Obama: Health care bill a victory for American people, common sense

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Obama: Health care bill a victory for Americans

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says the health care legislation passed Sunday night by the House is “a victory for the American people” and “a victory for common sense.”

The bill “will not solve every problem” in the health care system, Obama says, but “moves us in the right direction.”

Obama praised Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats for getting the bill through Sunday night’s 219-212 vote, saying they proved that the government “still works for the people.”

The heated debate that surrounding the legislation will fade away, Obama said, leaving a “health care system that works better for the American people.”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — No more fiery speeches, no trips to Capitol Hill, no ventures outside the White House gates at all.

President Barack Obama, the most visible spokesman for health care reform, spent the final day of an exhaustive lobbying campaign out of public view.

Aides said he was roaming the West Wing, getting updates, calling lawmakers with thanks as a huge legislative win was imminent.

As the president said when he crashed a morning meeting of senior staff, this was a big day. But the spotlight fell on the House of Representatives.

The first glimpse of the president on Sunday was not to come until late at night, after the final House vote on legislation to revamp health insurance rules for millions of people. No matter how late the hour, Obama was to make a statement from the ornate East Room when that last tally had come in.

That alone showed how much the White House was sensing victory and seeking history.

The White House released two photos showing the carefully hand-picked images of a president in a serious fight for votes until the end on Sunday.

In one, Obama was on a cell phone talking to an unidentified lawmaker from the office of his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. The president was surrounded by Emanuel and four other legislative and political advisers. There wasn’t a smile in the room.

The other photo showed Obama in the Oval Office, sleeves rolled up, working the phones again in conversation with another unnamed lawmaker.

Obama called more than a dozen lawmakers on Sunday and got in touch with more than 90 during the week, the White House said without identifying them.

Throughout the day, the only burst of Obama news came about 4 p.m. in a press release.

Obama revealed he would issue an executive order to make sure that the emerging health care legislation would uphold all federal funding restrictions on abortion. That step had the enormously important effect of locking in the votes of a bloc of anti-abortion House Democrats.

After that, around the White House, it was mostly a matter of counting down until the House acted.

Obama watched the main House vote on the Senate-approved health care bill in the Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden and about 40 other members of the White House staff. When the bill won enough votes to pass, the room burst into applause and hugs.

Had this been any other spring day in Washington, Obama might have ventured out for basketball or golf.

Not on this Sunday, when no hint of taking for granted the vote in the House would be allowed.

So the media photographers and videographers on hand for a potential day of history waited for hours to get a chance to cover the president. The biggest buzz all day came not from health care, but basketball, where two TV screens in the press briefing room showed a taut game between Michigan State and Maryland.

And yes, aides said Obama did have time, like many Americans, to absorb the reality of his own busted March Madness bracket.

The president picked Kansas to win the men’s NCAA basketball title; the Jayhawks fell in a big upset on Saturday. The basketball tournament continued Sunday, when some TVs in the West Wing were tuned to the games and other carried the action on the House floor. Obama caught some of both.