And then I think that we've got to go ahead and move forward on a vote. We've got to move forward on a vote. (Applause.) But as I said at the State of the Union, I think we should be very deliberate, take our time. We're going to be moving a jobs package forward over the next several weeks; that's the thing that's most urgent right now in the minds of Americans all across the country. And that will allow everybody to get the real facts, both about the health-care crisis that we face, why it's so important for deficit reduction, why it's so important for families all across the country. It allows us to see are there, in fact, some better ideas out there?[...]
But here's the key, is to not let the moment slip away. ... That's why I think it's very important for us to have a methodical, open process over the next several weeks, and then let's go ahead and make a decision.
I'm not so pumped about the "take our time" part, but this is definitely a positive development. The first line is as close to "pass the damn bill" that we're going to get from the president, but it's enough. When he stops talking like this, I'll start to panic.