By Susan Bonner, CBC News.

It is quite a welcome to Washington.

As a political reporter in Ottawa for 10 years the last 5 covering the turbulence of minority parliament I am quite used to "event speeches" and "make or break nights" for politicians.

But there is nothing quite like the spectacle tonight on Capital Hill in Washington as President Barack Obama prepares to address a joint session of congress to sell his vision for overhauling health care in this country.

Security versus media. It is a tough call as to which has the biggest contingent here, but the edge has to go to security.

There is drama in a president fighting to save his primo domestic policy and his own popularity on an issue that no president in the last 100 years has conquered. And Washington loves drama.

A newcomer could hardly want more.