Valerie Jarrett: Obama "will not quit" on health reform

Top Presidential advisor Valerie Jarrett was the surprise luncheon speaker Friday at the Families USA health reform conference in Washington, D.C. She got right to the question that was on the minds of the hundreds of grassroots health activists from around the country: Is Obama giving up on us and health reform?

"He will not quit! He will not give up. More important, we will not quit," Jarrett told the advocates. "I want to reassure you that he is not going to give up on this!"

She took issue with those who contend the election of a Republican to the Senate seat long held by the late Ted Kennedy, and the loss of a 60th vote for the Democratic majority in the Senate, has stopped health reform in its tracks:  "Does one election in Massachusetts say that it's over? It's not over."

"We are literally this close," she said. "It's not even at the 2-yard line. it's at the 1-yard line."

Jarrett received a rousing reception from the health reform advocates present, who have been spending the last two days charting a course to finishing health reform this year, despite the loss of the 60th vote in the Senate. RWV has been at the conference, and participated in a workshop on women's health and health reform on Friday.