Obama drums up healthcare support votes

President Barack Obama declared yesterday Democrats were on the cusp of history after a century struggling for health reform, amid cresting excitement in Congress ahead of a weekend vote.

Mr Obama also invited the entire House of Representatives Democratic caucus to the White House to round off an intense vote-whipping operation on the most sweeping Social Reform Bill in decades.

After months of setbacks, bitter partisanship and legislative logjam, Mr Obama appeared almost triumphant, rekindling the spirit of change which powered his euphoric 2008 election campaign but has been dimmed by the slog of government.

"Right now, we are at the point where we are going to do something historic this weekend," Mr Obama said, days before a key House of Representatives vote on his sweeping plan to offer health care to 32 million uninsured Americans.

"In just a few days, a century-long struggle will culminate in an historic vote," Mr Obama said, as 8,500 supporters chanted his campaign theme "Yes We Can" in a sports arena in northern Virginia.

Ms Pelosi, however, stopped short of saying she had the votes in hand to pass the measure after a dramatic week of arm-twisting and head counts.

"When we bring the Bill to the floor, we will have a significant victory for the American people," Ms Pelosi said.

If the House passes the Bill tomorrow, Mr Obama would then sign it into law.

The Senate is then expected to vote on a House-passed package of fixes to the Bill which would amend that law and make it palatable to House members.

Mr Obama was in fiery mood yesterday, warning that failure to pass the bill at the 11th hour would reward insurance firms that had "run amok" at the expense of ordinary Americans.

Republicans have mounted a fierce campaign of obstruction designed to stop the Bill, which they say would hike taxes and amounts to a massive government takeover of the mostly-private health care industry.

"It's clear that now is the crunch time. It's pretty clear that the vote is pretty tight," said Republican House minority leader John Boehner.

The Healthcare Bill would amount to the most significant social reform legislation in 40 years and is seen as crucial to establishing Mr Obama's political authority and to defining his eventual presidential legacy.

It would bring the country closer than ever before - 95 per cent of the population - to universal health coverage.