A Rebound for Obama?

By Ben Pershing

Is President Obama on the rebound? Events from the last 24 hours provide a mixed answer to that question, suggesting the White House may have reason for optimism on the domestic front even as trouble brews abroad.

First, the Senate Finance Committee began its markup of health-care reform legislation, a concrete step toward passage of Obama's signature priority. Second, the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll suggests the president's ratings on the issue are improving -- approval of Obama's handling of health care ticked up four points since August, from 41 percent to 45 percent, while the percentage who think Obama's plan is a good idea is up three points. (If no bill passes, 37 percent of respondents said they'd blame the GOP, while only 10 percent would blame Obama).

Read the rest: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/09/23/a_rebound_for_obama.html?wprss=44

Democrats Question Baucus's $80B Deal With Drug Makers

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) faced an early test of his leadership Wednesday after fellow Democrats challenged the $80 billion deal he struck with drug makers to help pay for health-care reform.

Nearing the end of a 13-hour opening day of work on Baucus's bill to overhaul the nation's health-care system, several committee members pressed Tuesday night for an amendment extracting larger company rebates on medications the government purchases for low-income senior citizens.

The proposal jeopardizes an agreement that Baucus and the Obama White House struck to limit the drug industry's exposure over the next 10 years to $80 billion.

Read the rest: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/23/AR2009092301185.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing Obama is cutting deals with drug companies... how 'bout you?