8:15 p.m. We’re done. I’ll link to coverage of the speech tomorrow.

8:14 p.m. The Republican response offered nothing new to the debate. It also continued mistruths that President Obama has said are not included.

That said, it was overall a bland response, which is certainly as it was designed to be. Boustany is not a partisan figure on the national scene, talks as a doctor and was not confrontational in his delivery. Nothing more could have been asked for after the failure of GOP response to the State of the Union.

8:09 p.m. Boustany wants tort reform to be a part of health care reform. Tort reform is separate from health care reform. That said, the president has already started a project that was devised by the Bush Administration to study the need for medical malpractice reform.

8:08 p.m. Boustany continues with the same lies:

- Medicare will be cut. It will not.
- The debt will increase under the plan. It won’t. In fact, the plan includes a provision that any savings not met must be offset by cuts.

8:07 p.m. His economic statistics all stem from the previous administration. Why would you use those? The debt is inherited. The job losses began under President Bush.

8:06 p.m. The Republican response is being delivered by Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., a heart surgeon from Louisiana.

8:05 p.m. Initial impressions:

- Surprised by the heckling and the crude signs by some Republicans. Sad.
- The president was strong in his defense of a public option.
- Repeated calls for civility in this debate were needed.

8:04 p.m. The President’s speech is over. He was detailed in his plan, and his call for civility should be heeded.

8:03 p.m. We did not come here to fear the future; we came here to shape it. I still believe we can act, even when it is hard. We can replace acrimony with civility… That is our character.

8:02 p.m. President Obama calls for a civil debate over this difficult and important issue.

8:01 p.m. What else has been called socialism or a government takeover of health care? Social Security and Medicare. Those programs are vital to our society today. So is health care reform.

8:00 p.m. Critics say that Kennedy’s liberalism and desire for health care reform was nothing more than a desire for big business. “But those of us who knew Teddy … know that what drove him was something more.”

The president said that Kennedy’s pursuit of health care reform came from the struggle he faced with two children who had cancer. He never wanted anyone to face the reality of knowing that there was something that could help them or their children but that they could not afford it.

7:58 p.m.The late Sen. Kennedy called health care reform “The great, unfinished business of our society.”

Kennedy, in a letter to President Obama, said health care reform is more than policy, “it is a moral issue”.

7:56 p.m. If we do not pass health insurance, what will happen?

- More businesses will close because of the growing cost of coverage.
- More people will lose their coverage when they need it the most.
- More people will die as a result.

7:55 p.m. President Obama: I will not waste time with those who have calculated that it is better politics to kill this plan than to pass it.

If politicians are playing politics with this plan by spreading lies, the President says he will call them out.

7:54 p.m. The President’s plan will cost less than the Iraq war and less than the tax cuts passed under President Bush.

Most of the cost will be paid for by moneys already being spent but being spent unwisely.

7:53 p.m. Republicans claim that reforming medical malpractice laws will bring down the cost of health care. (Republicans rejoice.) President Obama says it is not a silver bullet.

President Obama says that defensive medicine can raise costs. He is implementing a plan that will do test studies in certain areas to see what kind of changes can be made.

7:52 p.m. Reducing the waste in Medicare and Medicare will pay for most of this plan. Savings from other health care services will pay for most of the rest of the plan.

7:50 p.m. President Obama says he will not turn Medicare into a public voucher program. Many of the Republicans who oppose health care reform voted for a voucher plan for Medicare. It would have greatly reduced payments for services and cut drug coverage.

7:49 p.m. Not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for the health care plan. The plan will eliminate wasteful subsidies that go to health insurance companies from Medicare to make sure that the seniors receive the benefits they are promised. Some of the savings will also be used to cover the costs of prescription drugs.

7:46 p.m. The president will not sign a bill if the plan adds one cent to the deficit. And if the savings promised are not realized, then additional spending cuts will be made.

7:45 p.m. President Obama: I will not back down from the idea that if Americans cannot find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice. And I will make sure that no government bureaucrat or insurance bureaucrat gets in the way of the coverage you need.

7:44 p.m. The public option is only one part of the plan. Neither the left nor the right should view the public option as the main thrust of the plan.

The left should not say it is the only option we need, and it should be mandatory.

The right should responsibly discuss any concerns they have over the public option.

