Conservative media: GOP won health care summit

Gerson: The summit was “a draw that went to the Republicans.” On the February 26 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Washington Post columnist and former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson stated: “The Democrats needed a game changer. They needed to change the momentum -- you know, both the legislative momentum and the momentum of public opinion. I'm not sure they got that. You know, the president is always very fluent and informed and did a good job in many ways, but Republicans had strong arguments, their tone was good, they showed that they have alternatives, and so, in a lot of ways, it was a draw that went to the Republicans.”

Gerson similarly wrote in a washingtonpost.com piece: “Both sides generally made their cases in a civil and serious fashion. But Democrats carried a burden into the meeting. On the wrong side of political momentum, they needed a breakthrough of some sort. They didn't get it.”

Wash. Times: “The ballyhooed bipartisan summit was a rout won by the opposition.” In a February 26 editorial, The Washington Times asserted: “Hopefully a lot of Americans were able to watch the presentations today. The ballyhooed bipartisan summit was a rout won by the opposition.”

Fox Nation: “Dems lose summit on substance.” A headline on the Fox Nation website stated: “Dems lose summit on substance, scramble for nuclear option?”

Palin: GOP won a “victory” at summit, while Democrats stuck to “same old, same old.” On the February 25 edition of Fox News' Hannity, Palin said:

PALIN: The Republicans have been asking for an ear in the White House to hear what their proposals have been. Their proposals have been online, their solutions that they want to offer, and yet they've been accused of being the party of no and the party of not having any solutions. Today was an opportunity for them to show what they had been talking about all along.

And so, again, that was a victory on behalf of Republicans to finally be able to express what some of these free market, patient-oriented solutions are that they want to see implemented incrementally, not comprehensively, but incrementally with broad-based support on some of these measure so that we can start meeting the challenges in health care.

Later, Hannity asked: “Question: net winners, net losers. Did the president hurt himself today? Did the Republicans help themselves today in terms of public perception?” Palin responded:

PALIN: The Republicans helped themselves, absolutely. They got to talk about the patient-centered, free-market oriented solutions to health care reform that is needed. We do need to reform much of our health care that we have in America. But they were able to articulate that, whereas the Democrats, the president, it was just more of the same old, same old, and it was a whole lot of lecturing again.

Limbaugh declared health care summit “a clean sweep for the Republicans.” On his February 26 radio show, referring to media reaction of the health care summit, Rush Limbaugh stated: “I actually thought what we were going to get here was rave reviews for Obama, but it was so bad that all they can do was say that it was a tie. And when they say it's a tie, that means that it was a clean sweep for the Republicans.”

Erickson: Summit “shows the American public that the Republicans have a better agenda, better ideas.” RedState.com's Erick Erickson wrote: “If nothing else, today shows the American public that the Republicans have a better agenda, better ideas, and are willing to stand up and oppose a reckless scheme that will increase health care costs.”

Conservative media echo GOP talking points

GOP aide: Dems “badly needed a win today and they didn't get it. Not even close.” In a February 25 post on his Washington Post Co. Plum Line blog, Greg Sargent wrote: “A GOP aide emails the Republican take: 'They badly needed a win today and they didn't get it. Not even close. Republicans were prepared. The President was pedantic and peeved.' ”

GOP Senate website: “Media Says 'Republicans Brought Their ”A Team." ' " A post on the Republicans' Senate website titled, “What they are saying about the morning's summit session” summed up the media reaction as follows:

Media Says “Republicans Brought Their 'A Team,'” “Have Been Very Effective,” “The Folks In The White House Just Must Be Kicking Themselves Right Now”