[Lemon:] As we discussed earlier, President Barack Obama plans to sign the stimulus bill on Tuesday in Denver. So, once that's done, what is the next big fight? Joining me again, CNN political editor Mark Preston and Lynn Sweet, Washington bureau chief for the "Chicago Sun-Times." I think the next big fight, we can all agree, is probably health care, correct?
[Mark Preston, Cnn Political Director:] Yes, certainly one of them, Don, no question about that.
[Lemon:] I want you guys to take a listen to an ad that's out today which is from Senator Christopher Dodd, then we'll talk about it.
[Announcer:] With today's economy, there hasn't been a lot to celebrate, but recently Congress voted to provide health care coverage for 11 million children, giving their parents one less thing to worry about and Senator Chris Dodd helped make it happen. Call Senator Dodd.
[Lemon:] You can see it's from Families USA Pharma. So the next big thing is going to be health care. Is this going to be quite a fight, Mark Preston? As big a fight as the stimulus plan?
[Preston:] It's going to be an even bigger fight, I think, on many fronts. In that ad we just saw, Don, is one of many that we're going to be seeing across the country in the next couple weeks. It's a $10 million ad buy. It's targeting 34 senators, nearly 50 congressmen. What they're trying to do is put an incredible amount of pressure on the senators and congressman to come back to Washington and really try to enact health care reform. We know right now, 45 million people do not have health care and CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, Don, says that by 2019, you know, that could eclipse into over $50 million. So, it's going to be a very big issue.
[Lemon:] OK. Lynn, so are we going to see any bipartisan support on this issue?
[Sweet:] Well, you may because this is an issue that labor unions and business have been working together on and that would bring in Republicans. But here's why this is much, much tougher than the stimulus, and that is because in the stimulus it was a matter of giving out money and tax credits. You know, there might be ideological differences as to if this was the right balance and, you know, we all prayed that this helps the economic crisis. In the health care arena, some people might be afraid that they might get less, that they might get to have to pay more for more. You just have a lot of other much thornier issues because people will be looking at, you know, just whole demographic areas. They'll be looking at people with health care issues. It's a lot more complicated than having a broad stroke stimulus bill. And an interesting footnote that I've reported on today, the chief of staff of the White House, Rahm Emmanuel, his brother, who's a noted bioethicist and oncologist, is now advising the White House on health care policy.
[Lemon:] Very interesting. Thank you for adding that. I'm going to talk to Mark Preston now. Mark, you know, when it comes to this issue, I guess the concern is that I've been hearing is that this is socialized medicine and the criticism is that we don't need socialized medicine. So, do you think it's going to happen? Will it happen? And will they be able to pass a reform health care reform that really most Americans agree upon?
[Preston:] Well, you know, I hate to be the naysayer here. I just don't know right now how they're going to pay for it I mean, the stimulus bill in itself. Everything that happens moving forward is going to be marked against how much was spent on the stimulus bill, Don. So, it's going to be a huge fight over money and how it's going to be done. And you're right, the whole idea that we could be turning into socialized medicine is not going to play well. So, this is going to be a huge fight for the Obama administration. And, you know, they don't even have a health czar right now. They don't have an HHS secretary. This is what Tom Daschle was supposed to do, Don, and he's no longer there.
[Sweet:] But one of the things if I could make a quick point.
[Lemon:] Yes.
[Sweet:] One of the things that Obama said and stress about in the campaign trail...
[Lemon:] Very short, though, Lynn. Very quick.
[Sweet:] ...is that if you're happy with your health care plan now, nothing will change when he's president.
[Lemon:] Lynn Sweet, Mark Preston, appreciate it.
[Sweet:] Thank you.
[Preston:] Thanks, Don.
[Lemon:] Thank you. Some of your responses. Amsaltzman says, "The last thing we need is socialized health care. As bad as the current system may be, a bureaucracy is never the answer." Evanandrews, "We're a rabid pack of heathens for not having socialized health care." OK, why don't you say how you really feel. Jbtamayo says, "California legislators are incompetent. They can lock themselves up for weeks and still couldn't pass a budget. Meanwhile, Californians suffer." Sirbanio says, "One key thing is that Colin Powell is a Republican. Wonder what Michael Steele thinks." OK. I wonder what, too, Michael. Call us. Tell us what you think. We want you to be part of our show, part of our community. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, iReport.com. That's the place to go. Send us your comments. You've heard what they're saying inside the Beltway just now. But what are the rest of us saying? Really talking about around the country. There they are Martha Zoller, Warren Ballentine. Our hosts are in the house, radio hosts in the house. And you know they have got their finger on the pulse and you know they won't hold back. Stay with us.