Obama vows to fight for health care overhaul

WASHINGTON -- President Obama pushed back hard against critics of his health care overhaul plan Monday, vowing to fight "the politics of the moment" and press for passage of legislation by the end of the year.

"We can't afford the politics of delay and defeat when it comes to health care," Obama said after meeting with doctors, nurses and other health care workers at Children's National Medical Center. "There are too many lives and livelihoods at stake."

Without mentioning his critic by name, the president recounted a recent comment by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.: "If we're able to stop Obama on this, then it will be his Waterloo — it will break him."

"Think about that," Obama responded. "This isn't about me. This isn't about politics. It is about a health care system that is breaking American families."

Obama's comments represented his first acknowledgment that passage of a health care overhaul will not meet the August deadline he tried to impose on Congress.

The president is struggling to advance his proposal after a period of progress. Two of three House committees have approved their portions of the bill, while one of two Senate panels have acted. Conservative Democrats have raised objections to some elements of the legislation, and efforts in the Senate to reach a bipartisan agreement have yet to bear fruit.

In the Senate, however, negotiators seeking a bipartisan compromise reported progress Monday. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said there's tentative agreement on four big policy issues out of a list of about one dozen. He would not elaborate.

Separately, senators are discussing a variation on the idea of taxing high-cost health insurance benefits. The proposal would not raise taxes on individuals and families. Instead, insurers and employers who offer the benefits would pay the tax. Advocates say such a tax would encourage people to be thriftier consumers of health care. Prospects are uncertain.

Further adding to Obama's challenges, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll out Monday finds that 44% of Americans approve of the way he is handling health care policy. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll likewise shows approval of Obama's handling of health care slipping below 50% for the first time.