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Tonight President Obama came out to deliver what many in the media were calling a “do or die” speech to a joint session of congress.   He was either going to make health care reform in this country a possibility, or he was going to crash his presidency early in the first term – so much so that he would likely not be able to recover.  At least according to the media he wouldn’t have been able to recover.  Because they know what’s going to happen three years down the road.  /sarcasm

There were several aspects of his speech that I found compelling.  First and foremost he gave a very clear rebuttal to many of the persistent and nagging myths floating around out there about health care reform.  He attacked head on Sara Palin’s “Death Panels,” although he didn’t use those exact words (which was probably a smart move, eliminates a Fox News sound byte).  He clearly said there’d be no public care for illegal aliens, and once again stressed that care for seniors would not shrink.  While the President spoke of using part of Senator McCain’s health care plan in his own plan, he took a lot more from McCain than just that.  His whole myth debunking segment was pulled right out of the old John McCain Straight Talk Express.  You know – the McCain everyone liked, not the one that was on display during the 2008 elections.

The President’s evocation of the late Senator Kennedy and his philosophical defense of liberal health care reforms will strike a chord with the Democratic party for years to come – assuming they are able to pass whatever bill ends up being voted on.  Senator Kennedy’s letter to the President has the possibility to exist as a turning point in this whole ordeal; it can become the Democratic answer to the 1990’s Contract With America.  Let the masses of liberals and free thinkers flock to the Kennedy’s and the President’s ideologies and restore the “fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country” to what it should have always been – one that guarantees health care to the masses.

Give us your sick, your weak, your poor.

And while all of the good things that the President did tonight will help cement the passage of health care reform legislation in our country, there was one thing that sealed the deal.  A certain representative from South Carolina named Joe Wilson.  His outburst “You lie!” to the President, interrupting his speech and drawing the attention of the world will backfire in the worst possible way for the Republicans.

While it is typical for the opposition party not to stand as much as the majority party, not to clap as much, not to smile as much, and not to like the speech as much, it is not typical for them to misbehave in the way Representative Wilson did.  His behavior now reflects on the entire Republican Party, it reflects onto them the message that they have been trying to get rid of – that of the obstructionist and “the party of no.”

Representative Wilson did something that President Obama never could do, he made it clear that there is only one mature and stately group in the hallowed halls of Congress to help the American people.  He made it clear that there is only one voice which speaks with reason and compassion.  He made it clear that the Republicans are there to do nothing more than yell at those working towards health care reform, that they are not interested in having a real discussion or real debate.

Representative Wilson brought the shameful behavior at town halls to our nation’s capitol; and in doing so has delivered unto Democrats the ultimate gift – that of a single voice speaking above the yelling and screaming – President Obama’s.

Health care reform now has a clear message, and a clear speaker.  Thanks Joe, we all owe you one.