For Obama, health law is central to legacy

May 10 2013

Bloomberg reports that shortly after President Barack Obama's re-election, he told senior staff members that the health law would be one of his second term's highest priorities. In related news, health care will be a focus for Obama this week, and it was a hot topic at a recent dinner between the president and House Democrats.

Bloomberg: Obama Sees Health Care As Legacy Too Worthy To Resist
Just weeks after his re-election, President Barack Obama summoned about 20 senior administration officials to the White House's Roosevelt Room for an hour-long meeting on the implementation of his health-care law. Obama began by reminding his staff that the Affordable Care Act would be one of his major legacies and its execution among the highest priorities of his second term, according to a Democrat familiar with the gathering (Dorning & Wayne, 5/9).

USA Today: Obama To Promote Jobs, Health Care Plan
President Obama will spend the rest of the week on two issues that largely define his years in office: jobs and health care. Obama will board Air Force One on Thursday for a flight to Austin, where he will kick off a series of "Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tours" designed to push his budget plans and criticize congressional Republicans for inaction on the economy (Jackson, 5/8).

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: Health Care, Economy Discussed At Latest Obama Dinner
According to a White House official familiar with the dinner, the president and House members discussed the economy and deficit reduction, as well as Mr. Obama's efforts on overhauling immigration law, gun control and school improvement. Mr. Obama also talked about continuing efforts to support the investigation of the Boston marathon bombing. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.), ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee who also attended the dinner, said the group also talked about implementation of the president's health-care law. That process is being viewed by some Democrats as fraught with potential political peril if there are glitches as a major new system of insurance exchanges is set up. But Mr. Van Hollen said the discussion with the president was "very upbeat" (Hook, 5/8).