Historic bill buoys presidency of Obama

March 23, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

AP news analysis

WASHINGTON

Even with victory in hand, President Barack Obama can’t put health care to rest.

He still has to sell skeptical Americans on the benefits he claims for the massive overhaul Congress finally approved — and try to save the political skins of fellow Democrats who put their jobs in jeopardy by voting with him.

The White House’s chief goal after the health-care debate was to be a change in focus to jobs measures and populist issues — intended to be music to the ears of Americans suffering from high unemployment and a limping economic recovery. That’s still the case, but the health overhaul is bound to be a major issue through the November elections and beyond.

Despite the year of caustic debate, Obama emerges with a stronger hand.

He’s moved on from Phase One of his presidency — stalled. Now he’s on to Phase Two — buoyed.

The cliffhanger House vote that approved the overhaul is one of those presidential achievements with multiple side benefits: fresh clout in a capital that worships winners, bragging rights on a key promise kept, and a history-making, country-changing one at that, praise for presidential perseverance against daunting odds, a respite from talk of a mired presidency.

It was news so good that Obama invited dozens of aides to the Truman Balcony for an after-midnight champagne celebration. Senior adviser David Axelrod said Obama was the happiest he’d seen his boss since Election Night when he won the White House — perhaps even happier. “Elections just give you the chance to do things,” Axelrod recalled a jubilant Obama saying. “This is the real thing.”

How much it will help during the rest of his term, though, is a bit murky. One clue will be found as the president’s campaign-related travel schedule unfolds over the months until this fall’s congressional elections.

Standing by his promise to provide political cover for those who helped him on health care is about more than keeping his word. If Obama were to see the Democratic congressional majority ended or severely diminished in November, it could make it much harder to push legislation through Congress.

gressional races than in his own White House bid.

There still will be some Democrats who will not want a direct, in-person appeal to voters from a president with job approval ratings hovering around 50 percent.