Barack Obama did manage to slip in a few words about health care at his presser today, and here's one of the key quotes:

"The time has come -- this year, in this new Administration -- to modernize our health care system for the twenty-first century; to reduce costs for families and businesses; and to finally provide affordable, accessible health care for every American."

That Obama went out of his way to promise action "this year" is pretty striking. Obviously he didn't mean in 2008; but it's a pretty clear commitment to taking action in his first year. He didn't have to include those two words, but he did, anyway.

Something like this is what reform advocates had hoped to hear, and Health Care for America Now, a major umbrella group of unions, reform advocates, and providers, has already blasted out a statement hailing Obama's assertion as "a clear statement" that that "Congress will pass legislation in 2009."

One other key quote from Obama:

"Some may ask how, at this moment of economic challenge, we can afford to invest in reforming our health care system. Well, I ask a different question -- I ask how we can afford not to....If we want to overcome our economic challenges, we must also finally address our health care challenge. "

Advocates had been awaiting a clear statement that Obama views health care reform as key to fixing the economy, a key talking point of reformers, and now they got one.