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[0:17] ..." up from forty to 52%. Since last week's address to congress. ABC political analyst Steve Roberts doesn't believe the president's speech accomplished quite that much but in an earlier conversation he told me the president's is"...
[3:54] ..." And her ideas look let's. Have a trigger let's say if the insurance companies don't cut costs and they don't. Act responsibly that down the line public option would be put in place and the argument"...
[4:36] ..." of them. Will back to present now here's where the absence of Ted Kennedy could have an effective because Senator Kennedy. An enormous credibility among liberals in the party and I think given his history. As"...
[5:36] ..." talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh -- popular. When someone like congressman Joe Wilson yells at you lie to. Barack Obama on the floor of the house a lot of conservatives are cheering Joe Wilson on. That's their view but. Republicans have to learn to count to. And the fact is that this is no more conservative"...
[6:30] ..." side of the spectrum liberals do on the left side that's ABC political analyst Steve Roberts on Kendall buhl WBZ Newsradio 1030."...
[0:00]" I'm Kendall buhl WBZ. Newsradio 1030. While it appears there's fresh wind in the president's sales as he charts a course for health care reform but. How far will -- take up. According to a CBS poll support for president Obama's handling of the health care issue is up from forty to 52%. Since last week's address to congress. ABC political analyst Steve Roberts doesn't believe the president's speech accomplished quite that much but in an earlier conversation he told me the president's is in fact making some progress."
[0:33]" Well his speech was -- not a game changer it's not as if vast numbers of Americans changed their minds and said wow he's got a great plant. But. I think he stopped the bleeding and I think he rallied Democrats and in the end. That's the key point he's gonna get very few if any Republican votes. In part because they're very few moderate Republicans left in the congress you know none for Massachusetts. There's not a single. Republican in the House of Representatives from New England anymore so. He has few negotiating partners but it is important. That he rally Democrats and send a message look let's compromise on a bill. And let's get something done that we can go to the voters next year and say we have made progress. In any and every Democrat in the congress whether. She's a liberal or or conservative have a common interest in the president's successor common interest in going to the voters and saying Democrats. -- and govern so that's really what he accomplished last week and I think there's a new sense of unity in new sense of purpose among Democrats. And I think the likelihood of at least a modest bill passed in the congress and get the president's signature has gone up."
[1:45]" But the folks and is based really gonna be happy with a modest bill mean there's so many. Democrats that were saying they really needed the president to stand firmly behind the public option in his address to congress and he's still. -- quit -- he has because he doesn't have the votes. You know I mean if he drew a line in the -- uninitiated doesn't have the votes for that's political malpractice. I mean -- he can he he can count. And the Democrats in the Senate have been saying over and over again there is not the votes Republican option so why. Be your head against the wall on and yes there will be some liberals who will be unhappy no doubt about it. But they have got to confront the basic fact of American politics which is that even though there's a democratic majority in this country. There is not a liberal majority in this country only 22% of the voters in the last election called themselves liberal. A lot of Democrats who make up this majority from suburban swing districts -- dominated by moderates and independent. They are Democrats in the congress from Idaho and Mississippi in his -- people. Who don't hear the attitudes of the Democrats in Massachusetts in new York and if you going to be the majority party. You gonna have to govern from the center not to laugh and that political truth Obama understand some of his liberal supporters do not but I think in the end. They will swallow hard and except. A more modest bill in the idea that we've made progress we can come back and visit this issue down the road. And we all have a common interest in having this new young democratic president scores success."
[3:20]" But the problem is there are a lot of Democrats who say that without the public option you can it's ensure. Everyone in America and keep costs down and keep the deficit down is there in fact the danger of this sort blowing up in this young presidents things."
[3:34]" Well there is a danger that the whatever is agreed upon won't work mean and there is that danger that -- you know appeared down the line. But one of the of the favorite. Proposals comes from senator Snowe of Maine one of the few moderate Republicans left the senators willing to talk to Democrats. And her ideas look let's. Have a trigger let's say if the insurance companies don't cut costs and they don't. Act responsibly that down the line public option would be put in place and the argument has if you have that threat out there. They'll behave themselves now -- liberals say that won't work but. You gotta come back to the fact that the folks are simply not there for public option they're not there and liberals are gonna have to make a decision to the except to -- a more modest bill. And call -- victory where we turn against our own president and I think in the end. Almost maybe not all but almost all of them. Will back to present now here's where the absence of Ted Kennedy could have an effective because Senator Kennedy. An enormous credibility among liberals in the party and I think given his history. As a practical legislator he clearly would side with -- Obama clearly say to liberals. This is the best you can get and the absence of his voice down the line selling whatever compromise comes out selling it to the liberal wing of the party. His voice -- missed in many ways but that's going to be one of the most critical."
[5:07]" They'll -- the Republicans doing as far as walking the line between holding firm on what they want and don't once in the legislation. And being seen as obstructionist it's a good question and and I do think you. It cuts both ways there's no doubt that the hard edged opposition. To. Almost anything the Democrats have proposed. Is very popular among hardcore conservatives it's popular among talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh -- popular. When someone like congressman Joe Wilson yells at you lie to. Barack Obama on the floor of the house a lot of conservatives are cheering Joe Wilson on. That's their view but. Republicans have to learn to count to. And the fact is that this is no more conservative country in the -- of the liberal country and you get. All you conservatives on board and that's maybe 3035%. Of the electorate. You wanna become a majority party again you have to win back the votes of moderates in our latest ABC poll 43%. Of Americans who describe themselves as independents of either party that is the highest number in the whole history of ABC -- you cannot get. Those voters by being an orthodox liberal or an orthodox conservative. And the Republicans run the risk to make in the same mistake. On the right side of the spectrum liberals do on the left side that's ABC political analyst Steve Roberts on Kendall buhl WBZ Newsradio 1030."
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