Ceci Connollly, of The Washington Post, offers a nice political analysis of President Obama’s quick trip to Boston, and why he very intentionally steered clear of promoting Massachusetts’ health care reform efforts during his speech at MIT. Connolly writes:

The president’s critics say his reluctance to spotlight the Massachusetts model is real-world evidence that his vision would not work on a national scale. High costs have forced the state to trim benefits for legal immigrants and prompted one safety-net hospital to sue over a $38 million shortfall.

Obama’s allies — and even one prominent adversary — see a more nuanced picture that offers guideposts for federal lawmakers as they finalize decisions on a bill that could reshape one-sixth of the economy.

“The mistake in the direction Washington is taking is to assume that getting everyone insured will reduce costs,” said former governor Mitt Romney (R), who signed the Massachusetts bill into law three years ago. “In fact, it is going to add costs.”

By enacting a plan that requires individuals, businesses and the government to contribute to the cost of health care, the state has had phenomenal success in expanding coverage.