Obama's Team Is Confident About Health Care Politics, Too

Obama:

"I comment Senator Clinton for her health care proposal. It's similar to the one I put forth last spring, though my universal health care plan would go further in reducing the punishing cost of health care than any other proposal."

Here's why, from the perspective of Obama's campaign, the politics of health care cuts in their favor:

(1) Her plan isn't terribly bold, reinforcing the idea that she cannot see more than a few inches in front of her face, whilst Obama can see around the corner.

(2) By refering, repeatedly, to the "secrecy" and intruige surrounding the botched 1994 effort, Obama's team extends their argument that Democrats really can't trust Clinton at the end of the day.

(3) They disagree with the Clintons about whether Democrats laud Clinton for having tried health care first; in the view of Obama's advisers, Democrats blame Clinton for giving Republicans the power to halt any momentum towards universal health care.

(4) Clinton chose to unveil her proposal late in the game, suggesting that she's a follower, rather than a leader; Democrats know she waited and wondered why; key health care interests in the party are frustrated.