I was watching President Obama's health care speech last night with a friend of mine who's a former Republican. He had voted for Bush in the last two elections, but was disheartened with the direction in which his party was headed and came to support then-Senator Obama in the primary and general elections. Last night I looked over to him towards the end of Obama's 45 minute address to ask him what he thought. He smiled and said "This is why we elected him. Because when all the Democrats want to run for cover, he actually stands up and says it like it is.

When President Obama addresses a joint session of Congress next Wednesday it won't simply be his most contentious night in the House chamber, it will also determine whether or not the Democrats will be able to reclaim the health care debate in order to pass some sort of reform. In order to do that the President is going to need to get back to the basics and explain, in painfully clear detail, what exactly he wants this reform to be. Then he needs to go out and force Congress to deliver him that piece of legislation.

Sounds likes a piece of cake, right?