“We’re not campaigning anymore.”  That’s what President Obama said to Senator McCain when the senator complained about the health care process during yesterday’s summit.

I was saddened that the president didn’t take this more seriously. I wish he would have said: “You’re right, Senator McCain. The American people deserved a better process than what they got. And that’s why I wanted to hold this summit to see if we couldn’t start over.”

But anytime anyone is defensive, it’s a sign that he doesn’t really get it.

No, the president’s health care plan isn’t unpopular because he didn’t explain it well enough or because he didn’t package it well enough. It’s unpopular because it’s not a good plan and because it was produced by a bad process.

The country understands that. Too bad the president doesn’t.

Here is what I think the president should do as he gets ready for the health care summit this week: he should drop this new plan he’s just introduced:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-02-22-health-care-revision_N.htm

Wasn’t the whole purpose of the summit to start over on health care? Then why is the president trying to resurrect bad ideas like raising fees and fining small businesses?

And what does it say about the president’s willingness to work with Republicans that he is already announcing a plan before the meeting is even held?