Health care rallies compete

With the health care debate headed toward another showdown in the U.S. House, the fight spilled out on opposite sides of Fayetteville Street in Raleigh on Thursday with competing rallies, chants, speeches and signs.

Members of the Tea Party movement and other opponents of President Barack Obama's health care proposal staged a lunch time rally across the street from the office of Democratic U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, who last year voted for the Democratic health care bill, but has not taken a position on the upcoming vote, Rob Christensen reports.

About 40 people carried signs that read "Obamacare is bad medicine" or "How Long Will Congress Ignore the Will of the People" or waving flags with the inscription "Live free or die."

The national Democratic Party, not wanting opponents to dominate the rallies as they did at the town hall meetings last summer, quickly organized a much larger counter demonstration in front of Etheridge's office.

About 220 supporters of Democratic health care reforms, chanted "Thank you Bob" and carried signs such as "Health Insurance Insurance Reform Now" and "Health Care Can't Wait."

The crowds were peaceful, although separated by a hefty police presence.

Obama supporters would chant: "Yes we can."

Opponents would reply: "No you can't."

At one point, the health care supporters broke into a chant: "Fox News sucks."