government COBRA subsidy. Regardless if SCHIP was more than that, then please explain how government insurance is better than private health insurance??
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2010 2:45 PM
Janet, regarding the friend's wife who had colon cancer, he is in business for himself, so the health insurance for the family he pays for out of his own pocket.
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2010 2:45 PM
;
Is this their primary medical insurance. You can be deceitful so sometimes its hard to know what I'm dealing with. Perhaps you could provide the name of this plan. If this is true, they didn't raise her rates, and benefit levels stayed the same that is a remarkable story and this insurance company should get kudos if it is the primary insurance for medical benefits and not a secondary plan or a Rx plan.
Posted by: janet | March 19, 2010 4:46 PM
Janet, dear, YES, this is their primary insurance. As I noted, he is in business for himself AND pays for the family's health insurance out of pocket. The insurance company? Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2010 5:17 PM
John D,
Since you asked, here is a nice little story about a private insurer and the care people receive from free market ideaology in the healthcare market:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/opinion/19krugman.html
Posted by: Bubba | March 19, 2010 6:28 PM