Did speech change lawmakers' views?

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama's speech on healthcare reform Wednesday did not appear to have changed many minds on Capitol Hill, congressional leaders said.

Democrats and Republicans reacted much the same way as they have for months to Obama's proposals for overhauling the nation's healthcare system.

"Tonight, President Obama made a forceful case to the Congress and the country for long-overdue health insurance reform," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "We are closer than ever before in history to real progress on this issue that touches the lives of every American and impacts our economy: ensuring stability and security for Americans with health insurance and affordable coverage for those currently without."

Pelosi said reform opponents support the "status quo" and "helping to bankrupt our economy and middle-class families."

Obama, she said, made it clear a "a public health insurance option is the best way to create the needed competition that will lower cost, improve quality and preserve choice for all Americans."

But in the GOP response to the president's address to a joint session of Congress, Rep. Charles Boustany of Louisiana said Obama had the chance to take "government-run healthcare" off the table.

"Unfortunately, he didn't do it," said Boustany, a cardiovascular surgeon. "Replacing your family's current healthcare with government-run health care is not the answer."

Even as Obama called for the public option, a key Democrat said it had no chance. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said Wednesday before the speech his committee would take up a healthcare reform bill within the next two weeks with or without Republican support. But he said it would not include the public option.

"The public option cannot pass the Senate," Baucus said. "I could be wrong, but it's my belief that the public option cannot pass."

After Obama's speech, Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, asserted reform the president wants would increase healthcare costs, taxes and the deficit.

"If the Democrats are serious about passing health care reform this year, they should stop pointing fingers and truly start working with Republicans to pass common-sense bipartisan healthcare reform that Americans want and deserve," Steele said.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., however, countered that Obama moved past the "hysteria" to put focus on healthcare -- "one of our nation's biggest challenges."

"As the President said tonight, 'Now is the season for action.' It is time to fix our broken system, keep insurance companies honest, give consumers more choice, and hold down costs. We must reform healthcare so that no families are ever again bankrupted and torn apart simply because they have the misfortune of getting sick or injured."