Promises

Obama 'Guarantees' Health-Care Reform

Radio callers ask president if he botched overhaul.

Can President Obama put our money where his mouth is? He guaranteed on Thursday that his health-care overhaul will pass during an interview with conservative radio host Michael Smerconish at the White House. When a caller said he thought the administration’s “knees are bucklin’ a little bit,” Obama said, “I guarantee you, Joe, we are going to get health-care reform done.” He also spoke to the DNC Thursday afternoon, to shore up his liberal base, but in both appearances he refused to commit unequivocally to a public option. "What we've said is that there are a number of components to health care," he told Smerconish. "I see nothing wrong with having [a] public option as one choice."