Obama mounts late push on health care

“I just met with some of them on Thursday, and they couldn’t give me a straight answer as to why they keep arbitrarily and massively raising premiums - by as much as 60 percent in states like Illinois. If we do not act, they will continue to do this.’’

Republicans were not swayed.

“It’s not too late: We can, and we must, stop this government takeover of health care,’’ said Representative Parker Griffith, a retired physician and a first-term congressman from Alabama who switched parties in December and delivered the GOP message.

The competing addresses underscored the urgency behind Obama’s last-ditch push for immediate health care reform. Without a victory - and quickly - Democrats move into a fast-approaching election season without a major, tangible accomplishment that affects voters’ pocketbooks. And with a chasm remaining between the two parties, Democrats considered passing the overhaul with votes just from their party.

That would let the 59 Senate Democrats declare victory with a simple majority instead of a 60-vote count. It would also allow Obama’s team to get back to talking about the economy.