Obama to push health plan at joint session - Washington Times

Obama to push health plan at joint session - Washington Times: "Trying to resuscitate his push for a health care overhaul, President Obama has decided to address a rare joint session of Congress next week and make a revamped argument for passage of an evolving plan that has riled the nation and brought down his approval ratings for the past two months.

The White House on Wednesday said Mr. Obama would head to Capitol Hill on Sept. 9 to speak to lawmakers in prime time upon their return from a monthlong vacation that was highlighted by heated town-hall meetings on health care. Top advisers to the president promised that Mr. Obama would give more detailed direction to Congress, after months of only general guidance.

Though David Axelrod, top adviser to the president, said Mr. Obama still 'embraces' a government-run 'public option' for health insurance, which combined with the plan's price tag has fueled much of the public blowback, the president was not expected to insist that it be part of any final plan. The White House has declined for weeks to be pinned down on the controversial government-run component embraced by the Democratic Party's liberal base, saying only that Mr. Obama's priority is a reform that increases competition in the health insurance industry and choice for consumers."