Everyone hates the individual mandate. Barack Obama has brought us together! David Axelrod counting on the fact that the health-care bill, once implemented, will be so awesome, everyone will change their minds: They also believe — as senior adviser David Axelrod’s unsolicited call to “Morning Joe” this morning indicates — that the legislation, once implemented, will succeed and in doing so will change the American public’s perception of it. “We’re on the verge of doing something that would make an enormously positive difference for people,” Axelrod said in a sentiment he has undoubtedly repeated to any number of wavering Democratic lawmakers in recent days. Wow: The Queen takes the train. Great: The Iranians are messing with Twitter, now? Nah, probably just hackers messing around. (On the bright side, geeky libs are finally thinking, “This is war.”) Obama: Deal not perfect, but action needed now. (This is not a health-care speech, but in a symbolic gesture, he’s recycling one for the climate folks in Copenhagen.) David Brooks: “If I were a senator forced to vote today, I’d vote no. If you pass a health care bill without systemic incentives reform, you set up a political vortex in which the few good parts of the bill will get stripped out and the expensive and wasteful parts will be entrenched.” Exactly what Democrats want to hear right now: The Traficant comeback. Gibbs getting better poll numbers than his boss: “I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected.” When asked by Cook to sum up Democrats’ 2010 outlook, McInturff cited the words of the political philosopher Mr. T in Rocky III. “Prediction: pain.”
