Public opinion turns political dynamics of health reform

It appears that the public is still not embracing the new federal health law to the extent Democrats had hoped. As a result, Politico reports that Republican candidates for President and Congress may talk about the measure more than some Democrats — except, of course, when Democrats praise former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney for signing his home state's law. According to The Associated Press, many now point to that measure as the "groundwork" for the national overhaul and it is an association some Democrats hope will "taint" Romney. Meanwhile, other potential GOP presidential hopefuls compare their own state plans to the Massachusetts version.

Politico: Health Care Fight: Round 2
When President Barack Obama signed health reform into law a year ago, Democrats hoped the public would learn to love it. It hasn't. … In fact, the one notable change in recent months isn't a good sign for Obama — 57 percent of independent voters had an unfavorable view of the law in January, up from 41 percent in December, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (Nather and Feder, 3/14).

The Associated Press: Dems Hope To Taint Romney With Health Law Praise
President Barack Obama and other top Democrats have been quick to lavish praise on former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney for signing the sweeping health care law in 2006 that laid the groundwork for Obama's national health care overhaul (LeBlanc, 3/13).

MinnPost: Pawlenty Contrasts His Health Care Plan With Others But Sidesteps Romney-Plan Politics
Speaking at a health care forum at New Hampshire's largest hospital, one often compared to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Tim Pawlenty drew stark contrasts between his health care plan and both health reform measures nationally and nearby in Massachusetts, questioning the legality and sense behind the individual insurance coverage mandates that underpin both plans. However, when asked specifically if he would have vetoed the Massachusetts law, Pawlenty passed on answering (Wallbank, 3/11).

The Associated Press: Obama tells GOP, Nice Try On Health Care Records
President Barack Obama once promised that negotiations over his health care overhaul would be carried out openly, in front of TV cameras and microphones. Tell that to the White House now. Republican congressional investigators got the brush-off this past week after pressing for details of meetings between White House officials and interest groups, including drug companies and hospitals that provided critical backing for Obama's health insurance expansion. Complying with the records request from the House Energy and Commerce Committee "would constitute a vast and expensive undertaking" and could "implicate longstanding executive branch confidentiality interests," White House lawyer Robert Bauer wrote the committee. Translation: Nice try (3/12).