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| US leaders wrangle on healthcare | US leaders wrangle on healthcare |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Differences have emerged as President Barack Obama urged top Republicans and Democrats to focus on agreements at a six-hour televised healthcare summit. | Differences have emerged as President Barack Obama urged top Republicans and Democrats to focus on agreements at a six-hour televised healthcare summit. |
| He urged 40 congressional Democrats and Republicans in Washington DC to avoid political theatre, as part of a fresh bid to save his troubled reform plans. | He urged 40 congressional Democrats and Republicans in Washington DC to avoid political theatre, as part of a fresh bid to save his troubled reform plans. |
| For the first time, Mr Obama offered his own version of a healthcare plan on Monday. | For the first time, Mr Obama offered his own version of a healthcare plan on Monday. |
| But Republicans say the plan is not acceptable and a fresh start is needed. | But Republicans say the plan is not acceptable and a fresh start is needed. |
| The BBC's Paul Adams, in Washington, says the passionate showdown may mark the beginning of a bruising end game, with the Democrats seemingly ready to get the legislation passed any way they can. | The BBC's Paul Adams, in Washington, says the passionate showdown may mark the beginning of a bruising end game, with the Democrats seemingly ready to get the legislation passed any way they can. |
| But analysts say the contentious debate is likely to be beset by bipartisanship: even the shape of the table for the debate at Blair House, opposite the White House, has been the subject of dispute. | But analysts say the contentious debate is likely to be beset by bipartisanship: even the shape of the table for the debate at Blair House, opposite the White House, has been the subject of dispute. |
| President Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and other leading Democrats are facing senior Republicans such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Arizona Senator John McCain. | President Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and other leading Democrats are facing senior Republicans such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Arizona Senator John McCain. |
| Partisan battle | Partisan battle |
| Mr Obama opened the debate by emphasising that everyone present understood the importance of the healthcare issue, adding that there were significant points of potential agreement between the two parties on healthcare reform. | Mr Obama opened the debate by emphasising that everyone present understood the importance of the healthcare issue, adding that there were significant points of potential agreement between the two parties on healthcare reform. |
| "We all know this is urgent and unfortunately, despite all the negotiations that have taken place, it became a very ideological battle; it became a very partisan battle where politics ended up trumping common sense," he said. | "We all know this is urgent and unfortunately, despite all the negotiations that have taken place, it became a very ideological battle; it became a very partisan battle where politics ended up trumping common sense," he said. |
| Even the shape of the table for the debate at Blair House, opposite the White House, had been subject to dispute | Even the shape of the table for the debate at Blair House, opposite the White House, had been subject to dispute |
| He added that he wanted to avoid the televised session becoming merely political theatre, hoping that those involved would work together to try to solve the problem. | He added that he wanted to avoid the televised session becoming merely political theatre, hoping that those involved would work together to try to solve the problem. |
| "If we keep an open mind and are not trying to score political points then we may be able to make some progress," he said. | "If we keep an open mind and are not trying to score political points then we may be able to make some progress," he said. |
| Republican Senator Lamar Alexander responded by saying that in order for Mr Obama to succeed on healthcare, he should scrap the health care bill that Senate Democrats passed in December, and start afresh with a clean sheet of paper. | Republican Senator Lamar Alexander responded by saying that in order for Mr Obama to succeed on healthcare, he should scrap the health care bill that Senate Democrats passed in December, and start afresh with a clean sheet of paper. |
| "If we can start over, we can write a healthcare bill," he said. "It means working together... reducing healthcare costs... and going step-by-step to regain the trust of the American people." | "If we can start over, we can write a healthcare bill," he said. "It means working together... reducing healthcare costs... and going step-by-step to regain the trust of the American people." |
| Republican Senator Jon Kyl went on to argue that Democratic efforts to overhaul the current system would give Washington too much control over healthcare. | Republican Senator Jon Kyl went on to argue that Democratic efforts to overhaul the current system would give Washington too much control over healthcare. |
| "There are some fundamental differences between us here that we cannot paper over," said Mr Kyl. "We do not agree about the fundamental question about who should be mostly in charge. | "There are some fundamental differences between us here that we cannot paper over," said Mr Kyl. "We do not agree about the fundamental question about who should be mostly in charge. |
