From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Healthcare reform 2.0.

Obama gets ready to recharge the debate.

I'm Sarah Terry, sitting in for Warren Only, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International, a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

The White House has announced that President Obama will make a major speech to a joint session of Congress next week, the day after lawmakers return from their August recess.

Polls show a drop in support for the president's health care plan,

with Republicans increasingly going on the attack. What does Obama need to do to regain control

of the debate? Is a bipartisan approach still possible? On reporter's notebook, a look back at

Teddy Kennedy in his own words, and a look ahead at who wants to take on his job in the U.S. Senate.

First, the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D.

and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

I'm Sarah Terry, sitting in for Warren Allney, back with To the Point from PRI.

We'll be talking about President Obama's efforts to regain control of the health care reform debate.

His proposals drew criticism from conservatives at a series of town hall meetings in August,

and Republican senators once considered potential partners in bipartisanship, have openly attacked the plan. What are the

prospects for health care reform? What kind of strategy will Obama pursue in his speech to Congress

next week? Whose support does he need to win? On reporter's notebook, nearly 50 years after Ted Kennedy started keeping diaries, he finished a memoir of his life, True Compass, a look at the senator through his own eyes. First, this news update. In Iran today, President Mahmoud of McDonoughad won approval from Parliament for 18 of his 21 cabinet nominees.

It's seen as a victory for the president who has removed from his cabinet, all ministers

who questioned his handling of recent post-election unrest.

Joining me is a frequent guest on the show, Borzu Daragahi, Middle East correspondent for

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