The president's appearance in Shaker Heights Thursday mirrors a technique employed by former president George W. Bush to build support for HIS initiatives: convene a town hall style meeting in friendly territory that's likely to be most receptive to his proposals.
Shaker Heights fits the bill, having supported Obama with 80 percent of the 2008 presidential vote.
In an informal on-the-street poll, I asked Shaker Heights residents how they feel about the president's push to reform health care. Most said they support it, even though they had not seen the details.
Andrea Clarke Holtz is a Shaker resident, is employed in the Health Care field, and isn't overly concerned with charges that enacting the current measure could increase the federal deficit by $239 billion over ten years.
ANDREA CLARK-HOLTZ "I don't really feel worried, no. I feel like he's leading us in the right direction and I trust him."
In neighboring Pepper Pike, a GOP leaning suburb, we also found support for change - but as Dave Danzeg expressed, it's tinged with broader concern.
DAVE DANZEG: "I guess what bothers me is Americans go rah-rah-rah until they get worried about that it might somehow diminish their own level of medical care; but I think we're all going to have to make some compromises, and some sacrifices."
Danzeg is also worried that political compromises will ultimately hurt the final bill.
But others, pleased the President is coming, worry about the more simple issues.
'Forget about politics completely' says Leon Johnson, who works in Shaker Heights, but does it `without' employer insurance.
LEON JOHNSON:"I haven't been on health care a while. It'd be very nice to have that - to walk into a hospital and get health care for the problems that I might have. It's a real big issue for some people, and, umm - it's a real big issue for me."
And -- for millions more.
