Obama urges action on healthcare

Mr Obama had strong words for opponents of healthcare reform
"Less Spocky, More Rocky".
That is what the New York Times' Maureen Dowd said Barack Obama needed to show in his all-important address to Congress.
He has tried using his Spock-like powers of logic, reason and argument to persuade the public to back his precious healthcare reform, but so far it has not really worked, hence the need for the kind of fight-back and grit personified on screen by Sylvester Stallone.
The reality is that the president needed to show both passion and force of reason in his speech.
Determined
To Congress, he needed to show political resolve - that he was determined to press ahead with his healthcare reform.
But he also needed to explain to the public, in a calm, reassuring manner, what those reforms entailed and to add clarity - something he has not really done so far.
Some opinion polls show the public is now more confused about what is being proposed than they were several months ago.
The town hall meetings held up and down the country over the summer have shed plenty of heat, but not much light.
While Democrats have been greeted by angry crowds and howls of protests at those meetings, the president received cheers and applause when he entered the House of Representatives. You would hardly guess that his approval ratings have taken a tumble.