7:43 p.m. A public option would only be for those who choose it. Nobody would be required to have it. And the taxpayers will not subsidize this plan. It will be self-sufficient by cutting some of the costs of regular health insurance companies such as:

1. Administrative overhead
2. Hefty executive salaries

7:42 p.m. The president does not want to put the insurance companies out of business. He wants to hold them responsible.

7:41 p.m. A former insurance executive testified before Congress: Insurance companies are not only encouraged to drop sickly people; they are rewarded for it.

7:40 p.m. President Obama says that consumers do better when there is competition in the marketplace. Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75 percent of insurance industry is controlled by five companies.

7:39 p.m. No federal dollars will spent on abortion.

7:38 p.m. The President’s plan will not cover illegal aliens.

7:38 p.m. THe president is taking on the lies being spread. First up, death panels. “It is a lie, plain and simple.” The President needs to take on the lying politicians and radio hosts who are shameless about their lies.

7:37 p.m. Laughter at the president’s statement that some of the details still need to be ironed out. Nice.

7:36 p.m. To help curb the burden of health care costs, every individual will be required to have basic health insurance. There will be waivers for those who truly cannot afford it. Likewise, businesses will be required to provide health insurance or pay to help cover part of the costs. Waivers will also be available for businesses as well.

7:33 p.m. The President is taking part of Sen. John McCain’s plan to adopt for his own plan.

7:31 p.m. If you have insurance, nothing will change. You can keep it. What President Obama’s plan will do is make it better.

1. Can’t be dropped for pre-existing conditions.
2. Can’t be dropped because you get sick.
3. Cap on out-of-pocket expenses.
4. Will cover routine exams.

7:29 p.m. The President says his plan will accomplish three things:

1. Insure stability for those who have insurance
2. Provide insurance for those who don’t
3. Slow the rising costs of health care for individuals, families and businesses

7:27 p.m. President Obama: The partisan spectacle over health care that we have seen recently furthers the disdain the American people have for their government. “The time for bickering is over… Now is the season for action. Now is the time to bring the best ideas of both parties together… Now is the time to deliver on health care.”

7:26 p.m. What does President Obama want to do? Build on what works instead of building a brand new system.

7:25 p.m. The greatest contributor to our national debt? Health care costs.

7:24 p.m. We spend 1.5 times more than any other country on health care. Health care costs rise faster than wages. But health reform is going to cost too much money? No. We cannot continue on this road without reforming the health care system.

7:22 p.m. Here is fact that most people overlook: The majority of uninsured Americans are the middle class. Every day, 14,000 Americans lose their health coverage. Think about the impact that has on our economic certainty.

7:20 p.m. “I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.” When President Obama and the Democratic Congress passes comprehensive health reform, it will be a historic moment. A nation as strong as ours deserves comprehensive health insurance for its people.

7:19 p.m. “I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink.” You will be hard-pressed to find many serious-minded people who say that the most recent stimulus plan has not helped our economy. Banks are repaying money. Roads are being built. Housing markets are improving.

7:18 p.m. The President just gave some startling numbers concerning our economy at the beginning of the year when he took over as President. He says a full recovery is still months away. “I will not give up until those Americans who want jobs can find them.”

7:16 p.m. Some opponents of health care reform have said the President has not clearly stated his plan. First off, that’s an absurd claim to make. That said, I believe that criticism will no longer be valid in just a few minutes.

7:14 p.m. I was asked what the Mississippi Democratic Party wants to see in health care reform. We believe the President’s eight guarantees are the perfect start.

7:11 p.m. The President is about to enter to address a joint session of Congress. This is a somewhat rare event. Outside the State of the Union address, few joint sessions of Congress are held.

7:07 p.m. The cost of health care reform is a concern to many people. President Obama will explain how we can pay for the plan, in part by cutting costs currently associated with health insurance.

7:06 p.m.: Before we begin, I want to remind everyone about some of the guarantees that President Obama has made regarding health care. You can find the full version here, but here’s a quick list of them:

1. No Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions.
2. No Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays.
3. No Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care.
4. No Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill.
5. No Gender Discrimination.
6. No Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage.
7. Extended Coverage for Young Adults.
8. Guaranteed Insurance Renewal.

President Obama will address the nation tonight concerning his health care plan. We’ll be here live blogging the event. We’ll also share with you our thoughts afterward as well.