Obama campaign to opponents: Move past health care fight

Team Obama attempted to frame the political debate following the Supreme Court's ruling on health care Thursday, positioning the ruling as the final word on reform and urging Republicans not to resurrect earlier political fights.

"All three branches of government have now agreed that President Obama's health care law is the right thing to do," read a memo from Democratic campaign officials. "It's time to move past the same political battles and fully implement the law."

The president himself made a similar case Thursday, urging the political class to pivot to the law's implementation and the economy, instead of playing politics.

"Whatever the politics, today's decision was a victory for people all over this country whose lives will be more secure because of this law and the Supreme Court's decision to uphold it," Obama said from the East Room.

The memo, sent to campaign surrogates after the ruling, said Mitt Romney's pledge to repeal Obamacare on his first day in the Oval Office would resurrect old political fights and deny millions of Americans affordable health care in the process.

Obama's re-election campaign stressed what they see as positive elements of the bill that would fall by the wayside should Romney become president and repeal the law, as he has promised to do. Among the policies they pointed to were the ability of those under 26 years of age to remain on their parent's health care, discounts in prescription drugs, coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and tax credits to make health care more affordable.

Romney, the preemptive GOP presidential candidate, has vowed to repeal Obamacare on "Day 1" of his presidency, saying the law hurts job creation and raises taxes on the American people, in the form of an individual mandate.

But the re-election campaign called out Romney's mandate criticism, given that he passed a state version while governor of Massachusetts, a point that has been and will likely continue to be made until Election Day.

"Massachusetts' penalties are administered through the tax code, labeled "tax penalties" and are about the same as Obamacare's fines on free riders," the memo read.

Romney has defended the Massachusetts law as the correct course for his state but not intended for nation-wide use. He then pivots the conversation to job creation.

Despite the court's Thursday ruling, Congressional Republicans vowed to call a vote on a repeal of the legislation, scheduled for July.

But a letter to surrogates from the White House characterized Congressional repeal efforts as misdirected.

"The last thing Congress should do is refight old political battles and start over on health care by repealing basic protections that provide security for the middle class," read the proposed talking points. "Right now, Congress needs to work together to focus on the economy and creating jobs."