Obama optimistic on healthcare vote

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US President Barack Obama said on Friday he expected a tough vote this weekend, but Democrats were poised make history when the House of Representatives votes on his healthcare overhaul bill.

"Right now we are at the point where we are going to do something historic this weekend," Obama told a raucous audience at George Mason University, as Democratic congressional leaders scrambled to round up support for the plan to revamp the US$2.5 trillion US medical industry.

"If this vote fails, the insurance industry will continue to run amok. They will continue to deny people coverage. They will continue to deny people care. They will continue to jack up premiums 40 percent or 50 percent or 60 percent as they have in the last few weeks," he told the rally.

"That's why they're pouring millions of dollars into negative ads. That's why they're doing everything they can to kill this bill," Obama said in a fiery speech.

"The time for reform is now," he said.

After more than a year of intense debate, the House is expected to vote on Sunday on the sweeping healthcare overhaul, intended to extend insurance coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans.

The bill has faced solid Republican opposition, and Obama and his fellow Democrats were struggling to ensure enough votes from Democrats, who hold a majority of seats in both houses of Congress, to ensure its passage.

Republicans say the bill is too expensive at a time when the country is running massive budget deficits and represents an unwarranted government intrusion into Americans' relationship with their healthcare providers.

"I know this has been a difficult journey. I know this will be a tough vote. I know that everybody's counting votes right now in Washington," Obama said.

"We are going to get this done. We are going to make history," he exhorted the crowd.

The crowd of about 8,500 supporters loudly cheered Obama in the university's basketball arena, but a number of anti-reform activists were also heard. The occasional shout of "No socialism" rang out from the audience.

Several protesters left quietly once identified by the organizers, but one small woman in a brightly coloured jacket had to be physically removed by a burly security officer, shrieking nonstop as she was bundled away.

- Reuters