"Support for Obama's plan jumped 20 points, from 46% before the speech to 66% after. Importantly, Obama also achieved one of his principal goals of boosting the intensity of support. Prior to the speech, just 2% of these swing voters supported the plan strongly while 26% opposed it strongly; by the end of the evening those numbers were virtually reversed, with 28% supporting the plan strongly against just 8% strongly opposed."

Democracy Corps did a quick poll of swing and independent voters and one thing is clear after last night: The President took back the debate.

He cut thru lies and misinformation and made it clear to those who did not yet see it what he wanted. This disinformation campaign must stop now. I don't think it was his best speech, but I think it was his most effective. He laid it all out there and connected the dots for those that - up until now - did not understand. Now we need the people elected to represent us in Congress to get the job done. Period. No more excuses.

I would like to believe that the juvenile behavior from the likes of the Republicans will stop, but I don't. Joe Wilson was the most flagrant of the bunch. WaPo reports that it was more than just Rep. Wilson. When the President mentioned that no federal funding would be used for abortion, someone else shouted "Not True!". There was booing, and taunting laughter throughout the speech. They hissed when the president called out the scare tactics. What happened last night, with Joe Wilson as the poster boy, the Republicans have shown the level of disrespect that they have not only for the President of the United states, but also for the American people they are elected to represent. It is almost non-existent. I am not sure if they realized that this is the United States, not the House of Commons. Maybe they need to read Roberts Rules of Order. It was strange and bizarre, and showed how out of touch the Republicans really are. They really ARE trying to get the right wing lunatic fringe vote. That really is their base. Scary. As I said in the Blog Stub, isn't yelling You Lie! at Obama after eight years of Bush like requesting Freebird after Lynyrd Skynyrd has left the stadium?

Imagine for one moment had this happened a few years ago. Imagine if a Democrat had yelled that to the previous caretaker of the office.... hmm. I imagine a censure would be in order about now.

So it comes down to this: the President reclaimed this debate. The grownups have been told what they need to do for America and the children are just acting like they always do-- spoiled, spiteful and rotten. It is time to stop listening to these people and get to the business of getting health care reform. Keep calling your representatives, keep telling the truth and don't fall for the hype.

All the cards are out on the table now-- we know the hands. Let's get Health Care Reform for America. The President said he won't back down and neither will we.

&
Raine

PS: Email this to Joe Wilson, and ask HIM if he read the bill: