The president yesterday in New Hampshire:
"Suddenly everybody says, 'Oh no, it's over,' " Mr. Obama said in mocking tones [in reference to health care reform]. "Well, no, it's not over. We just have to make sure that we move methodically and that the American people understand what's in the bill." [...]
"We had to go into overtime," Mr. Obama said. "But we are now in the red zone. That's exactly right. We're in the red zone. We've got to punch it through."
Punch away, sir!
And perhaps the most important player right now, Speaker Pelosi:
"We are very, very close" to getting this done, she said, adding that "one way or another," she intends to "find a way to get this done." After a question that referred to health care reform being on the "back-burner," Pelosi replied, "All the burners are running on this stove."
Indeed, for the most part, the Speaker was unequivocal. The "path we're on gives me confidence," she said, adding, "Just because we reach a bump in the road doesn't mean that we turn back. We will get the job done." She also dismissed out of hand the notion that reform could be completed piecemeal, and used the word "comprehensive" repeatedly.
I really wish the debate was about policy and not the politics and vote whipping, but at this point, I think politics is all that's left.