September 10, 2009 10:15AM 

# Summing Up Obama’s Health Care Address 

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Cato health care experts [dissected President Obama’s address Wednesday night](https://www.cato.org/2009/09/08/cato-health-care-experts-live-blogging-obamas-address/), providing live commentary throughout the speech.

Overall impressions:

**Michael D. Tanner**: Can’t see this as a game-changer. I would give him an ‘A’ on delivery, but at best a ‘C’ on substance. There were surprisingly few details and very little new.

**Patrick Basham**: Strikingly political/​partisan rather than statesmanlike speech. Obama chose to pressure Republicans to support his plan rather than attempt to persuade them to do so. He risks a another wave of (effective) opposition from conservative talk radio &amp; cable TV.

**Michael F. Cannon**: Translation: *My health plan cannot work if you are free to make your own decisions.*

##### Related Tags 

[General](https://www.cato.org/general), [Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care) 

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