Today in Washington, the President went on the offensive saying that the affordable healthcare law is now up and ready.

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OBAMA: Despite all of the problems in the rollout, about half a million people across the country are poised to gain healthcare coverage through marketplaces and Medicaid beginning on January 1st some for the very first time.

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O'REILLY: Then the President read some testimonials about how good Obamacare is for the folks. And listed improvements he believes the new law will bring. Then Mr. Obama addressed his critics.

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OBAMA: We're not repealing it as long as I'm President.

You still think this law is a bad idea. Then you've got to tell us specifically what you'd do differently to cut costs, cover more people, make insurance more secure. You can't just say that the system was working with 41 million people without health insurance.

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O'REILLY: Now as football people know the best defense is a good offense and that's what the President was doing today challenging his opponents to come up with a better system. From the beginning of the healthcare debate Talking Points suggested that Congress pass limited targeted laws to address unfairness in the system. Things like allowing healthcare insurance companies to compete nationwide. The increased competition would then drive down costs. Things like free healthcare clinics for the uninsured where they could just walk in and get whatever help they needed.

But President Obama didn't want that. He wanted income redistribution along with healthcare access and the only way to do that, to take money from the haves and give it to the have-nots is to impose a government-run healthcare system and that's what we have. The feds dictate the coverage, the cost, and the sign-up plans. The problem is many working Americans will have to pay more and some doctors will not participate. The end result, the economy gets hurt, doctors become harder to see.

Mr. Obama didn't address either of those things today and they are crucial in the debate. Also, Mr. Obama did not address the falsehoods under which the affordable healthcare law was passed. But the new spin from his allies is this:

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L.Z. GRANDERSON, CNN.COM COLUMNIST: All Americans know politicians lie. The question is which lies can you live with? And time and time again Americans have said we can deal with the lies that President Obama tells us because we believe in his heart he has the best interest for the American people.

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O'REILLY: So that's what the White House is selling, that President Obama wants what is best for the folks. And I believe that's true in theory, in theory. He does want what's best for the folks. The problem is his vision is running up against reality. The economy is being held back by his tax policies and by Obamacare mandates on business. There is no question about that. That's not what's best.

The medical industry in America will suffer from Obamacare. It will be harder for working folks to see a doctor and healthcare costs will actually rise because of co-pays and deductible, that's not what's best.

But Barack Obama will not believe me and others who see harm to the nation going forward. And that's where we are.

And that's "The Memo."

- You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com.