White House launches health insurance reform reality check website but success depends upon trust

  If Americans trust Obama the site will be a success.  AP Photo Ron Edmonds

In an attempt to dispel rumors about health care, I mean health insurance, reform the White House has launched a "reality check" website.  The website can be seen here and is intended to confront false information with the truth in the debate about reform.

The website is a good idea but ultimately it will only be successful if the White House can win the credibility war.  The White House could launch a thousand websites to address bogus claims but none of that will matter for the people who trust Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh over Obama.  Conservatives will continue to release their own version of the "truth" on health insurance reform and so it really comes down to who Americans trust.  Some will trust conservative opponents no matter what while others believe Obama's words are the fifth gospel.  It is the all important middle group that will decide who wins the health care debate.

Both sides are trying to gain credibility by painting the other side as extremists.  Democrats are pointing to health care protesters who disrupt town halls by shouting down any pro-reformers.  Democrats have also pointed to incidents such as alleged death threats made to Congressman and an effigy hung of one Representative.  Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to point to comments made by Speaker Nancy Pelosi in saying Democrats are simply out of touch with public opinion. 

As I wrote before the trust war may ultimately be won by President Obama if the economy improves.  If economic data, particularly jobs numbers, are positive over the following month it may help many Americans to trust that President Obama is leading us in the right direction.  On the other hand if bad economic news comes it could make the public distrust the President more and ultimately doom reform.