President Obama shakes hands with House minority leader John Boehner. At right, House minority whip Eric Cantor
Will Thursday's health care summit be much more than a political show? Probably not. Will it make any difference in the prospects for health reform legislation? That's entirely possible.
While it is being billed as a negotiating session, the six-hour meeting will in fact give Republicans and Democrats a chance — perhaps their last one — to lay their best arguments before the American people. For the White House, it is also a badly needed opportunity to change the dynamic around the President's signature domestic-policy initiative, support for which has been sinking in public-opinion polls.
Here are five things you should watch for at the summit: