Health Care Summit Setup

Q: Guess who did most of the talking?
A: The man who claimed he was there to listen.

And when he's not talking, he seems bored:

President Barack Obama listens during a meeting with Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders to discuss health care reform, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010, in the Blair House across the street from the White House in Washington.

First impressions: GOP leaders made solid points putting Obama on the spot about wanting bipartisanship but not rejecting Democrats only plans to ram a health care bill through using reconciliation.

And why did they decide to hold this in what looks like the basement of Blair House when the White House East Room is so much nicer?

A running tally of who's doing most of the talking shows that Dems and Obama are outtalking Republicans by 2 to 1. So much for listening to the other side. And Obama claims "I Don't Count My Time Because I'm The President."

Then there was an infuriating exchange between Obama and McCain. McCain was citing the reasons the current bill should be scrapped and Obama interupted and later said: "we're not campaigning anymore. The election's over." Really? Obama's never stopped campaigning. And this latest comment is just another version of his "I won" we'll do it my way arrogance! What an ASS!

In the afternoon session Obama claimed that the American people don't care about Senate procedures like reconciliation. Yet Thursday, Gallup released a poll showing 52% of those polled oppose such a hyperpartisan tactic.

Protesters against national healthcare demonstrate across the street from Blair House, site of today's Health Care Summit.