Obama changes health strategy (again)

We're now learning of yet another messaging shift for the administration on health care (at least the eighth over the past month). This time Team Obama plans to move to “a more confrontational tone” on health care. Here's a list of eight strategy changes the administration has made since late July.

Avert a crisis: He sought to reframe his plans as a matter of improving the lives of most Americans, not just rescuing the uninsured, and to remind voters that he’s trying to avert a health care crisis, not to provoke one. (Politico, July 23)

Attack insurance companies: Congress reported progress on legislation to overhaul the country's healthcare today as Barack Obama introduced a retooled message asserting his plan would protect Americans and limit insurers' power. (AP, July 29)

Consumer protections: The administration also sought to reframe the debate on eight core principles for "health insurance consumer protections," which aides said resonated much better than the "health care reform" push it has made to this point. (Huffington Post, August 10, 2009)

Go after critics: Retooling his message amid sliding support, Obama poked at critics who he said were trying to “scare the heck out of folks.” (AP, August 11, 2009)

Focus on those with coverage: The White House is retooling its message amid polling that shows Americans — especially those who already have coverage — skeptical of the Democratic proposals to expand coverage to millions. (AP, August 11)

Dump cost containment: They took him seriously because even as the main message on health care shifted from cost containment to attacking insurance companies, the public option remained part of the administration's rhetorical arguments. (Washington Post, August 19, 2009)

‘Ethical and moral obligation’: President Obama sought Wednesday to reframe the health care debate as “a core ethical and moral obligation,” imploring a coalition of religious leaders to help promote the plan to lower costs and expand insurance coverage for all Americans. (New York Times, August 20, 2009)

Use 'a more confrontational tone': Democrats adopted a more confrontational tone accusing Republicans of blocking change. (WSJ, September 2, 2009)

HT: Senate Republican Leader's Office Category: Uncategorized   Tags: None

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