Obama: Health Care Overhaul Is 'Not Some Government Takeover'

Aug. 14, 2009— -- Repeating much of the same rhetoric he has employed in recent days, President Obama took his health care push out West, to Montana, and continued to tout his plan while assailing critics for fear-mongering.

The president's remarks today focused on health insurance reform and specifically those whose coverage was dropped because of medical conditions.

"We're no different than ... ordinary Americans," Obama said. "We're held hostage at any given moment by health insurance companies that deny coverage ... It's wrong.

"It's bankrupting families, it's bankrupting businesses, and we're going to fix it when we pass health insurance reform this year," the president added to a cheering audience.

Taking aim at his critics for having "selective memory," the president hailed his administration's stimulus plan but warned that the work is not complete yet.

"We started with this mess and we're pulling out of it, but it doesn't mean we're out of the woods," he said to applause. "Health insurance reform is one of the key pillars of this new foundation."

The president also dismissed notions that his overhaul plan would entail a government takeover or resemble the system in the U.K. or Canada.

"Every one of us, what we've said is, 'Let's find a uniquely American solution,'" he said. "Let's build on the system that already exists."

Obama faced approximately 1,300 attendees in a state that has historically favored Republicans and where Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., took the 2008 presidential vote. The president was preceded by the state's Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has been working on a bipartisan solution to health care reform.

Tickets for the Montana event were first-come, first-serve. Both protesters and supporters were represented outside the venue where the event took place.

Tomorrow, the president will hold a similar town hall meeting in Colorado to continue his health care push.