Obama looks to rally support for health-care plan at college speech

President Barack Obama sought to rally support from young people for his health-care plan, telling a college viewers Thursday that the debate is the "defining struggle of this generation.”

The president addressed a cheering audience at the University of Maryland in College Park, just outside Washington, as he tried to assemble some of the same people who helped propel his presidential campaign.

"You believe America can still do great things," Obama said. "I need your voice."

The president offers no new proposals, repeating the outline he gave last week in an address to a joint session of Congress - include as his support for a government-run insurance plan. That provision faces unified opposition from Republicans and it is not included in the latest version of a health-care system overhaul in the Senate.

"When I was running for president I never said change would be easy," Obama said, frequently invoking his campaign theme during his speech. Everyone must do their part, he said, adding that, "Americans are ready and willing to take on that responsibility."

As he finished his remarks, Obama led many of the estimated 15,000 people packed into the arena in a chant of "Fired up, ready to go," which became an Obama campaign slogan in the presidential race. "Let's go change the world," he said.