| Cost of reforms? | Cost of reforms? |
| The BBC's Mark Mardell in Washington says the key to the outcome may be the way the president is chairing the meeting - firmly, making notes, trying to drag the Republicans into a concrete debate on detailed issues. | The BBC's Mark Mardell in Washington says the key to the outcome may be the way the president is chairing the meeting - firmly, making notes, trying to drag the Republicans into a concrete debate on detailed issues. |
| So far, our correspondent says, he is succeeding. | So far, our correspondent says, he is succeeding. |
| But, he adds, there is almost no chance of the 17 or so Republicans agreeing to anything that is on the table. | But, he adds, there is almost no chance of the 17 or so Republicans agreeing to anything that is on the table. |
| MARDELL'S AMERICA The key to the outcome may be the way the president is chairing this, firmly, making notes, trying to drag the Republicans into a concrete debate on detailed issues Mark MardellBBC North America editor href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2010/02/no_political_theatre_says_the.html">Read Mark's thoughts in full | |
| The House of Representatives and the Senate passed separate healthcare bills at the end of last year. | The House of Representatives and the Senate passed separate healthcare bills at the end of last year. |
| But efforts to merge them and sign a bill into law collapsed last month when Republicans won a special election in Massachusetts. | But efforts to merge them and sign a bill into law collapsed last month when Republicans won a special election in Massachusetts. |
| The victory deprived Democrats of their crucial filibuster-proof 60-seat Senate majority. | The victory deprived Democrats of their crucial filibuster-proof 60-seat Senate majority. |
| The White House has signalled it may end up driving through a bill using a procedure called budget reconciliation, which only needs a majority vote. | The White House has signalled it may end up driving through a bill using a procedure called budget reconciliation, which only needs a majority vote. |
| Republicans said they would use Thursday's talks to highlight the cost of the Democrats' reforms, while outlining their own more scaled-back approach. | Republicans said they would use Thursday's talks to highlight the cost of the Democrats' reforms, while outlining their own more scaled-back approach. |
| Democrats are expected to seek to portray the Republicans' plans as inadequate. | Democrats are expected to seek to portray the Republicans' plans as inadequate. |
| 'Photo op' | 'Photo op' |
| The meeting - which began at 1000 (1500 GMT) - is debating controlling costs, insurance reforms, deficit reduction and expanding coverage. | The meeting - which began at 1000 (1500 GMT) - is debating controlling costs, insurance reforms, deficit reduction and expanding coverage. |
| Mr Obama urged the lawmakers present to avoid political theatre | Mr Obama urged the lawmakers present to avoid political theatre |
| A USA Today/Gallup poll showed that barely one fifth of respondents thought the televised summit would yield a deal. | A USA Today/Gallup poll showed that barely one fifth of respondents thought the televised summit would yield a deal. |
| On the eve of the talks, one House Republican, Michael Burgess of Texas, derided it as a "six-hour photo op" for President Obama. | On the eve of the talks, one House Republican, Michael Burgess of Texas, derided it as a "six-hour photo op" for President Obama. |
| House deputy Republican leader Eric Cantor said: "Democrats are farther away from securing the votes to pass a government healthcare bill today than they have ever been." | House deputy Republican leader Eric Cantor said: "Democrats are farther away from securing the votes to pass a government healthcare bill today than they have ever been." |
| Despite the tussling, the parties proved they could find common ground on healthcare. | Despite the tussling, the parties proved they could find common ground on healthcare. |
| On Wednesday, the House voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill scrapping the exemption from federal anti-trust law that health insurance companies have long enjoyed. | On Wednesday, the House voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill scrapping the exemption from federal anti-trust law that health insurance companies have long enjoyed. |
| The president has invested much political capital in his plans to make nearly all Americans take out health insurance and to stop abuses by insurance firms. | The president has invested much political capital in his plans to make nearly all Americans take out health insurance and to stop abuses by insurance firms. |
| But the issue has become a rallying standard for conservatives, who say Mr Obama is bent on introducing European-style big government. | But the issue has become a rallying standard for conservatives, who say Mr Obama is bent on introducing European-style big government. |
| It has also worried a recession-mauled American public, which is not clear about how much reforms would cost them. | It has also worried a recession-mauled American public, which is not clear about how much reforms would cost them. |
| The US is the world's richest nation and the only industrialised democracy that does not provide healthcare coverage to all its citizens. | The US is the world's richest nation and the only industrialised democracy that does not provide healthcare coverage to all its citizens. |