HCR Summit: Six Hours and Counting (Updated)

Why is the health care reform summit going over time? The answer is simple: President Obama. He's decided to try to refute -- at length -- every single Republican criticism of the Democratic health bill. (The only exception: Paul Ryan. In that case, Obama quickly changed the subject to Medicare Advantage.) Obviously, this is Obama's prerogative as president. And in some cases he's made good points. But he could easily have let the other Democrats at the table make those points for him. The truth is, Obama can't help himself. He never misses an opportunity to prove that he's the smartest man in the room.

Update, 5:08 p.m. A reader writes:

Correction:  Paul Ryan is the smartest person in the room.  President Obama just THINKS he is the smartest person in the room.

Sort of like Khan versus Captain Kirk.  We all know who won in the end, despite Khan's "superior intellect."

Let's just hope Obama doesn't find a way to strand Ryan on the Genesis planet.