Obama touts health law before donors; Romney says health law costs nearly the same as defense cuts

The president may not always highlight the health overhaul before the public, but it's a strong talking point at his fundraising events. Meanwhile in the debate Tuesday, former Gov. Mitt Romney, while lamenting scheduled Pentagon cuts, said they are about the same as what the health law will cost.

Bloomberg: Obama Touts Health Care Victory With Donors While Staying Mum With Voters
President Barack Obama is using passage of the health care law to help him get re-elected. He's just not making the sales pitch in public. Asked at a Nov. 13 press conference in Kapolei, Hawaii, about whether he was concerned about facing voters without passage of his $447 billion jobs package, an unemployment rate of 9 percent, and voters "wondering about your leadership?," the president didn't tout his biggest domestic policy achievement. … The next morning at a 250-person fundraiser at a Walt Disney Co. (DIS) resort on the island, Obama spent more than 30 minutes ticking off his accomplishments, including the health care overhaul, signed into law in March of last year (Andersen Brower and Talev, 11/23).

The Associated Press/Boston Globe: Don't Slash Military Budget, GOP Contenders Say
On defense spending, former Massachusetts Gov. Romney said nearly $1 trillion in cuts are on the horizon for the Pentagon over the next decade, noting that is the same as the costs for the nation's new health care law. He blamed Obama for that, adding, "We need to protect America and protect our troops and our military and stop the idea of Obamacare" (Philip Elliott, 11/22).

Kaiser Health News: GOP Candidates Promise Bipartisan Cooperation, Hedge On Solutions For Entitlement Spending
A Kaiser Health News video highlights the discussion of entitlement spending during Tuesday's Republican presidential debate (11/23).

Also, as the political season heats up, PolitiFact has some pointers:

NPR: For Thanksgiving, Debunk Your Family's Chain Emails
[A]s part of our Message Machine partnership with NPR, PolitiFact has put together this handy guide to chain emails and other viral messages. ... The chain emails cover a few broad themes: ... Some recent emails claim that because of "Obamacare," monthly Medicare premiums will more than double by 2014 (Pants on Fire) and that home sales will be taxed 3.8 percent (Pants on Fire) to pay for the new health care law (Adair, 11/23).