By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

Sept. 11, 2009 – When America has a cold, African Americans have the flu.  And with health care reform the number one issue now driving economic policy the old adages is taking on a whole new meaning for Black families.

Do I need to remind you Black communities represent a disproportionate number of the unemployed, underinsured and uninsured? 

On Thursday I spoke with the president’s top White House advisor to hear firsthand what the president’s reform could  mean for African Americans.  Nancy Ann DeParle, the health care czar praised the president’s address to the joint session of Congress, “It was a great speech and the president is determined to get this done,” she said.

DeParle, the former administrator for the agency that runs Medicare and Medicaid told me African Americans could benefit from the president’s plan because of health disparities that exist in the community.  [Blacks suffer higher rates of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease compared to their White counter parts.]  “If they have insurance they’ll have stability and security and protection they haven’t had before,” she said.

And the uninsured will have access to affordable insurance options that offer choice, she said.   When I asked if the president was backing away from the public option, DeParle maintained that there are “different types of public option plans” with various payment rates, but all work toward the same goal: creating “affordable options.”

DeParle echoed the president’s support for the public option.  The administration maintains it will keep the insurance companies honest and the not-for-profit insurer would help keep cost down for everyone who wants to purchase health insurance.  “When there is no competition people don’t often get treated right,” DeParle said.

It’s still debateable how large of an olive branch Obama extended across the aisle Wednesday, but DeParle pointed to suggestions from Republicans already included in the president’s plan.  She noted Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) suggestion to create a high risk pool for very sick individuals as one.  “There are Republican ideas in the plan the president talked about last night,” she said.

Moving  forward the goals continues to be creating affordable health care, keeping cost deficit natural, and slowing overall  cost growth.   DeParle noted, for this to happen they [Congress]  just need to “find a sweet spot” where everyone can come together.

That may be the tough part.

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

June 23, 2009 – The president delivered his priorities to a packed White House briefing room Tuesday when the press event was moved from the Rose Garden.  But the cramped quarters didn’t stop reporters from grilling the president on Iran, healthcare reform, unemployment and his on-again-off- again smoking habit.

 Here are a few highlights from the news conference, beginning with unemployment: 

Obama was reminded that his administration had predicted in January unemployment would rise no higher than 8 percent with the help of $787 billion stimulus package. Now that it has exceeded that mark and is at 9.4 percent Obama was asked would another stimulus be needed.

“At that point, nobody understood what the depths of this recession were going to look like,” Obama said. “If you recall, it was only significantly later that we suddenly get a report that the economy had tanked. And so it’s not surprising, then, that we missed the mark in terms of our estimates of where unemployment would go.”

The president said it’s not time to start talking about another stimulus until they determine “how effective the first stimulus is.”

On Iran, the president delivered stronger language against the recent crack down on protestors following the election.  But he delivered an even stronger smack down to his Republican critics when asked if his recent tough talk was influenced by pressure from Republicans like Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John McCain(R-Ariz.).  Obama smiled and scoffed: “What do you think?”  Following up that his critics are free to say what they like: “Only I’m the president of the United States.”

The president suggested Iran’s leaders will face consequences if they continue “the threats, the beatings and imprisonments” against protesters but stopped short of saying what they might be. Leaving room to keep his options open, the president said, “We don’t know yet how this thing is going to play out.”

 ”It is not too late for the Iranian government to recognize that there is a peaceful path that will lead to stability and legitimacy and prosperity for the Iranian people. We hope they take it.”

While Iran dominated the questions, health care was a close second.  The president said the work in Congress on a health care bill is underway and he has been clear about the overall objective.  “We have not drawn lines in the sand other than reform has to control costs and that it has to provide relief to people who don’t have health insurance or are underinsured.”

Is the president still smoking?  “I would say I’m 95 percent cured, but there are times where I mess up,” Obama admitted.

On Monday the president signed an anti-smoking bill into law, and told reporters, “The new law is not about me. It’s about the next generation of kids coming up.”

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

  Would you consider the Republican Party now that the party's leadership is African American?