Speaking to reporters after meeting with Senate Democrats this afternoon, President Obama said he is “cautiously optimistic” about health care reform’s chances for passage.
“I am absolutely confident that if the American people know what’s in this bill and the Senate knows what’s in this bill, it will pass, because it’s right for America,” he said, adding that he welcomes “the scrutiny of the press.”
He warned that “the final bill won’t include everything that everybody wants,” but senators “simply cannot allow differences” over specific elements of the bill to derail reform.
The bill meets his own requirements, he said.
“Any fair reading of the bill will show that all the criteria I laid out, before a joint session of Congress, have been met,” he said.
Obama also struck out at reform opponents and Republicans who claim the bill is too expensive, and will add to the deficit.
“The CBO has said this is a deficit reduction, not a deficit increase. So all the scare tactics, all the ads out there are simply inaccurate,” he said.
Obama was joined by Sens. Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, Tom Harkin, Max Baucus, Chris Dodd and Patty Murray.
