O'Donnell began her piece with the Democrats celebrating: "Even Washington veterans wanted a keepsake from a ceremony that may define the Obama years. And to victors, go the pens - 22 of them," but then quickly turned to running clips of protestors and conservative talk show hosts "turning up the volume":
KELLY O'DONNELL: The President's signature made health care reform law and his opponents made their mark.
BARACK OBAMA: Because those fighting changes are still out there. Still making a lot of noise.
(Protestors chanting: "Kill the bill!")
O'DONNELL: Conservative voices are turning up the volume.
GLENN BECK: Health care, they control that.
O'DONNELL: Popular host Glenn Beck of Fox News tells his audience that freedom has been lost and socialism has gained ground.
BECK: What happened this week? Haven't we just been spanked? Hasn't most of the country, doesn't most of the country feel like they've been spanked over health care? You bet. I do. You do. A lot of people do.
O'DONNELL: Some of that public anger boiled over last weekend with hateful words aimed at Democratic lawmakers.
(Footage of Rep. Barney Frank, protestors, and Congressmen holding up Don't Tread on Me flag)
RUSH LIMBAUGH: And greetings to you, ladies and gentlemen.
O'DONNELL: The provocative platform Rush Limbaugh commands can add fuel to the fire.
LIMBAUGH: We need to defeat these bastards. We need to wipe them out. We need to chase them out of town.
The following is the full segment as it was aired on the March 24 Today show:
MEREDITH VIEIRA: But let us begin with the new law of the land when it comes to health care in the U.S. and what Republican senators plan to do to block it. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell is on Capitol Hill with more. Kelly, good morning to you.
[On screen headline: "Health Care Extremes, Obama Celebrates New Bill As Right Wing Rants"]
KELLY O'DONNELL: Good morning, Meredith. Well step one, more than a dozen Republican senators have offered their own bill, to repeal the bill that involved Democrats' health care reform. Now that is a tough thing to do. Now Republicans, motivated conservatives and Democrats are all trying to figure out the rules of engagement for this phase of the fight. Usually when a bill is signed and moved into law, that quiets things down, but nothing has been typical here. Even Washington veterans wanted a keepsake from a ceremony that may define the Obama years. And to victors, go the pens - 22 of them.
BARACK OBAMA: I've got to use every pen so it's gonna take a really long time.
O'DONNELL: The President's signature made health care reform law and his opponents made their mark.
OBAMA: Because those fighting changes are still out there. Still making a lot of noise.
(Protestors chanting: "Kill the bill!")
O'DONNELL: Conservative voices are turning up the volume.
GLENN BECK: Health care, they control that.
O'DONNELL: Popular host Glenn Beck of Fox News tells his audience that freedom has been lost and socialism has gained ground.
BECK: What happened this week? Haven't we just been spanked? Hasn't most of the country, doesn't most of the country feel like they've been spanked over health care? You bet. I do. You do. A lot of people do.
O'DONNELL: Some of that public anger boiled over last weekend with hateful words aimed at Democratic lawmakers.
(Footage of Rep. Barney Frank, protestors, and Congressmen holding up Don't Tread on Me flag)
RUSH LIMBAUGH: And greetings to you, ladies and gentlemen.
O'DONNELL: The provocative platform Rush Limbaugh commands can add fuel to the fire.
LIMBAUGH: We need to defeat these bastards. We need to wipe them out. We need to chase them out of town.
O'DONNELL: Political columnist and author John Avlon.
JOHN AVLON, WINGNUTS, AUTHOR: I think the extremes feel empowered. The center. The moderate majority of Americans feels embattled. The, the extremes feel like they, they have powerful television shows and political parties who've got their back.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: In fairness to the President, what was he referring to when he-
O'DONNELL OVER FOOTAGE OF TEA PARTY PROTESTS: Republican John McCain says disagreement over issues like higher taxes, Medicare cuts and bigger government spending is one thing, bad behavior is another.
MCCAIN: Obviously all of us condemn it, but there is a lot of passion out there and there is a lot of anger because people feel that they are disconnected from the people they send to Washington to represent them.
O'DONNELL: And the Republicans I talk to, Meredith, say that is why they are offering amendments, proposed changes to the legislation that they believe reflect some of the concern that is out there among their base, their voters. And so that went late into the night last night. It will happen again today. And Democrats say they feel very strong about their ability to knock down those attempts to change the bill because they think they have enough votes and enough wind at their back to hold firm.
