Mark Halperin’s Three Things

Mark Halperin's three things to watch for in politics for Tuesday, June 23.

1. Watch to see what President Obama says about Iran in his press conference this afternoon. Originally scheduled for the White House Rose Garden, the 12:30 pm ET event has been moved inside because of warm weather but the content will still be the same. He’s expected to discuss Iran in a statement at the top of the presser and will invariably face questions about the country from reporters. Watch to see how he addresses the topic and if he is more direct in what he says, responding to the pressure of some critics calling for him to be more forceful. Watch to see what messages he sends to Americans, Iranians and the world.

2. Watch to see what the president says on health care at today’s presser. He’s also expected to discuss the issue in his statement and will also get questions on how the health care reform process is moving. Watch to see if he’s able to drive the public toward a more urgent sense that something must be done and to put some pressure on Congress.

3. Watch the administration’s overall efforts to create a sense of urgency on health care. Opinion polls show the public in many ways wants the kind of reform Obama is pushing for, but the White House has been unable to translate public opinion into a sense of urgency that will force Congress to act in the face of opposition and division from within the Democratic Party. Watch to see if the administration’s efforts on various fronts — including appeals coming from the First Lady — are enough to give health care the momentum it needs this week.