Politics / Barack Obama What Obama's Putting in His Health Care Speech President will carefully commit to public option By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff Posted Sep 5, 2009 7:54 PM CDT Copied President Obama delivers a speech during a graduation at the New Economic School, in Moscow, Tuesday, July 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari) President Obama is still hammering out the health care speech he plans to deliver to Congress on Wednesday, but top aides tell Politico that the president will: Describe his own proposal, defining what he thinks is still debatable and what's essential for health care reform. Avoid criticizing the left. “This is a case for bold action, not a stick in the eye to our supporters,” says an official helping with the speech. Reach out to conservatives. Obama will take "the best ideas from both parties" and "make the case for why as a nation we must act now," the official adds. Remind Democrats that some reform is better than none. "Failing to act could be devastating,” says White House official Dan Pfeiffer. Commit to a public option. Liberal lawmakers demand this provision, and conservatives hate it. Obama will have to walk a fine line. (More Barack Obama stories.) Report an error