Obama invokes grandmother's death in health debate

iWon

Now, it's personal. President Barack Obama invoked his own anguish over the death of a loved one as he challenged the debunked notion that Democratic efforts to overhaul the nation's health care would include "death panels."

"I just lost my grandmother last year. I know what it's like to watch somebody you love, who's aging, deteriorate and have to struggle with that," an impassioned Obama told a crowd as he spoke of Madelyn Payne Dunham. He took issue with "the notion that somehow I ran for public office or members of Congress are in this so they can go around pulling the plug on grandma."

"When you start making arguments like that, that's simply dishonest - especially when I hear the arguments coming from members of Congress in the other party who, turns out, sponsored similar provisions," Obama said.

In a debate in which he often sounds professor-like, Obama spoke with a rare bit of emotion that seemed to counter that of vocal health care opponents as he referenced the beloved grandmother who helped raise him and who he called "Toot." She died of cancer at age 86 on Nov. 2, two days before he won election to become the nation's first African-American president.

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I must admit that President B.O. appears to be making good on one of his campaign promises. More transparency in Washington. The Obama Healthcare Reform Traveling Road Show is one tremendous piece of stagecraft. Given the lackluster offering from Hollywood this summer, I'd say B.O. is Best Actor winner, hands down.

The Need For Speed

In 2004, Senator-elect Obama offers criticism of the way the Bush administration rushed legislation through Congress.

This clip also includes a snip featuring Chuck Todd of NBC News in which he describes the Obama blitzkrieg. (Emphasis mine.)



Hat Tip: J.A.M.E.S.

New Twist in Countrywide Loan Probe

CBS News

Add Congressman Edolphus Towns to the growing list of influential Democratic and Republican VIP's who received loans from Countrywide Financial. That's significant because Towns, a Democrat, heads the committee investigating the mortgage giant's practices. And he personally is blocking the effort to subpoena Countrywide documents, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.

Republican Darrell Issa is behind the subpoena effort.

"It's really about what Countrywide sought to do, how vast it was, what they got for their millions of dollars in discounts and how do we make sure it doesn't happen again," Issa said.

A Countrywide whistleblower says the company aggressively courted those in position to influence regulations as it made billions by giving out risky loans, then selling them to government-backed Fannie Mae. Billions of dollars worth of those loans defaulted at taxpayer expense.

Corruption is like a weight around the neck, dragging the wearer into the murky depths. The good news is that Hell is only half full.

Obama's' Second 100 Days

Oh. This could help explain what's got President B.O. so pissed off ....

From Boortz

How's it working out for him so far? According to Rasmussen, after six months in the Oval Office, Barack Obama has a lower job-approval rating than did ten of the last twelve presidents at the same point in their presidencies.

Obama: One helluva community organizer

Washington Examiner reports:

President Obama recently e-mailed followers to attend local town halls, and his deputy chief of staff promised to "punch back twice as hard" in the health care debate. Neither of them probably expected their backers to "get in the faces" of their opponents quite this much. Or to punch anyone -- not literally, anyway.

It has also been reported that the Obama White House intends to use union members to shout down those that speak out at town hall meetings. More to come on this.